Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

Laura Hillenbrand follows her spectacular biography of race horse Seabiscuit with the gripping tale of Louis Zamperini's life and tribulations as a downed airman in WWII. "Unbroken" is written in Hillenbrand's inimitable style, blending global events with personal anecdotes from the lives of Lt. Zamperini and his family and fellow airmen. Prior to the war, Zamperini had overcome serious obstacles to become one of the best milers in track and field history, competing in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin with Jesse Owens and other famous American Olympians. As America entered WWII he became a bombardier flying B-24s in the Pacific Theater. When his plane ditched in a remote part of the Pacific, Louie and two colleagues survived the crash, and drifted thousands of miles for more than 47 days before being picked up by a Japanese ship. During those weeks they endured unthinkable hardships: one of their companions died aboard the life raft, they were repeatedly attacked by sharks, and strafed by Japanese planes. After Louis and his pilot, Russell Allen Phillips were "rescued," an even more harrowing journey began, as both men were incarcerated in a series of brutal Japanese POW camps. The vivid descriptions of camp conditions and the inhuman brutality of many of the prison guards are gut wrenching. The depth of depravity that Louie and his fellow prisoners had to endure is unimaginable, and the fact that he survived to live a productive life is a testament to his incredibly resilient and unbreakable will and spirit. The author does not shrink from telling about Louie's post-war troubles with alcohol, rage and PTSD. The account of Zamperini's reluctant encounter with evangelist Billy Graham,is touching and instructive, for it proved to be the event that allowed Louie to finally come to peace with his hatred of the worst of the Japanese guards, Mutsuhiro Watanabe, "The Bird," Louie was finally free of the haunting nightmares and his need to seek revenge. As I was reading this book, one of my close friends saw the book in my hand and said: "This book changed my life!" The story of Louie Zamperini and his trials and tribulations is that inspiring.

I'm a voracious reader. Addicted to reading since I was a young child. I love and read a great deal of history. This book was hands down, one of the best written I've ever read on WWII. Laura Hillenbrand is now as beloved an author to me as Stephen Ambrose. My grandfather spent years in Europe during WWII. My mother tells the story of meeting her father for the first time when he came home after the war. He left when she was a toddler and she has no memories of him before the war. Sadly, there was no information on PTSD in those years. He did his best, but the war broke him in profound ways that would chase all his children and grandchildren through the years. This book has given me great sadness for what all the men suffered, but has also healed a wound. Grandfather didn't hate us all, he was merely dealing with a burden he could never share. Great book. Very well written. I haven't stayed up all night reading in many years, but this book have me that rare pleasure of trading sleep for getting lost in a story.

First off, I must say that I am very encouraged to see the THOUSANDS of positive reviews of this book. The bravery, unbelievable sacrifices, devotion, patriotism, and tenacity of "The Greatest Generation" should never be forgotten. I am heartened to see that even in this day and age of Political Correctness, many share my feelings on the matter. Please bear with me for a moment, while I provide a little personal background before launching into my review. I feel it is relevant. I can very proudly say that my parents (I am 51) were members of that generation to whom we all owe an immeasurable amount of gratitude. At the time of World War II, My father was a very young Marine (one of my pet peeves is seeing "Marine" spelled with a lowercase "m") who joined the USMC shortly after the war broke out. As so many in the US military did, he fought the Japanese in the Pacific from one hell hole island to another. Thankfully, he made it home safely, and went on to lead a very distinguished career in the United States Marine Corps. Sadly, he died when I was only 17 (he was a much too young 59), and many is the time I have wished I could have talked to him about his war experiences, especially since I have grown to become an avid student of history for the past 25 years. Note; if there are any members or past members of the US military in your family or circle of friends, LISTEN TO THEM ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES! I was young and stupid, and my opportunity is lost. Now for the book. POSSIBLE SPOILERS..... This book is Odyssean in its vast tapestry of one epic struggle after another. The name of Louis Zamperini is one that, hopefully now, thanks to Laura Hillenbrand, will become a household name in the pantheon of great Americans. From the time of his youth, to the rigors of the Olympics, to the gripping fear of aerial combat, she traces his remarkable life through a seemingly never ending ordeal of survival while being lost at sea for a record 47 days, only to be captured by the Japanese to endure a withering, seemingly ceaseless nightmare of thirst, starvation, torture, sickness, humiliation, loss and loneliness, eventually becoming a fixed recipient of unbelievable brutality by a sick and twisted sadist who is relentless in his devotion to break Mr. Zamperini's spirit. Frequently, when thinking about WWII vets, I have often wondered out loud to my wife; "how in the world did these guys, after seeing what they saw and experiencing what they experienced, get on with 'normal' life?" Indeed, one could argue that Louis Zamperini's greatest challenges came AFTER he experienced a multitude of challenges that would have utterly destroyed most people in body, mind and soul. Thankfully for Louis and his family (and his family is VERY much a part of the story), he eventually found a way. Regarding his family, this book should appeal to many people across a wide spectrum, as Laura Hillenbrand takes us into the thoughts and emotions of those who loved him most, and we share in their seemingly interminable hours of agony, spent in the uncertainty of any knowledge of the well being of one they held so dear. The book is very well researched, and one can tell that Laura Hillenbrand certainly put a Herculean amount of effort into putting it together. My only negative critique would be that I occasionally found some of the sentence structure to be a bit choppy. However, that being said, she does a wonderful job of allowing us, as much as possible within a book, to see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the details of a story that stagger the imagination. It is emotionally riveting. This book will inspire you, make you angry, make you cry, and make you immeasurably proud to be an American. Ultimately, it will reveal in a very raw, graphic, (this book is not for the squeamish), heartbreaking and heartwarming way, the indomitable spirit of mankind, and how one man, after living through seven kinds of hell, remained, UNBROKEN. Please allow me to close by expressing a deeply heartfelt THANK YOU to all the brave and wonderful men and women, past, present, and future, who wear the uniform, be it Army, Navy, Air Force, United States Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or National Guard. We live free because you serve.

Had not heard of the story of Louis Zamperini until I read this book several months after my daughter gave it to me. I was inspired by Louis's resilience through the gruesome ordeal of his World War 2 bomber going down in the ocean, surviving for over 1.5 months in rafts, and then enduring brutal treatment in Japanese prison camps. His Christian conversion after the war freed him from the PTSD effects he was still experiencing from his previous POW captivity. It also allowed him to forgive his captors, including his biggest tormentor. He then built a camp and ran a program ministering to at-risk youth. Louis could identify with them since he was only knew Italian when he started school, being bullied and becoming an incorrigible delinquent as a result. Through the prodding of Louis's older brother, Louis took up running and set long-lasting mile run records in both high school and college, also competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics 5,000 meter run when he was just 19. The book moved me so much that I watched videos and read everything I could find about Louis on the internet. I got and watched the Unbroken movie DVD and another DVD based on his life as well. I ordered this book for my brother since I thought he could benefit from it as I did. This was one of the best books I've ever read.

