Unbroken

A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

By: Laura Hillenbrand

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Number-one New York Times best seller

The incredible true story of survival and salvation that is the basis for two major motion pictures: 2014’s Unbroken and the upcoming Unbroken: Path to Redemption.

On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

In her long-awaited book, Laura Hillenbrand writes with the same rich and vivid narrative voice she displayed in Seabiscuit. Telling an unforgettable story of a man’s journey into extremity, Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit.

©2010 Laura Hillenbrand; 2010 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Unbroken is wonderful twice over, for the tale it tells and for the way it’s told. A better book than Seabiscuit, it manages maximum velocity with no loss of subtlety. [Hillenbrand has] a jeweler’s eye for a detail that makes a story live." (Newsweek)

"A master class in narrative storytelling.... Extraordinarily moving...A powerfully drawn survival epic." (The Wall Street Journal)

"Ambitious and powerful.... Hillenbrand is intelligent and restrained, and wise enough to let the story unfold for itself. Her research is thorough, her writing crystalline. Unbroken is gripping in an almost cinematic way." (The New York Times Book Review)

“[A] one-in-a-billion story...designed to wrench from self-respecting critics all the blurby adjectives we normally try to avoid: It is amazing, unforgettable, gripping, harrowing, chilling, and inspiring.” (New York)

“Staggering...mesmerizing...Hillenbrand’s writing is so ferociously cinematic, the events she describes so incredible, you don’t dare take your eyes off the page.” (People)

“A meticulous, soaring and beautifully written account of an extraordinary life.” (The Washington Post)

“Hillenbrand...tells [this] story with cool elegance but at a thrilling sprinter’s pace.” (Time)

“Unbroken is too much book to hope for: a hellride of a story in the grip of the one writer who can handle it.” (Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run)

One of the beat books ever!

This book is for anyone! What a great story! I will never complain about anything after hearing what Louie went through. He is a pillar of unshakable fortitude. What got me was his post-war life and how he sunk so low. I loved hearing how he got back on his feet and made his life meaningful once more. Also, I think the Bird was mentally deranged and had something wrong with the wiring in his brain. Even in his old age he was still an evil person. Ed Herrmann was one of the best narrators I’ve had the pleasure of listening to. Great book!

Powerful!

This is an amazing story of the capacity for human beings to endure through the darkness of circumstances and torture, as well as the healing balm of forgiveness.

Heartbreaking but hopeful

Good narration, incredible story. Amazing how awful people can be to other people...just because. A horror known to too many. Moving!

Overall inspirational, at times drawn out

Unbroken absolutely kept me riveted for the whole story. The narrator did a great job and didn't overdo or under do the voice caricatures. The only complaint I have is that there were some chapters that were slightly drawn out. Eventually, I got tired of hearing about the atrocities that "The bird" committed. But, the impact in the end was powerful. Another amazing example of the resilience of the human spirit.

So much better than movie

I read this book is part of a book club. And I had seen the movie thinking it would be similar, but found that it was more profound and thought-provoking then I had gotten from the movie. parts of this book are so hard to listen to, but the movie never did it justice. it leaves out so much of the heart and the turmoil that Louis actually felt. even though this is a hard book recommend it because there's so much of this war I didn't even know about until I read this book.

Incredible and Inspiring

I was so moved by this story. I highly recommend this true story. So inspiring.

one of the most breathtaking stories of LIFE!

this story is an integral part of our history. we must never forget. It is heartbreaking to hear what these POWs endured but I am elated at their resilience....we need more of this in our lives

Amazing Book!

This is the second time I have listened to this book. The story of the human psyche and determination to survive grips me in every chapter. I love this story of our American troops and Mr. Zamperini's life. 5 stars AGAIN!

Loved the story

This is an absolutely incredible story. while the story was amazing I wasn't completely in love with the readers pace. I did something that I've never done before which was to speed up the narrator to 1.1 because he talks so slow. After I adjusted the speed of the narrator I found it much easier to focus on the tremendous story and enjoy the narrator much more as well.

Wonderful!!!!

I am amazed the depth of information that went into writing this book. Having listened to MANY books about the war in Europe this was a story that broadened my knowledge by leaps and bounds. It has many main characters and written so well easy to keep them straight. Taken from the bombing in Oahu all the way through escaping in rafts to fighting sharks to pow camps then war is over. Yet following those men the rest of their lives seeing first hand what war really does to our young men. Brought me to tears several times and the crossing of Louis path with BILLY GRAHAM totally unexpected and mind blowing. Cannot recommend this enough.