#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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Though I am a fiction fan something made me pick up her book and I’m thrilled I did. I have read both her books and I am looking forward to her next one.
I had the pleasure of meeting Louis Zamperini a handful of times in the 1990’s. He was a light so bright it almost hurt your eyes. I’d heard his story of being a POW from his own lips, but in typical Louis fashion, he was beyond humble. It wasn’t until I read this book that I truly understood all that he had endured, but let me tell you, he came …
A truly amazing story, which kept me wanting to read it. The story of Louis Zamperini, from Torrence, CA who went from being a bit of a prankster and a wild teenager to realizing his potential as a runner in his teens. He goes on to the Berlin Olympics in 1936, but while training for the next Olympics that was to take place in Japan, WWII started …
A beautifully told, heart-wrenching, true story. It was so inspiring to read about a real-life hero, a man with integrity that went right down into the marrow of his bones, who survived and thrived through some horribly torturous times. We could use more men like Mr. Zamperini, and Laura Hillengrand does an excellent job telling his story.
This book was, at times, difficult to get through because of the pain and suffering Louie Zamperini (and other POW’s) endured at the hands of “The Bird.” They were unimaginable and unspeakable atrocities… and yet, this story is a true testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.
It is a story for the ages—timeless. As long as man’s cruelty …
So well written you put yourself in the moment. Reminds you what a true hero really is. Impossible situations leading to incredible outcomes.
This book shows true heroism and the unwillingness of humans to give up. The characters are truly an inspiration and the ordeals through which they went are mind boggling.
There are complaints that Hillenbrand lifted this straight from Zamperini’s autobiography. Nonetheless, the writing is solid and the story is incredible. The story moves well enough at the beginning, but positively flies once he crashes in the Pacific.
It’s funny – my father was a WWII European vet, but he knew about Zamperini’s story. I wonder …
Just so good and so sad and so inspirational. An amazing man who survived so many horrific experiences. A must read!
Really good I love your books.
This book was so inspirational and awe inspiring! I highly recommend it to everyone! Louis Z was an amazing individual!
The remarkable true story of a WWII POW survivor. Fascinating!
One of my absolute favorites! The true story of Louis Zamparini, who ran in the Olympics and then went to fight in WWII. His story is so packed with action, it’s almost hard to believe.
Unbroken is an incredible story about the horrors of war while living and dying for a cause – defeat of the brutal Japanese during World War II. Like the main character of the book, my father was also a B 24 pilot in the South Pacific during WWII, so the story provided additional insight into understanding his experience. When I set Unbroken down …
If Hillenbrand never writes another book, she will stay on my top ten list. I beg all and any doctors to heal this courageous, brilliant writer.
this book was really good but could be a bit groosme at times and is really intersting
This story is a haunting recounting of the experience of a WWII soldier at the hands of the Japanese. Every time the reader thinks things can’t get worse, they do time and time again. It’s a miracle that the soldier survived. Pushing through all the torture, etc., leaves the reader feeling beat up and exhausted, much like the feeling after …
Great hero of World War II–a true war story that makes you feel proud to be an American.
I highly recommend this book to everyone. It is the true story of Olympian Louie Zamperini and his experience as a POW during WWII. The things he and other POWs encountered during the war were very hard to imagine anyone living through. A very powerful book.
Amazing courage and endurance demonstrated by Zamperini and his fellow soldiers is truly inspirational.