I finished this one a few days ago, but have put off writing a review. Part of me wants to rate this 5 stars because the story of everything Louis Zamperini went through deserves 5 stars. Unfortunately, I found myself really not enjoying the writer's writing style on quite a few different parts throughout the book. Honestly, while it was a really good book, I think it could have been even better in the hands of another writer. (Example: I have no interest in sports whatsoever. However, The Boys In the Boat was one of my favorite books that I read last year. Author Daniel James Brown was able to take a subject I have no interest in and make it enthralling.) There were times when I felt the author was unnecessarily vulgar in her writing. The subject matter of the book was interesting and definitely won't be leaving my mind for a long time to come. However, it won't rank up there as one of my all time favorite nonfiction reads simply because there were times when I didn't care for the writing itself. It's definitely one worth reading, though, because they things that bothered me may not bother other readers. I do recommend checking out the Young Adult edition as well simply for the extra photos it offers. I do not recommend this for younger readers as much of the subject matter is quite brutal and horrific. I would say 4.5 stars, but I may round up as I see how the story follows me after finishing. *Spoilers Ahead* Anyway, back to the subject of the book. Louis "Louie" Zamperini definitely lived an interesting life. Raised in a very loving and supportive family, he was a wild child who was constantly into mischief that progressed into stealing as he got older. I think he was very lucky that his older brother, Pete, helped steer him towards running as a healthier outlet for his energy. He was a natural and, with training and hard work, he made it to the 1936 Olympics and would likely have medaled at the 1940 Olympics if war had not broken out. He ended up as a bombardier in the Air Corps. Unfortunately, the US government treated their soldiers as they have in many other wars in that they were easily dispensable. They gave them planes that were quite unsafe to fly and then filled them inadequately with supplies in the case of crashes. Many, many men died in training with never having even seen any combat. After Louie had been stationed for two months, several dozen men from his bomb group, 1/4 of his barracks had been killed and many of those were a result of plane crashes. Between 1943 and 1945, 400 AAF crews were lost en route to their theaters. Oftentimes, no one ever knew what happened to the planes or their crews. Unfortunately, Louie's plane, sent out on a rescue mission, ended up being one of those planes that simply vanished (ie. crashed, but no one knew where). Louie and his pilot and friend, Phil, miraculously survived over 40 days on the ocean with little to no supplies. They managed to create something to catch rain water and subsisted on the few fish and birds they were able to catch. After enduring sharks, starvation, dehydration, the sun bearing down on them, and being shot at by enemy planes, they were taken as POWs by the Japanese. I don't even know how to describe the treatment of POWs by the Japanese. It was beyond horrific. I can't even grasp how one is able to do those types of things to a fellow human being even in the atmosphere of war. Sadly, Louie was singled out by one particularly horrible monster nicknamed "The Bird." He made Louie's life hell on earth. I found myself often cringing and horrified by what the POWs were subjected to. Thirty-seven percent of Allied POWs died in Japanese camps versus one percent in Nazi camps and we all know how awful the Nazis were. The devastation Louie and Phil's families felt when they found out they were missing was so horrible. I can't even imagine what they went through. I honestly sobbed through the entire chapter talking about their families when they found out and everything they went through not knowing, but still believing that they were still alive. They never gave up on them. Even after the end of the war and the POWs were rescued, the Pacific POWs suffered through PTSD and the things they endured often followed them their whole lives. It was no wonder that so many of them had a hard time coping and some turned to alcohol or suicide as their only way out. It was interesting following Louie's life after the war and seeing him finally triumph over his abusers even going so far as to forgive them. (I don't think I could be that strong.) I was personally disgusted that the American government treated the Japanese war criminals in much the same way they did the Nazi war criminals in the 1950s. Many of the Japanese war criminals were tried and executed or imprisoned after the war, but the American government chose to take a "forgive and forget" style when it came to the atrocities committed against the POWs with the Cold War approaching. They decided to release many who had been preciviously convicted and halted the trials of many more. Unfortunately, this meant "The Bird" was never tried even though he ranked up there was one of the most terrible men in the war in the Pacific. I'm glad that Louie found happiness in the end after all he endured. It's sad that so many others didn't. The camp he set up in the wilderness to helped troubled youth sounded like a great program.

Overview: an inspiring yet horrifying true story of an olympic athlete/WWII hero/inspirational speaker and leader. Haunting and inspirational and highlights the importance of strength, resilience, and never giving up. Recommend to any individual with an interest in WWII or anyone looking for a true life hero story 7.5/10 The good: Their were several major highlights for me with this book, but the biggest was that despite how dark this was, and how many horrible things Louie Zamperini had to endure, the overall tone of this entire novel is hope. Despite all the atrocities he had to endure, the main character never, ever gives up. This determination, or "unbrokenness" was the heart of the novel to me and have never met a character that taught me this as deeply as Louie did. I found this quote to really highlight his spirit and he shows this hopefulness and determination time and time again throughout the story. “Though all three men faced the same hardship, their differing perceptions of it appeared to be shaping their fates. Louie and Phil's hope displaced their fear and inspired them to work toward their survival, and each success renewed their physical and emotional vigor. Mac's resignation seemed to paralyze him and the less he participated in their efforts to survive, the more he slipped. Though he did the least, as the days passed, it was he who faded the most. Louie and Phil's optimism, and Mac's hopelessness, were becoming self-fulfilling.” This story is 100% true (minus the number of sharks in the ocean I think) and it is one that will stay with me for a long time. In addition to the overall theme, I really enjoyed the layout of the story. Oftentimes I find books like this very choppy, but the flow was wonderful and everything came together nicely. In the process, I learned a ton more about WWII I had never known before. Great writing, important themes executed well throughout, and an unforgettable hero. The bad: Not much to write here but be warned, this is a very heavy read. Lots of very dark scenes and images that stayed with me long after. Even though hope and strength win in the end, there are some very disturbing aspects to this book and the fact that it is non-fiction makes it even worse. Favorite quotes: “The paradox of vengefulness is that it makes men dependent upon those who have harmed them, believing that their release from pain will come only when their tormentors suffer.” “Dignity is as essential to human life as water, food, and oxygen. The stubborn retention of it, even in the face of extreme physical hardship, can hold a man's soul in his body long past the point at which the body should have surrendered it.” “At that moment, something shifted sweetly inside him. It was forgiveness, beautiful and effortless and complete. For Louie Zamperini, the war was over.” “What God asks of men, said [Billy] Graham, is faith. His invisibility is the truest test of that faith. To know who sees him, God makes himself unseen.”

In "Unbroken," Laura Hillenbrand returns to tell another story (after "Seabiscuit") of someone who has been bloodied by adversity, but not broken by it. Louie Zamperini was one of the world's hottest track stars, breaking record after record and running in the 1936 Olympics. Then WWII broke out, and he ended up as a bombardier on a B-24 assigned to the Pacific theater. After several harrowing missions, his plane went down over the ocean, and only he and two other crewmembers survived. They spent almost 50 days drifting slowly across the Pacific, living off what they could catch and fighting off sharks, before being captured by the Japanese. Louie and the one other surviving member of the crew then spent the next 2+ years undergoing brutal mistreatment in Japanese POW camps, before finally being freed at the end of the war--something that left Louie adrift and struggling to find his purpose in life, now that he no longer had either war or sports (the privation and abuse he received in the camps left him unable to run competitively) to sustain him. Hillenbrand is a skillful scene-setter and tension-builder, and the book, although meticulously researched (she even had someone come to her house and set up a Norden bombsight in her living room so she, although largely housebound at the time, could practice bombing Arizona, she says in the afterword), reads like a thrilling adventure tale. The raft trip across the Pacific is particularly harrowing, with the men forced to use their oars and sometimes their bare hands to fight off sharks on a daily basis. And the horrors of the POW camps are described in detail, making this not a read for the faint of heart. That being said, "Unbroken" does have a certain "Go Troops!" wholesomeness and ra-ra-America sentiment that will probably appeal to patriotic readers; more skeptical readers may find themselves asking questions. The US troops and US war effort are generally depicted with the halo of sanctity that seems to surround so much of the Allied side of the war these days. Since Hillenbrand is telling Louie's story, that's not surprising, and she does make a strong case for why the POWs were, at least initially, thrilled at the bombing of Japanese cities, including the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Still, it's hard from a modern perspective (at least for me) not to be appalled at the destruction both the regular fire-bombing and the A-bomb unleashed on heavily populated urban areas, and to feel that, whatever war guilt Japan might have had, it was all redeemed the moment the A-bomb burst over Hiroshima. In the end, though, "Unbroken" is not so much a war story--although it's that as well--as it is a story of one man's triumph over adversity, including, at the end, his multi-year struggle with alcoholism brought on by the trauma he experienced in the war. It's both understandable and ironic that Hillenbrand, who has been severely ill, including long periods of being housebound or bed-bound, for most of her life, should be drawn to these characters who do manage to recover from the severe trials they undergo. Very likely that fascination on her part adds to the liveliness she brings to her writing, and begs the question of what does it mean to be unbroken? A riveting read about a truly remarkable person, written by another remarkable person.

