#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE • Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more.In boyhood, Louis Zamperini was an incorrigible delinquent. As a teenager, he channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics. But when World War II began, the athlete became … World War II began, the athlete became an airman, embarking on a journey that led to a doomed flight on a May afternoon in 1943. When his Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean, against all odds, Zamperini survived, adrift on a foundering life raft. Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, 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.
Unbroken is an unforgettable testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit, brought vividly to life by Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand.
Hailed as the top nonfiction book of the year by Time magazine • Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for biography and the Indies Choice Adult Nonfiction Book of the Year award
“Extraordinarily moving . . . a powerfully drawn survival epic.”—The Wall Street Journal
“[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
“Ambitious and powerful . . . a startling narrative and an inspirational book.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Magnificent . . . incredible . . . [Hillenbrand] has crafted another masterful blend of sports, history and overcoming terrific odds; this is biography taken to the nth degree, a chronicle of a remarkable life lived through extraordinary times.”—The Dallas Morning News
“An astonishing testament to the superhuman power of tenacity.”—Entertainment Weekly
“A tale of triumph and redemption . . . astonishingly detailed.”—O: The Oprah Magazine
“[A] masterfully told true story . . . nothing less than a marvel.”—Washingtonian
“[Hillenbrand tells this] story with cool elegance but at a thrilling sprinter’s pace.”—Time
“Hillenbrand [is] one of our best writers of narrative history. You don’t have to be a sports fan or a war-history buff to devour this book—you just have to love great storytelling.”—Rebecca Skloot, author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
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This is a magnificent book, beautifully written and researched, that reminds us of the dark days of World War II and celebrates the durability of the human spirit. You will not be able to put it down.
The story of Louie Zamperini is one of the most inspirational true life stories I have ever read. It is a special one, and a special life story, one that will never leave me. Just read it.
As a reader, I am not easily impressed. I have read more than 500 books and wouldn’t consider more than 30 great works of literature. Every now and then, however, I read — or listen to — a book that makes me shake my head in awe.
Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, is one such book. Subtitled “A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and …
This is a book that you will be glad you read! I am not an avid reader of non-fiction, nor do I really enjoy reading about someone who was tortured. But, I am so glad I read this book. Unbroken is the true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete, who was captured and tortured by the Japanese during World War II. Zamperini’s will to live, …
This is truly an unforgettable book. Two or three years later, I still remember and marvel at the strength and resilience of this huge American hero. I had never heard of Louie, and never would have, but this book has made this story a frequently referenced example of what human beings are capable of withstanding. It is amazingly readable and a …
Easily the best book I’ve read so far this year. Perfect historically but also in human and entertainment terms, this book has it all. Cannot recommend it highly enough. If you’re going to buy any book to read in 2020, buy this one.
Unbroken is a true story of survival and triumph in spite of incredible suffering. It is a book all Americans should read to understand the sacrifices made during World War II.
This is one of the most amazing stories I’ve read in a very long time. I’m not usually into non-fiction, but Louie Zamperini is incredible and this book does a fantastic job of telling his story. It’s both horrifying and inspiring at the same time, all the while telling the incredible history of pilots in the Pacific during WWII. Frankly, it is …
I don’t know what I could possibly say in this review that hasn’t already been said. This book is a must-read for those interested in WW2. Even if you think you’re really more interested in the European theater, Nazis, etc. Read this. Warning: it’s a rough ride. Sometimes I didn’t want to know what I was learning through Zamperini’s story. I …
Louis Zamperini was a hero. Laura Hillenbrand made him OUR hero. Her novel is nothing less than spectacular. This was simply the best book I have read in a decade or more. His war story is but a small part of his life and this book (this is where Angelina Jolie got it wrong in the movie because there is so much more). Beg for, borrow, or go …
This is such an inspirational book. It’s almost unreal how much this man had to go through. What a beautiful story! I loved that he was real about his life and didn’t make himself out to be perfect.
The will to live shines thru this book. The endurance of the subject is amazing, as he put up with unimaginable abuse. You can’t put this book down!
This story is not for the faint of heart. I had to read to a certain point and then put it down and come back. The main character endured so many of the horrors of war. How he survived is beyond comprehension. The end is very uplifting but the book for me was difficult to read. In the end I am glad I did.
One of my all time favorite inspirational titles. I could not put this down. It says so much about the human character that it stays in your heart long after it ends. The movie was good but reading this novel is well worth getting the full story.
Laura Hillenbrand is unequaled when it comes to storytelling. ‘Unbroken’ is a factual, inspirational and fascinating account of one of America’s unsung heroes. Real life that reads like fiction. I was spellbound.
This is a brilliantly written book that I was extremely reluctant to read. It sounded too dusty and boringly historical for me. I finally, after considerable prodding, decided to read it and was surprised to find how quickly I became absorbed in the story. It was a page turner that I never wanted to finish.
If you haven’t yet read Unbroken, do …
Wonderful book stayed up reading could not put down
Amazing story of survival in its rawest form. Attitude is everything!
I found out so much I didn’t know about WWII in the Pacific and the treatment of the POWs in the Japanese concentration camps. I found a new hero, only to lose him shortly thereafter!
One of the best books that I’ve ever read. It goes into the tribulations that the American POWs went through in WWII before and after their rescue. It doesn’t sugar coat and I can honestly say that it’s the best book that I have ever read.