Unbroken

By: Laura Hillenbrand

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's Summary

The incredible true story of Louis Zamperini, now a major motion picture directed by Angelina Jolie. Motion Picture Artwork © Universal Studios 2014. All Rights Reserved.

The international number one best seller

In 1943 a bomber crashes into the Pacific Ocean. Against all odds, one young lieutenant survives. Louis Zamperini had already transformed himself from child delinquent to prodigious athlete, running in the Berlin Olympics. Now he must embark on one of the Second World War’s most extraordinary odysseys. Zamperini faces thousands of miles of open ocean on a failing raft. Beyond like only greater trials, in Japan’s prisoner-of-war camps.

Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini’s destiny, whether triumph or tragedy, depends on the strength of his will …

Now a major motion picture, directed by Angelina Jolie and starring Jack O’ Connell.

©2011 Laura Hillenbrand (P)2010 Random House LLC

Critic Reviews

"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)

"One of the most remarkable survival tales ever recorded. Do yourself a favour and by the book" ( Vanity Fair)

Truly engaging

Amazing story of tenacity and never giving up in the worst possible circumstances, and the despicable nature of some people when in a position of power.

Wonderful book

Recommends for everyone who is down out. I’ll keep this book with my collection, never gonna return this book

Superb

Amazing story of war and human spirit, forgiveness. Read by a narator that is equally good.

Exceptional.

Exceptional. Kept the whole family engrossed for hours. An incredible story, told in a very descriptive way!

Absolutely brilliant, inspiring and fascinating!

Just do yourself a favour, regardless of what you usually like to read or listen to.... get this book, it’ll make you antisocial and you’ll never forget it, just awesome x

God..

I loved it, beautiful story...Impossible is nothing with God, if he wants you alive for a reason, he would take you through hell and high waters and be with you..

Haven't read anything like this!!

Deep, engrossing, heart-wrenching, fascinating, motivating account of a person and time like never told before.

Amazing listen! So absorbing! Truly 'unbroken'

Loved the book. It was a great story to listen to. Puts life in perspective.

Courageous

Would you consider the audio edition of Unbroken to be better than the print version?

Not read

What did you like best about this story?

The descriptions of the POWs' courageous endurance of the tortures imposed on them by the Japanese, the reality of the aftermath of this abuse and mans' capacity for forgiveness

Which scene was your favorite?

When the men were stranded in the doldrums in a life raft and Louis saw this amazing sky

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Transcendental

It was a beautiful experience. Now I'm going on the web after restraining myself with much difficulty, till I finished the audio book to see all the available information regarding the people and the events described in the story.

Best real life story I have read.

Absolutely fantastic. This story is so powerful. An excellent combination of joy, sadness and horror. But an awesome account of a man's struggle with everything that his life threw at him. What a man.

A true insight into the hidden reality of War.

What made the experience of listening to Unbroken the most enjoyable?

Beautifully written with an expert hand that has no need to use graphic violent descriptions to show the true horror.

What did you like best about this story?

It is so, so very human. No one in this book, given the circumstances they were in EVER set out to be a Hero. Their sole goal was to protect each other and survive.

What about Edward Herrmann’s performance did you like?

Brilliant! Unfortunately may narrators spoil a book for some listeners, Edward is not one of them.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I just listened in quite awe to the life story of one man, who was blessed to be loved and befriended by so many exceptional people, whom to which we should not only show thanks but be truly inspired and grateful.

Any additional comments?

I WISH,WISH,WISH that this,and all the other truly humanising accounts of war were part of the curriculum in the teaching of history. It is only with these true visualisations that any lessons may been learnt.

Incredible and moving true story.

Louis Zamperini's story really gripped me from start to finish. , This is an amazing true story. What the POW's endured in the Japanese prisoner of war camps makes you shudder and will make you cry. Everyone who self pitties themselves and who feels they are hard done by, or moans because their intenet rconnection dropped or some other perthetic trivial issue has ruined their day should read this to put their lives in perspective and get out there be happy and grateful they don't have to go through what these soldiers did.

A must listen

Incredible true account of a Ww2 Soldier
One of the best I’ve listened too/ read 🤙🤙

Outstanding true story

What an amazing humble man Louis Zamperini was.
We hear a lot of true stories and fictional works based on the Second World War in Europe, but few from the Pacific side.

Edward Hermann was a great narrator and reminded me of the voice behind those Disney movies of real life animal adventures I watched as a child.
I am not a great lover of an American narrator, but his accent was so soft and gentle, no twang or nasal inflection, to spoil this remarkable account of history.

A must to listen

I enjoyed this audio very much. The narrator was brilliant in translating this very sad but epic true story

Engrossing story

The book really captures the essence of Louie Zamperini in great detail, you really feel immersed in his experiences. It's easy to see, or hear, the depth of detail which has gone into documenting his life story from many angles.

Underwhelming

I know this is a story about extraordinary brutality, human endurance and forgiveness . . . and that is amazing, but the way this was written and/or narrated just didn’t work for me.

I have read many books about the war, with characters that I suffered with, felt their pain and fear and horror. Unfortunately, I never felt I really got to know Zamporini, or is tormentors. Can’t really put my finger on why that was ~ the writing just felt robotic.

Strong Story

This is very typical behaviour of tyranny in war and we as a human should do our best to avoid the wars and conflicts.

Read the book and you’ll learn why.

Highly recommended

Unbroken reviewed by Tevin Gongo

Really inspiring book that leaves me with a strange feeling: on one side, I feel "bad" as I realise or remember that human beings are capable of atrocities. On the other side, I feel humbled as I realise how much human beings can deal with (endure). The story is inspiring for sure, the sky is the limit.