In the genre of novels about world war 2, there are many gems - MANY. Yet, once in a while, we find a bad author like Hillenbrand, trying to capitalize on others' suffering. Let's call them out - let's not allow such people to get away with it! This book is disappointing. Through and through! First of all, there is a staggering degree of exaggeration - things like wack-a-mole with sharks, which doesn't hold scientific review with the nature of shark behavior, which highlight that this author is ready to sacrifice integrity for money - so that nothing written in this book seems fully believable anymore! Then, what is Louie? He could run a mile under four minutes? But who cares?! We live in the civilized world, which celebrates man's mental prowess - who cares about his animal capacities sans brains? What did Louie do in WW2? Zip - nothing much useful, but be propaganda POW for the Japanese - and he's the hero of this novel? Give me a break - portraying him as the hero I think is disrespectful to actual world war 2 heroes who sacrificed their everything, and often even their lives for the freedom we enjoy today - this guy does not stand out among those heroes! He and his 4 minute mile wasn't what decided the outcome of the war! And then, he comes back and has this awful thing for this blonde girl - author's emphasis on blondeness! Let's celebrate Hitler's thing for the "Aryan descent" instead of celebrating humanity? That was the part where the book completely lost me! In short, this is a disappointing book. I never imagined that I'd ever be so disappointed with a world war 2 book, but here I am - and Hillenbrand has accomplished that unimaginable! :(

This work of World War II non-fiction sticks with me even two years after reading it. The scenes, drama and people that populate the story were so vividly drawn that I can still recall the Japanese POW camp guard named the Bird. I grew terrified each time he arrived, as if I, not Luis Zamperini, would have to drum up the mental fortitude to survive his torture. Even now my heart-rate notches up a speck. What can I say that hasn’t already been said by the many reviewers who loved this book? Well, it goes without saying that I highly recommend it: for anyone who loves WWII memoirs (or any memoir for that matter), for writers of non-fiction, and for those who enjoy stories of valor, defying the odds, and in-depth profiles. Hillenbrand is a master of detail. She researches the hell out of a story, and how she does it, I don’t know, but it makes for a compelling, highly believable read. Thank you, Laura.

20 some years ago, i was a student at Waseda University, the school where the animal Watanabe was educated. At the time, I was of the opinion that the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima was unjustified. In fact, the school took us on a field trip to Nagasaki's nuclear bomb museum, and one of my European classmates had been so distraught and ran out of the museum, screaming "thank god i'm not American!" After reading this book however, I have to say, the bombing is justified. In fact, if i ever go back to Nagasaki, I'd bring a thousand of this book, and put in the entrance of that museum!

Laura Hillenbrand follows her spectacular biography of race horse Seabiscuit with the gripping tale of Louis Zamperini's life and tribulations as a downed airman in WWII. "Unbroken" is written in Hillenbrand's inimitable style, blending global events with personal anecdotes from the lives of Lt. Zamperini and his family and fellow airmen. Prior to the war, Zamperini had overcome serious obstacles to become one of the best milers in track and field history, competing in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin with Jesse Owens and other famous American Olympians. As America entered WWII he became a bombardier flying B-24s in the Pacific Theater. When his plane ditched in a remote part of the Pacific, Louie and two colleagues survived the crash, and drifted thousands of miles for more than 47 days before being picked up by a Japanese ship. During those weeks they endured unthinkable hardships: one of their companions died aboard the life raft, they were repeatedly attacked by sharks, and strafed by Japanese planes. After Louis and his pilot, Russell Allen Phillips were "rescued," an even more harrowing journey began, as both men were incarcerated in a series of brutal Japanese POW camps. The vivid descriptions of camp conditions and the inhuman brutality of many of the prison guards are gut wrenching. The depth of depravity that Louie and his fellow prisoners had to endure is unimaginable, and the fact that he survived to live a productive life is a testament to his incredibly resilient and unbreakable will and spirit. The author does not shrink from telling about Louie's post-war troubles with alcohol, rage and PTSD. The account of Zamperini's reluctant encounter with evangelist Billy Graham,is touching and instructive, for it proved to be the event that allowed Louie to finally come to peace with his hatred of the worst of the Japanese guards, Mutsuhiro Watanabe, "The Bird," Louie was finally free of the haunting nightmares and his need to seek revenge. As I was reading this book, one of my close friends saw the book in my hand and said: "This book changed my life!" The story of Louie Zamperini and his trials and tribulations is that inspiring.

I'm a voracious reader. Addicted to reading since I was a young child. I love and read a great deal of history. This book was hands down, one of the best written I've ever read on WWII. Laura Hillenbrand is now as beloved an author to me as Stephen Ambrose. My grandfather spent years in Europe during WWII. My mother tells the story of meeting her father for the first time when he came home after the war. He left when she was a toddler and she has no memories of him before the war. Sadly, there was no information on PTSD in those years. He did his best, but the war broke him in profound ways that would chase all his children and grandchildren through the years. This book has given me great sadness for what all the men suffered, but has also healed a wound. Grandfather didn't hate us all, he was merely dealing with a burden he could never share. Great book. Very well written. I haven't stayed up all night reading in many years, but this book have me that rare pleasure of trading sleep for getting lost in a story.

First off, I must say that I am very encouraged to see the THOUSANDS of positive reviews of this book. The bravery, unbelievable sacrifices, devotion, patriotism, and tenacity of "The Greatest Generation" should never be forgotten. I am heartened to see that even in this day and age of Political Correctness, many share my feelings on the matter. Please bear with me for a moment, while I provide a little personal background before launching into my review. I feel it is relevant. I can very proudly say that my parents (I am 51) were members of that generation to whom we all owe an immeasurable amount of gratitude. At the time of World War II, My father was a very young Marine (one of my pet peeves is seeing "Marine" spelled with a lowercase "m") who joined the USMC shortly after the war broke out. As so many in the US military did, he fought the Japanese in the Pacific from one hell hole island to another. Thankfully, he made it home safely, and went on to lead a very distinguished career in the United States Marine Corps. Sadly, he died when I was only 17 (he was a much too young 59), and many is the time I have wished I could have talked to him about his war experiences, especially since I have grown to become an avid student of history for the past 25 years. Note; if there are any members or past members of the US military in your family or circle of friends, LISTEN TO THEM ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES! I was young and stupid, and my opportunity is lost. Now for the book. POSSIBLE SPOILERS..... This book is Odyssean in its vast tapestry of one epic struggle after another. The name of Louis Zamperini is one that, hopefully now, thanks to Laura Hillenbrand, will become a household name in the pantheon of great Americans. From the time of his youth, to the rigors of the Olympics, to the gripping fear of aerial combat, she traces his remarkable life through a seemingly never ending ordeal of survival while being lost at sea for a record 47 days, only to be captured by the Japanese to endure a withering, seemingly ceaseless nightmare of thirst, starvation, torture, sickness, humiliation, loss and loneliness, eventually becoming a fixed recipient of unbelievable brutality by a sick and twisted sadist who is relentless in his devotion to break Mr. Zamperini's spirit. Frequently, when thinking about WWII vets, I have often wondered out loud to my wife; "how in the world did these guys, after seeing what they saw and experiencing what they experienced, get on with 'normal' life?" Indeed, one could argue that Louis Zamperini's greatest challenges came AFTER he experienced a multitude of challenges that would have utterly destroyed most people in body, mind and soul. Thankfully for Louis and his family (and his family is VERY much a part of the story), he eventually found a way. Regarding his family, this book should appeal to many people across a wide spectrum, as Laura Hillenbrand takes us into the thoughts and emotions of those who loved him most, and we share in their seemingly interminable hours of agony, spent in the uncertainty of any knowledge of the well being of one they held so dear. The book is very well researched, and one can tell that Laura Hillenbrand certainly put a Herculean amount of effort into putting it together. My only negative critique would be that I occasionally found some of the sentence structure to be a bit choppy. However, that being said, she does a wonderful job of allowing us, as much as possible within a book, to see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the details of a story that stagger the imagination. It is emotionally riveting. This book will inspire you, make you angry, make you cry, and make you immeasurably proud to be an American. Ultimately, it will reveal in a very raw, graphic, (this book is not for the squeamish), heartbreaking and heartwarming way, the indomitable spirit of mankind, and how one man, after living through seven kinds of hell, remained, UNBROKEN. Please allow me to close by expressing a deeply heartfelt THANK YOU to all the brave and wonderful men and women, past, present, and future, who wear the uniform, be it Army, Navy, Air Force, United States Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or National Guard. We live free because you serve.

