#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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One should also read the book by the subject. He was not going to let them get to him. Hildebrand focused on the torture.
Well-written griping story, but not for the faint of heart. Life in Japanese internment camp rivaled that of the German cruelty!
What an amazing man to survive so much with such a great attitude!
I love Hillenbrand’s writing. The heartbreaking story of Louie is powerfully written and a great portrayal of an American hero. What an ending! Unfortunately, can’t say the same about the movie…but totally recommend the book!
It is excellent. It is based on a true story. Shares real information about the tough spirit of a determined person. It’s an amazing story of survival.
An inspiring true story of a man who experienced the highs of being an Olympic runner and the fame and attention that goes with it to the lows of being a Japanese P.O.W. in WW2 and enduring the torture and degradation that the Japanese used on their prisoners during the war.
Many books and words have been printed about Louie Zamperini. He was a huge hero in the Italian world I grew up in as a youngster.
And this book is the best of the bunch. Ms. Hilldebrand is a talented writer. She does justice to a brave and humble man. I am so proud of this story.The research and story telling is second to none. In fact its on my …
A hard look at World War II and one man’a journey
This is a gripping story of Louis Zamperini’s life and difficulties as a downed airman in World War II. Prior to the war Louis was a great athlete in track and field. When America entered the war, Louis became a bombardier flying in B-24 s in the Pacific Theater.
His plane went down and then the story gets interesting of drifting thousands of …
This is an amazing story of an amazing human being
Riveting true account!
Unreal story about a true American hero.
It’s by Laura Hillenbrand. What more need be said?
Marvelous
If women watched over the world there would be no wars.
I’m not a feminist. I just think women have more respect for preserving human and animal life.
Wars have been going on since time began. What have we leaned? How to kill and torture in new ways . For what? To gain power over others, to gain territory, to try and force others to think their …
Tough but inspiring story
Wonderful story. You can’t believe all Louie went through during his eventful life. One of the best books I ever read.
Everybody should read this book!
Fantastic book! Absolutely Riveting!
Excellent book. I thought the movie was good, but again, the book was better!