#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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Such an inspirational book, couldn’t put it down.
Absolutely loved it! One of the best books I’ve ever read.
Memorable
I cannot think of another book whose story can rival this true account of an American hero. Miraculous!
One of the great books she has written.
This is such a gut wrenching book of survival and how Zapperini found his faith and forgave his tormentors. Wonderful book.
Beautifully told story of personal preserverance.
Parts of the story were very interesting but I found the book too depressing.
I did not go see the movie for this reason.
One man’s five eventful lives that lead to God’s path. Adversity builds resilience even in unlivable conditions. An exciting, inspirational book, much better than the movie.
This is a terribly depressing book – the suffering of the protagonist is excruciating. The name “Unbroken” is utterly misleading since he is permanently broken and ruined by his experiences.
Highly recommend this book. A great example of resilience and courage.
Though true, it was too descriptive of violence and meanness for my taste.
Every American should read this book to understand the sacrifices these men made to protect our freedom.
Some in our book club did not believe in the truthfulness or accuracy of this account of one man’s journey to hell and back. I found the author’s account authentic, and found the story’s message of life’s challenge and redemption to ring true.
This book makes you appreciate your freedom because of what our military men and women endured at the hand of one of the cruelest enemy. I only wish they didn’t have to endure so much abuse and horror. I am forever grateful to each one of them, and that isn’t enough. God love them all.
As in her earlier book, Seabiscuit, Hillenbrand found the most telling of details to inform her narrative. What Unbroken’s hero suffers, lives through, and accomplishes repeatedly astonishes throughout the book. Brava!
Every one should read this book.
Amazing true story of war and survival. Shouldn’t miss this one.
I could not put it down. Unbelievable what a human body can live through. There was so much information and the details of what happened so clear that you thought you were there.
Inspirational story of a true American hero who survived multiple life events with uncommon dignity and resilience.