Had not heard of the story of Louis Zamperini until I read this book several months after my daughter gave it to me. I was inspired by Louis's resilience through the gruesome ordeal of his World War 2 bomber going down in the ocean, surviving for over 1.5 months in rafts, and then enduring brutal treatment in Japanese prison camps. His Christian conversion after the war freed him from the PTSD effects he was still experiencing from his previous POW captivity. It also allowed him to forgive his captors, including his biggest tormentor. He then built a camp and ran a program ministering to at-risk youth. Louis could identify with them since he was only knew Italian when he started school, being bullied and becoming an incorrigible delinquent as a result. Through the prodding of Louis's older brother, Louis took up running and set long-lasting mile run records in both high school and college, also competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics 5,000 meter run when he was just 19. The book moved me so much that I watched videos and read everything I could find about Louis on the internet. I got and watched the Unbroken movie DVD and another DVD based on his life as well. I ordered this book for my brother since I thought he could benefit from it as I did. This was one of the best books I've ever read.

I finished this one a few days ago, but have put off writing a review. Part of me wants to rate this 5 stars because the story of everything Louis Zamperini went through deserves 5 stars. Unfortunately, I found myself really not enjoying the writer's writing style on quite a few different parts throughout the book. Honestly, while it was a really good book, I think it could have been even better in the hands of another writer. (Example: I have no interest in sports whatsoever. However, The Boys In the Boat was one of my favorite books that I read last year. Author Daniel James Brown was able to take a subject I have no interest in and make it enthralling.) There were times when I felt the author was unnecessarily vulgar in her writing. The subject matter of the book was interesting and definitely won't be leaving my mind for a long time to come. However, it won't rank up there as one of my all time favorite nonfiction reads simply because there were times when I didn't care for the writing itself. It's definitely one worth reading, though, because they things that bothered me may not bother other readers. I do recommend checking out the Young Adult edition as well simply for the extra photos it offers. I do not recommend this for younger readers as much of the subject matter is quite brutal and horrific. I would say 4.5 stars, but I may round up as I see how the story follows me after finishing. *Spoilers Ahead* Anyway, back to the subject of the book. Louis "Louie" Zamperini definitely lived an interesting life. Raised in a very loving and supportive family, he was a wild child who was constantly into mischief that progressed into stealing as he got older. I think he was very lucky that his older brother, Pete, helped steer him towards running as a healthier outlet for his energy. He was a natural and, with training and hard work, he made it to the 1936 Olympics and would likely have medaled at the 1940 Olympics if war had not broken out. He ended up as a bombardier in the Air Corps. Unfortunately, the US government treated their soldiers as they have in many other wars in that they were easily dispensable. They gave them planes that were quite unsafe to fly and then filled them inadequately with supplies in the case of crashes. Many, many men died in training with never having even seen any combat. After Louie had been stationed for two months, several dozen men from his bomb group, 1/4 of his barracks had been killed and many of those were a result of plane crashes. Between 1943 and 1945, 400 AAF crews were lost en route to their theaters. Oftentimes, no one ever knew what happened to the planes or their crews. Unfortunately, Louie's plane, sent out on a rescue mission, ended up being one of those planes that simply vanished (ie. crashed, but no one knew where). Louie and his pilot and friend, Phil, miraculously survived over 40 days on the ocean with little to no supplies. They managed to create something to catch rain water and subsisted on the few fish and birds they were able to catch. After enduring sharks, starvation, dehydration, the sun bearing down on them, and being shot at by enemy planes, they were taken as POWs by the Japanese. I don't even know how to describe the treatment of POWs by the Japanese. It was beyond horrific. I can't even grasp how one is able to do those types of things to a fellow human being even in the atmosphere of war. Sadly, Louie was singled out by one particularly horrible monster nicknamed "The Bird." He made Louie's life hell on earth. I found myself often cringing and horrified by what the POWs were subjected to. Thirty-seven percent of Allied POWs died in Japanese camps versus one percent in Nazi camps and we all know how awful the Nazis were. The devastation Louie and Phil's families felt when they found out they were missing was so horrible. I can't even imagine what they went through. I honestly sobbed through the entire chapter talking about their families when they found out and everything they went through not knowing, but still believing that they were still alive. They never gave up on them. Even after the end of the war and the POWs were rescued, the Pacific POWs suffered through PTSD and the things they endured often followed them their whole lives. It was no wonder that so many of them had a hard time coping and some turned to alcohol or suicide as their only way out. It was interesting following Louie's life after the war and seeing him finally triumph over his abusers even going so far as to forgive them. (I don't think I could be that strong.) I was personally disgusted that the American government treated the Japanese war criminals in much the same way they did the Nazi war criminals in the 1950s. Many of the Japanese war criminals were tried and executed or imprisoned after the war, but the American government chose to take a "forgive and forget" style when it came to the atrocities committed against the POWs with the Cold War approaching. They decided to release many who had been preciviously convicted and halted the trials of many more. Unfortunately, this meant "The Bird" was never tried even though he ranked up there was one of the most terrible men in the war in the Pacific. I'm glad that Louie found happiness in the end after all he endured. It's sad that so many others didn't. The camp he set up in the wilderness to helped troubled youth sounded like a great program.

Overview: an inspiring yet horrifying true story of an olympic athlete/WWII hero/inspirational speaker and leader. Haunting and inspirational and highlights the importance of strength, resilience, and never giving up. Recommend to any individual with an interest in WWII or anyone looking for a true life hero story 7.5/10 The good: Their were several major highlights for me with this book, but the biggest was that despite how dark this was, and how many horrible things Louie Zamperini had to endure, the overall tone of this entire novel is hope. Despite all the atrocities he had to endure, the main character never, ever gives up. This determination, or "unbrokenness" was the heart of the novel to me and have never met a character that taught me this as deeply as Louie did. I found this quote to really highlight his spirit and he shows this hopefulness and determination time and time again throughout the story. “Though all three men faced the same hardship, their differing perceptions of it appeared to be shaping their fates. Louie and Phil's hope displaced their fear and inspired them to work toward their survival, and each success renewed their physical and emotional vigor. Mac's resignation seemed to paralyze him and the less he participated in their efforts to survive, the more he slipped. Though he did the least, as the days passed, it was he who faded the most. Louie and Phil's optimism, and Mac's hopelessness, were becoming self-fulfilling.” This story is 100% true (minus the number of sharks in the ocean I think) and it is one that will stay with me for a long time. In addition to the overall theme, I really enjoyed the layout of the story. Oftentimes I find books like this very choppy, but the flow was wonderful and everything came together nicely. In the process, I learned a ton more about WWII I had never known before. Great writing, important themes executed well throughout, and an unforgettable hero. The bad: Not much to write here but be warned, this is a very heavy read. Lots of very dark scenes and images that stayed with me long after. Even though hope and strength win in the end, there are some very disturbing aspects to this book and the fact that it is non-fiction makes it even worse. Favorite quotes: “The paradox of vengefulness is that it makes men dependent upon those who have harmed them, believing that their release from pain will come only when their tormentors suffer.” “Dignity is as essential to human life as water, food, and oxygen. The stubborn retention of it, even in the face of extreme physical hardship, can hold a man's soul in his body long past the point at which the body should have surrendered it.” “At that moment, something shifted sweetly inside him. It was forgiveness, beautiful and effortless and complete. For Louie Zamperini, the war was over.” “What God asks of men, said [Billy] Graham, is faith. His invisibility is the truest test of that faith. To know who sees him, God makes himself unseen.”

