#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 was an incredible book that will stay in my mind forever. Man’s inhumanity to man is unimaginable…and the fortitude and desire for survival in men is amazing.
I was not as impressed with this book as others have been. There were men in the book who survived as much if not more and he gave them short shrift. But he became a Christian speaker so we must laud him apparently.
The book club loved this book. It was a testament to man’s determination and will to live as well as perseverance.
I still find myself thinking about this book. It is gripping.
One of the best books I have ever read
Must read!
This is an amazing true story of fortitude and forgiveness.
This was an outstanding story reflecting the steadfast courage and bravery of a true American hero who suffered severely in WW II but lived to find peace and harmony in his later years. A must read for everyone.
A compelling story of redemption.
What an amazing book! It’s one of those books that you read and continue to think about for weeks! The depths of suffering that He went through, is hard for me to fathom. I stand in awe and gratitude for the men and women who fought for our freedoms and suffered so much so that I may be free. Thank you!
Amazingly wonderful, the spirit of humans to survive is incredible.
Wonderful, humans are amazingly strong people.
Great book
Excellent read, kept my attention.
Part of WWII history I didn’t know or understand. Amazing how any of our soldiers ever managed to live normal lives when they came home!
She can make any subject fascinating. Anxiously waiting her next one.
Guess I have never had a bad day
This book is one of the greatest books I’ve ever read. It may be hard to read but it’s definitely worth it!!
Wonderful story about with tragic circumstances and characters overcoming the evils of war.
So glad she wrote this true story; a wonderful, but tragic history lesson. We need to be regularly reminded of the sacrifices made on our behalf making our way of life possible.
I loved the story of this man who faced such torture during WWII. His will to live and strength and courage under adversity. A well written book about a great human being. Anyone who ran track in high school should put this in their list. Famous folks in track pepper the first part of the book.