"Unbroken" tells the extraordinary true story of Louis Zamperini, a former Olympic athlete turned bombardier in World War II. After his plane crashes in the Pacific, he survives a grueling 47 days adrift at sea, only to be captured by the Japanese Navy. Enduring brutal treatment in POW camps, Zamperini's indomitable spirit shines through despair. Hillenbrand's rich narrative explores themes of resilience, forgiveness, and the quest for redemption. This gripping tale raises the question: how does one overcome the deepest wounds of the human experience?
By Laura Hillenbrand
Published: 2010
"The lessons of resilience and the power of the human spirit shine through in every chapter, showing that even in the darkest moments, hope can emerge from the depths of despair."
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The incredible true story of survival and salvation that is the basis for two major motion pictures: 2014’s Unbroken and the upcoming Unbroken: Path to Redemption. On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War. The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown. Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, 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. In her long-awaited new book, Laura Hillenbrand writes with the same rich and vivid narrative voice she displayed in Seabiscuit. Telling an unforgettable story of a man’s journey into extremity, Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit. Praise for Unbroken “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 “Marvelous . . . Unbroken is wonderful twice over, for the tale it tells and for the way it’s told. . . . It manages maximum velocity with no loss of subtlety.”—Newsweek “Moving and, yes, inspirational . . . [Laura] Hillenbrand’s unforgettable book . . . deserve[s] pride of place alongside the best works of literature that chart the complications and the hard-won triumphs of so-called ordinary Americans and their extraordinary time.”—Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air “Hillenbrand . . . tells [this] story with cool elegance but at a thrilling sprinter’s pace.”—Time “Unbroken is too much book to hope for: a hellride of a story in the grip of the one writer who can handle it.”—Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run
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“The lessons of resilience and the power of the human spirit shine through in every chapter, showing that even in the darkest moments, hope can emerge from the depths of despair.”
Unbroken
By Laura Hillenbrand
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Laura Hillenbrand is an acclaimed American author known for her compelling narrative nonfiction. Her notable works include the bestsellers 'Seabiscuit: An American Legend' and 'Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.' Hillenbrand's writing is characterized by meticulous research, vivid storytelling, and an ability to capture the emotional depth of her subjects. She has received numerous accolades for her work, including being a finalist for the National Book Award and winning the Christopher Award.
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