In "Unbroken," Laura Hillenbrand returns to tell another story (after "Seabiscuit") of someone who has been bloodied by adversity, but not broken by it. Louie Zamperini was one of the world's hottest track stars, breaking record after record and running in the 1936 Olympics. Then WWII broke out, and he ended up as a bombardier on a B-24 assigned to the Pacific theater. After several harrowing missions, his plane went down over the ocean, and only he and two other crewmembers survived. They spent almost 50 days drifting slowly across the Pacific, living off what they could catch and fighting off sharks, before being captured by the Japanese. Louie and the one other surviving member of the crew then spent the next 2+ years undergoing brutal mistreatment in Japanese POW camps, before finally being freed at the end of the war--something that left Louie adrift and struggling to find his purpose in life, now that he no longer had either war or sports (the privation and abuse he received in the camps left him unable to run competitively) to sustain him. Hillenbrand is a skillful scene-setter and tension-builder, and the book, although meticulously researched (she even had someone come to her house and set up a Norden bombsight in her living room so she, although largely housebound at the time, could practice bombing Arizona, she says in the afterword), reads like a thrilling adventure tale. The raft trip across the Pacific is particularly harrowing, with the men forced to use their oars and sometimes their bare hands to fight off sharks on a daily basis. And the horrors of the POW camps are described in detail, making this not a read for the faint of heart. That being said, "Unbroken" does have a certain "Go Troops!" wholesomeness and ra-ra-America sentiment that will probably appeal to patriotic readers; more skeptical readers may find themselves asking questions. The US troops and US war effort are generally depicted with the halo of sanctity that seems to surround so much of the Allied side of the war these days. Since Hillenbrand is telling Louie's story, that's not surprising, and she does make a strong case for why the POWs were, at least initially, thrilled at the bombing of Japanese cities, including the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Still, it's hard from a modern perspective (at least for me) not to be appalled at the destruction both the regular fire-bombing and the A-bomb unleashed on heavily populated urban areas, and to feel that, whatever war guilt Japan might have had, it was all redeemed the moment the A-bomb burst over Hiroshima. In the end, though, "Unbroken" is not so much a war story--although it's that as well--as it is a story of one man's triumph over adversity, including, at the end, his multi-year struggle with alcoholism brought on by the trauma he experienced in the war. It's both understandable and ironic that Hillenbrand, who has been severely ill, including long periods of being housebound or bed-bound, for most of her life, should be drawn to these characters who do manage to recover from the severe trials they undergo. Very likely that fascination on her part adds to the liveliness she brings to her writing, and begs the question of what does it mean to be unbroken? A riveting read about a truly remarkable person, written by another remarkable person.

In the genre of novels about world war 2, there are many gems - MANY. Yet, once in a while, we find a bad author like Hillenbrand, trying to capitalize on others' suffering. Let's call them out - let's not allow such people to get away with it! This book is disappointing. Through and through! First of all, there is a staggering degree of exaggeration - things like wack-a-mole with sharks, which doesn't hold scientific review with the nature of shark behavior, which highlight that this author is ready to sacrifice integrity for money - so that nothing written in this book seems fully believable anymore! Then, what is Louie? He could run a mile under four minutes? But who cares?! We live in the civilized world, which celebrates man's mental prowess - who cares about his animal capacities sans brains? What did Louie do in WW2? Zip - nothing much useful, but be propaganda POW for the Japanese - and he's the hero of this novel? Give me a break - portraying him as the hero I think is disrespectful to actual world war 2 heroes who sacrificed their everything, and often even their lives for the freedom we enjoy today - this guy does not stand out among those heroes! He and his 4 minute mile wasn't what decided the outcome of the war! And then, he comes back and has this awful thing for this blonde girl - author's emphasis on blondeness! Let's celebrate Hitler's thing for the "Aryan descent" instead of celebrating humanity? That was the part where the book completely lost me! In short, this is a disappointing book. I never imagined that I'd ever be so disappointed with a world war 2 book, but here I am - and Hillenbrand has accomplished that unimaginable! :(

This work of World War II non-fiction sticks with me even two years after reading it. The scenes, drama and people that populate the story were so vividly drawn that I can still recall the Japanese POW camp guard named the Bird. I grew terrified each time he arrived, as if I, not Luis Zamperini, would have to drum up the mental fortitude to survive his torture. Even now my heart-rate notches up a speck. What can I say that hasn’t already been said by the many reviewers who loved this book? Well, it goes without saying that I highly recommend it: for anyone who loves WWII memoirs (or any memoir for that matter), for writers of non-fiction, and for those who enjoy stories of valor, defying the odds, and in-depth profiles. Hillenbrand is a master of detail. She researches the hell out of a story, and how she does it, I don’t know, but it makes for a compelling, highly believable read. Thank you, Laura.

20 some years ago, i was a student at Waseda University, the school where the animal Watanabe was educated. At the time, I was of the opinion that the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima was unjustified. In fact, the school took us on a field trip to Nagasaki's nuclear bomb museum, and one of my European classmates had been so distraught and ran out of the museum, screaming "thank god i'm not American!" After reading this book however, I have to say, the bombing is justified. In fact, if i ever go back to Nagasaki, I'd bring a thousand of this book, and put in the entrance of that museum!

Don't even try to watch the movie. Ms. Hillenbrand did her research. The way she constructed this story about a man who went through the unimaginable gave me the history lesson I'd never had in any history classes in all of my schooling. The placement of the incredible details helps move the narrative along so it made sense - to know what Louis went through, what was happening with family back home at the time, and the groundwork provided to educate the reader prior to Louis' experiences made for a well-rounded education. I highly recommend reading the RD's notes in the back of the book to get even more insight as to Ms. Hillenbrand's and Louis' bond formed, as well as all the footwork done to gather the information needed to provide such a well-rounded story. Kudos to Ms. Hillenbrand for capturing this "ordinary" man who not only lived through but became victorious over impossible circumstances doled out by those who forgot what is was to be be compassionate humans because of war.

A good history lesson from a perspective that I hadn't known much about. Obviously a story of great courage and ultimately triumph at overcoming so much hardship and abuse. The writing sometimes felt like the content was assembled from a lot of interviews with a goal of leaving no memory or anecdote unwritten and occasionally felt like it needed a deft editor's touch to know what (and how much) to keep. Contains a lot of very descriptive detail of physical and mental abuse. I appreciated the stats near the end that helped explain the different effects that Pacific POWs and European POWs faced -- that really hit home for me the extreme abuse and lingering impact that Pacific POWs endured.

Incredibly moving. This should be a must read for all high school seniors. Well written and narrated. I normally shy away from books about war but we have a whole generation who don't have a clue about the real cost of war and the freedoms we have due to the sacrifice of others. It was good to have a reminder of what my father and others went through for us.

My late wife read this book. She was a voracious reader and this may have been the last book she read before her sudden (and unexpected) death in Barcelona, Spain in 2015 (while we were on our dream cruise). So I finally sat down and read the book behind the movie (which I have owned since it came out...but never watched until I had, first, read the book). I hadn't even heard the name Louis Zamporini before reading this. It is an incredible story and gives us a tremendous trove of the conditions for B-24 fliers in the Pacific War as well as Zamporini's personal story. Very highly recommended. PS: The author who also wrote Seabiscuit almost 20 years ago has a way of holding on to the reader while giving us information which in the hands of another writer might be less compelling.

This book. I can't say enough about it. I have read it. I've seen the movie. I am now listening to it on compact disc in my car. I've gifted it to a friend. I want to give it to others. There are not words to describe how it has impacted my thinking. The book is far more involved than the movie. I know this is usually the case. But the life and thought processes of Louis Zamperini are life altering for me. Without spoiling it for those who have yet to read this work, all I can say is Thank You, to our marvelous military service men and women for your selfless courage. You have taught me so much from your bravery. And to Laura Hillenbrand, I thank you for making this book available to those of us who need to read it. It is a work of art. I love listening to it in my car. I find myself driving slower and slower in order to make my trip last longer so as not to arrive at my destination and have to turn off the book. This is one of those books that will leave you changed. It makes me think about almost every circumstance of my own life and how I choose to handle it. I know I will be listening to it and reading it again and again. I can't recommend this book enough!

“Louie’s life, with its athletic feats, air combat, plane crash, shark attack, strafing, years as a POW, and slavery, is truly singular. But as unique and dramatic as it is, his story offers lessons that can guide those of us who lead much more ordinary lives. It stands as a testament to the breadth of the realm of possibility, demonstrating that with perseverance, courage, and resourcefulness we can prevail over hardships we imagined were insurmountable. And it demonstrates both the corrosive, life-consuming nature of bitterness and the transcendent liberation and peace that are the gifts of forgiveness. An odyssey of exceptional hardship, pain, trial, and triumph, Louie’s life is like no other, yet it carries lessons that speak to all of us. He is truly an inspiration.” This is a quote from the author that says it all.

A truly tragic yet beautiful story affirming the importance of human life, and how its myriad struggles help define each and every one of us, for better or worse. Unbroken is the story of how one soldier, despite enduring unspeakable hardships and tortures that would drive almost anyone insane, was able to ultimately forgive those who wronged him, and eventually find healing and solace through the power of faith, hope and newfound love. We should always forgive the past, for it cannot be changed; what has happened, happened. But that does not at all mean that we should ever forget it. Instead, we can and should learn from it and use it to grow through our personal hurts and trials. "A moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory." Truly, that is so.

This is a wonderful, emotionally charged story of the Prisoners of War during World War II. This true novel tells of an athlete, Louie Zamperini and his family, and of the airmen who crashed in a plane with him. They floated for weeks on a raft with only their wits to keep them alive. When they finally made landfall, it was to a Japanese occupied island and they were taken prisoner. Horrible things happened to them. Kudos to Ms. Hillenbrand for a wonderful book!!

My Dad had recommended this book to me after I read The Tattooist of Auschwitz and told him a bit about it. I eagerly began the book and finished it in 2 days. I read probably 75% of it in one night and stayed up far too late but I could not put it down. It is an incredible true story about Louis Zamperini, a WWII AAF bombardier. The book begins with his childhood and experiences before the war. It also talks about his time after the war, recovering from what he experienced and saw during the war. I have always had immense respect for veterans and servicemen, but reading this book deepened my respect and gratitude by allowing me to understand the struggles that many are faced with in the war as well as after. However, this story is not for the faint of heart and will surely invoke many emotions but for me, it was a very valuable read.

I first became aware of Louis Zamperini's story through the movie Unbroken, released last Christmas. After seeing the movie, I wanted to read Laura Hillenbrand's book on which the movie is based: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. The book did not disappoint - it is even better than the movie! Zamperini's troubled growing up years, his experience as a runner at the 1936 Olympics, details of his WWII combat missions, his 47 days stranded on a raft in a remote part of the Pacific ocean, his capture and torture by the Japanese, his post war life, and more are all described in rich detail by Hillenbrand. Unbroken is one of the best researched books I have ever read. I liked how the author backs up her story with revealing facts about World War II life. "World War II, 35,933 AAF (Army Air Force) planes were lost in combat and accidents," she writes in one section, giving us a picture of how dangerous Zamperini's missions were. "Of the 34,648 Americans held by Japan, 12,935—more than 37 percent—died," she writes in another chapter, revealing how brutal the Japanese WWII prisoner of war camps must have been. "By comparison, only 1 percent of Americans held by the Nazis and Italians died." More than statistics, Hillenbrand as a skilled wordsmith gives us a front row seat to Zamperini's life. In the movie Zamperini's Olympic experience is only touched on briefly. In the book Hillenbrand tells us what it was like for Zamperini to be a visiting American athlete in 1936 Nazi Germany. "Louie was led into the führer’s section," she writes. "Hitler bent from his box, smiled, and offered his hand. Louie, standing below, had to reach far up. Their fingers barely touched. Hitler said something in German. An interpreter translated. 'Ah, you’re the boy with the fast finish.'" The author does a wonderful job of condensing her many hours of interviews with Zamperini to the printed page. What I liked best about Unbroken was the telling of Zamperini's post war struggle with bitterness, his conversion to Christianity, and the power of forgiveness in his life. "What made his life transcendent, what made it resonate in millions of hearts, was not the hardship he encountered, but the way in which he greeted it, how he turned it to joy, and what that told the rest of us about the potential that sleeps within ourselves," Hillenbrand wrote in her eulogy to Zamperini. Zamperini passed away in July 2014, but his story lives on to inspire us all.

This is one mans account of being a POW in Japan during World War II. The inside story of how men were so brutally treated. Then, if you survived, how it affected their life. But, it didn't end there. It tells how God can restore a broken life & heal the anger & bitterness he felt replacing it with personal peace. This book held my attention from beginning to end as it described this mans experience during the war & what him and so many of our soldiers had to endure. It was an eye opener.

[For a more detailed review, visit: anafichesdelectures(dot)wordpress(dot)com] I don’t know where to begin but I can tell you with certainty that this is the best memoir I have read this year. It was hilarious, epic, wretching, haunting, powerful, profound, unbelievable, informative account. This has been the first account I have read on Japan’s concentration camp. I have always read WWII related novels focused on Europe and on the Holocaust. I had forgotten that United States was fighting a second war against Japan. Also, it daunted me to realize how long it would take for the prisoners of these concentration camps to be liberated. Despite WWII ending in Europe on May 1945, Japan refused to stop war. Japan was just adamant to do so. The author mentioned her position about the atomic bombs and after reading this account, I must agree. I am not convinced either that without the incidents at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the war would have ended. It is very sad to say so and we all hope it never repeats. Reading this book, I learned how insane, brutal Japanese officers could be. It was just horrendous.The author really did a terrific job explaining everything on that end and even the different airplanes used at that time. In addition, very detailed statistic of the common medical conditions and postwar lifestyle challenges of “pacific POWs” [loc # 5564] were well presented. Finally, it makes you appreciate your life and makes you wonder why Louie Zamperini went through what he went through. “For these men, nothing was ever going to be the same.” Hillenbrand, Laura (20101116). Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption (Kindle Location 5560). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. This novel was a gifted story after struggling to find a good book to read. I really recommend it. You won’t regret it.

There were 2 reasons why I was hesitant to read this book when it was chosen as a read for our bookclub last summer. To my shame, I labor with non-fiction however well crafted and have always preferred a good mystery or fantasy novel to anything historical or biographical. Second, I admit to a phobia for anything dealing with imprisonment or confined captivity. I rarely watch movies that feature prison stories ... The 'Green Mile' and 'Papillon', and even 'The Great Escape' were tough watches. I squirm and fret as if I was the one confined. But I could not be more glad that I turned every page. The story of Louis Zamperini is lovingly and respectfully recounted in an engaging and page-turning way by Laura Hillenbrand. It is a story of determined and resolute courage in the face of unspeakable cruelty and hardship. But more it is the story of a remarkable and inspiring forgiveness and mercy toward those who might least deserve it. If you imagine there is little that is redeemable in society, or that our world is more broken than whole, 'Unbroken' is certain to restore your faith in what is good and noble in men.

As a Japanese, it took time for me to start reading this book even though I bought it a long time ago. As I expected, it was very uncomfortable to read through the parts of Louie's POW experience and also his life after the war until he found peace. I think this book is mostly dedicated to the outstanding people whose lives got harmed by the unusual cruelty and atrocities done by the Imperial Military of Japan. As a Japanese, I apologize POWs for the inhumane treatment. Let me say this. The POW system in Japan as a whole failed by allowing extreme cruelty done by 'the bird' and other guards in spite of the facts that even some within the system thought inhuman. This was very troublesome. Reading this book, I recalled a story of my late uncle, a war protester during WWII, was beaten with a bicycle chain by police. The Japanese society at that time was not adequate enough in completely grasping democracy, particularly concepts of 'rule of law' and 'checks and balances' in everyday lives. Secondly clash of culture and language problem in the extreme situation added additional tension. I think Hillenbrand has done excellent research that gave her deep understanding the culture of Japan, details, characters, background and human emotions.She was funny, balanced and articulate in writing about exceptional people in exceptional situation, good or bad.

The author does a great job, after many years of research, of putting together many different happenings at once to bring forth a full and complete story. It is amazing what people had to endure. The main character, a real person, was incredible and this story brought all emotions out. I watched videos of Louis Zamperini after I read this book and wish I would have known about him years ago. We need to remember these people that fought so hard and went through so much for our freedom and to help so many others in other countries. Not many of the generation that went through it first hand are around anymore to tell the stories so I'm glad this author did! Highly recommend!

Spoiler Alert) A compelling story that is hard to put down and then stays in your head long afterwards. Louie Zamperini had a difficult time growing up until his brother stepped in and took charge of his life. As a petty thief, Louie sure could run. His brother, using this natural talent, got him interested in running. Louie broke records in high school and college (USC) and finally qualified for the U.S. Olympic team to participate in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. He competed against world renown runners in his events, not winning, but surely, a tough competitor who was quickly recognized by the world - Adolph Hitler even shook his hand after the event. The 1940 Olympics were canceled because of World War II and Louie's hopes of winning events that year vanished. He served in the Army as a bombardier on a B-24 bomber in the Pacific War Theater. Louie witnessed the death of crew mates and friends during air battles and miraculously makes it back to base - shocking others because the plane was in such bad shape and flying on fumes. Later, Louie and crew are ordered on a search mission, which is flown in a rickety back-up B-24, the plane falls apart after two hours into the flight and crashes into the Pacific, Only Louie and two others survive from a crew of nine. The survivors spend the next 47 terrifying days floating on the Pacific - guided by the current - circled by large sharks - unseen by those overhead who are searching for them. They are eventually rescued from their floating prison by the Japanese and moved to prison camps; where they are forced into slavery, beaten, starved and tortured, The author points out that POW's on the Atlantic front suffered roughly 1% of the prisoners dying during captivity...in the Pacific theater, 37% died or were outright murdered during captivity. It was a time filled with terror and no hope...afterwards making it difficult for one to understand how anyone survived these horrendous conditions. After the war, Louie and the vast majority of other POW's turned to booze to help fight the nightly demons which visited them daily in nightmares. His celebrity status pursues him during peace time, awards are bestowed, speaking engagements schedules - lines are long, citizens who want to hear of his exploits during the war. However, the booze eventually ruins everything for him, including his marriage. Suffice to say, his wife begs him to visit San Francisco to listen to Billy Graham one day, On the seccond visit, Louie finds God again and turns his life around. I can't say enough good things about "Unbroken,,," It is truly a story of survival, Resilience, and Redemption - demonstrating that where there is a will - there is a way! Kudos to Ms. Hillenbrand for bringing this hero's story to life. I, too, can't wait for the movie at the end of this year. As for Mr. Zamperini - I call to attention and slowly execute a hand salute to you sir. May you rest in peace! John Podlaski, author Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel

tThe second in Laura Hillenbrand's tales of heroes from the Depression, Unbroken takes us from California to Berlin to Pacific War and back to California. Unbroken is the singular story of Louie Zamperini, POW, airman, Olympic track star, and Rose Parade Grand Marshall. Louie grew up in Torrence during the Depression which is where he learned the survival skills and petty thievery that would prove useful later. Despite poor health, lack of equipment, and a weak academic record, he made the 1936 US Olympic team alongside Jesse Owens and Glenn Cunningham. After this chance to experience the Nazis in Berlin, Louie became a bombardier on B-24's in Asia. I knew about Louie from his track records but the really amazing part is his survival with one other flyer in a raft. They travelled 2000 miles and outwitted sharks, Japanese fighters, lack of food, and the elements. Ultimately they were picked up by the Japanese and Louie spend more than 2 years in POW camps. He is the chief target of a very sadistic guard called the Bird. Miraculously both Louie and the Bird survive to nearly meet again in Japan in 1998 but the Bird cancels out and it never happens. After the war experience, Louie marries, starts a family but is wracked by survivor's remorse and the continuing presence of his guards. Like many others his life is turned around by listening to the preaching of a young Billy Graham. Louie becomes a coach, mentor, motivational speaker and camp counselor who was with us until 2014. Sometimes when I read Hillenbrand books I think that she is the real story. Laura has shown incredible determination in following these classic Depression stories despite her own infirmities.

Oh! This book!! So many feels! The gun cracked, the men rushed forward, and the race was on. Lash bounded to the lead, with Bright in close pursuit. Louie dropped back, and the field settled in for the grind. The beginning of the book was quite dramatic. I loved Louie from the start. He wasn’t perfect but sadly he was hurting people. Once he realized this he knew he had to stop and change his ways, but how!? His brother Pete and his family was a great influence. Family is always an influence whether we see it so plainly or not. In the case of Louie they were a good, a very good influence. I also loved his mother, although it was Pete that really pushed him to find the greatness within. A photographer climved inside the plane and snapped a picture. Taken in daylight in the dark of the plane’s interior, the image showed shafts of light streaming through the holes, a shower of stars against a black sky. With all of the drama at the beginning I was dreading reaching the point of his captivity but with such poignant writing I couldn’t help but race through the book. His military days were fantastic and I could feel myself living vicariously through his happy days. I wanted to meet the people he met, go on the trips he went on, and enjoy life as much as he did! At least until… Nobody’s going to live through this. 22% into the book and it starts getting deep. Really deep. I started to feel myself being afraid for his life, wondering how he was going to survive. He kept many journals so there wasn’t a guarantee (unlike my hubby who knew about Louie Zamborini, I had not heard of him) that he was going to live. I wanted to avert my eyes, stop reading, anything to forgo re-living the traumatic events that led to his capture. And they are TRAUMATIC! But I could not help myself. The more dramatic the events the more I wanted to rush through the story and learn his fate. On a side note… never, EVER ask yourself After a plane crash, Louie replied, what more bad luck could they have? More about the actual writing, although the story was tremendously heavy and amazing and nearly unbelievable, the writing was exceptional. I do not think I could have gotten through this much horror without such exquisite writing. It was lyrical in parts and very deep in others and even had a slight spirituality in certain areas. The fight for this place had ripped the jungle off of the island. In short: This is an epic battle with not only outside sources, there are many, but also with his own spirit. This will leave you stunned but it is major food for thought. This is definitely a must read and I cannot wait to see the upcoming movie!

After starting this book about an individual I have never heard of, I would have never imagined that one person would have gone through these major ordeals of his life and survive like Louis Zamperini did. The story of his life is incredible and Laura Hillenbrand's depiction of it made me not want to put the book down until the end. There were many times that many emotions flowed through me as I read certain parts. It was such an amazing read that now I want to read her other book about Seabiscuit.

I'm humbled after reading this. What these men endured for us is a testament to humanity. That people could rate this book, and their experiences, poorly is a testament to ignorance. I see some irony in it: Many people slammed it, saying the events could not have happened. They think the events are unrealistic because they can't imagine them. They can't imagine them BECAUSE these men endured them so that we wouldn't have to. I felt the author did a fantastic job balancing Louie's story with the stories of the others. There is nothing "self aggrandizing" about it. What I read left me crying. What I saw in the pictures left me shaking. This book has changed my views on many things. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

This is a very good book and definitely worth reading. However, it was a bit repetitive in some areas. For the most part though it was very intriguing and I learned a lot about WWII in the Pacific Theatre. Prior to reading this book my knowledge of WWII was primarily from the European Arena, where my Dad served in the Army Air Corps. Dads of friends of mine also served in Europe, so, other than Pearl Harbor and the declaration of war, my understanding was limited. This man was courageous beyond belief, a survivor in every sense of the word, a warrior and a most compassionate soldier. How he survived the utterly senseless brutality of his captors is beyond me! A true American Hero!!

This book is very interesting. The experiences Louie Zamperini had during his honorable life were incredible. Some of the situations described in this book are terrible and worse than terrible. His story is one of intense joy to the max and very, excruciatingly intense pain. This book is not for young readers, because it is very graphic and contains some information that I would consider rated "R" for violence. The book is worth reading because it shares history with us from a very personal, vulnerable, and "real life" perspective. History that is personal is powerful. I highly recommend this book because it is a fantastic story and because I believe Louie Zamperini is a true hero. A larger than life hero to be admired and to be celebrated as one of the strongest people to ever survive the worst imaginable war-time atrocities. His determination to live and not die is inspiring and should remind all of us how great this gift of life truly is. He gives glory to the God of Heaven throughout the book and concludes that it was only by God's help that he was able to endure. This book was written with the most careful attention paid to all details and with awesome literary genius. It is a must read!

If you are an avid reader, there is always that one book that breaks your heart simply because it eventually ends. I felt it very strongly as I read the final page of the last Harry Potter book. I did not feel it again until I read Unbroken. Powerful is an understatement. Heart rending doesn’t cut it. I shed tears of compassion, tears of anger, tears of frustration, tears of joy, and finally, tears of sadness simply because I had read the very last word.

I'm an avid reader, I probably plow through 35+ books a year and have been doing so since I was a teenager 40 years ago. I read "Unbroken" after a friend told me about it and I knew I wanted to read it before seeing the movie and I can honestly say, this story is magnificent. The writer does an outstanding job with her research and storytelling. This story is simply unbelievable and really leaves you shaken at times, angry at other times and extremely proud of the Greatest Generation all throughout the book. Movies are hardly ever as good as the books, but I'm looking forward to watching the movie.

Edward Herrmann's masterful narration of 'Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption' takes you through the lifelong journey of Louie Zamperini from a troubled youth, Olympic competitor, prisoner of war, and prisoner of his own mind. The best line to describe this story without spoiling the plot is to use a couple of lines from the book itself, "The paradox of vengefulness is that it makes men dependent upon those who have harmed them, believing that their release from pain will come only when they make their tormentors suffer [...] Louie had chained himself, once again, to his tyrant." I dare anyone to listen to Herrmann describe the booming war scenes in Chapter 10, "The Stinking Six" and see if you don't catch yourself holding your breath. Or listen to Chapter 35, "Coming Undone", and see if sadness doesn't overwhelm you in the vivid description of Louie's mental suffering built through years of unimaginable abuse. How someone in Hollywood hasn't picked this story up to make a multi-million dollar blockbuster is a wonder. I am actually glad it hasn't been made into a movie because I don't believe any Hollywood director can replicate the Louie Zamperini story as written by Laura Hillenbrand. The emotion in her words imprint Louie's agony, anguish, and will to survive on the reader/listener. I don't believe an average author could accomplish and honor this story as Hillenbrand did. She grasped the peaks and valleys of Louie's life and brought it together in a story so engrossing that I happily purchased the book too. I use it as a trophy on my bookshelf to show visitors what could be one of the best books they could read. And if they want a real treat, they should buy the audiobook and allow Edward Herrmann to pilot them through this story like Phil and Louie in their beloved B-24, Superman.

This book is well-written and inspirational. My book group read it earlier this summer and we felt like we knew Louie Zamperini personally by the time we reached the last page. (Interestingly enough, the father of one of our group members grew up during the same era in Torrance and actually had a life-changing experience after meeting Mr. Zamperini later down the road.) The reader laughs when reading of this man's tenacious and audacious antics, but then hunkers down in the middle of that raft, waiting for those marauding sharks while scanning the sky for rescue, or feels torn inside during the horrific abuse of POW captivity. While far from being brief, this is a compelling read; it was hard for any of us to put it down - we felt like we were part of the story. Readers will understand the tears we shed upon Mr. Z's recent death. What a life! Hillenbrand is, herself, a good story teller, crafting the plot w/out making one feel sentimental, yet intelligently appealing to our inner humanity with her characterization of each of the individuals who contribute to Louis Zamperini's epic saga. She superbly captures Louie's huge persona. If there was a single flaw, in my opinion, it would be that "the end" was a little too hasty. Hillenbrand almost glosses over the dramatic change in Louis's entire existence after his climactic salvation experience during a Billy Graham Crusade. I wanted to know more about him after that moment; that is when his "living" truly began. (Of course, you can also get that in Louis Zamperini's autobiographical account,

Thought provoking true story of an amazing man who lived through multiple harrowing experiences that few could survive. A story of hate and forgiveness. I learned so much about WW II experience in Japan and POW camps. I have read many books on WW II in Europe, but almost nothing about Japan. The experiences shared are both shocking and inspiring. I am very glad I read this book and it will stick with me forever.

There is a powerful phrase among those sympathetic to Holocaust victims and survivors: Never again! This phrase has two meanings: in one sense, it’s particular to the sufferings of the Jewish people (never again allow another Holocaust against the Jews). In another sense, it expresses a universal message for all humanity: Let’s never again allow another genocide based upon discrimination and hatred of any group of people. I interpret the phrase “Never again!” in the second, broader sense, which I believe is the most meaningful. Although the Holocaust was certainly about the massacre of Jews as Jews, any such genocide against any group of people is ethically wrong. For this reason, we should do whatever we can, as a human race, not to allow this to happen to anyone ever again. In this second sense of the phrase “Never again!”, I believe that the incarceration, starvation, torture and killings of American prisoners of war during WWII by the Japanese belongs to the history of the Holocaust. Remarkably, American prisoners of war captured by the Nazis fared much better than those captured by the Japanese. The Nazis, who killed ten million innocent people in concentration camps and via shooting squads throughout Europe, were rather careful with non-Jewish Allied prisoners of war. Generally speaking, Allied POW’s lived in much better conditions than Jewish, Polish, Russian and Ukranian prisoners and had a much better chance of survival. By way of contrast, American POW’s were in extreme danger when captured by the Japanese. They were subjected to similar mistreatment and conditions that Jewish prisoners had to endure at the hands of the Nazis: starvation, filth, disease, physical and psychological torture, slave labor and death. Of the 132,000 POW’s from the U.S., Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia and Holland forced into concentration and labor camps in Japan, more than one quarter of them—and about forty percent of the Americans—died in captivity. By way of contrast, only one percent of American POW’s held by the Nazis died in captivity. (see Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand, New York: Random House, 2010, 314-315). Although the Japanese didn’t have crematoria, similarly to the Nazis against the Jews, they adopted a “kill all” policy towards American POW’s during WWII. The Japanese policies were inherently racist. Much like the Nazi vision of a superior Aryan race, the Japanese policy was also informed by racial hatred, xenophobia and a sense of supremacy not only vis-à-vis the Americans, but also towards their Chinese, Koreans and European captives. Hence there are striking similarities between the racist outlook and behavior of the Japanese under the Prime Minister Hideki Tojo and that of the Germans under Adolf Hitler, his ally in war. It is therefore not surprising that the remarkable memoir of resiliance and survival, Unbroken, a New York Times best seller in nonfiction and soon to be made into a major motion picture directed by Angelina Jolie, reads like a Holocaust memoir. Beautifully narrated by Laura Hillenbrand, Unbroken tells the moving life story of Louis Zamperini, a young soldier and star runner of the Berlin Olympics, who defies all odds in his struggle to survive war and captivity. This true story is so incredible that it reads like a Holywood script. On May 1943, young Louis Zamperini’s plane crashes into the Pacific Ocean. The are only three survivers: Louis and two of his friends, who are compelled by misfortune to embark on an Odyssean voyage across the world. They’re stranded on a raft without food or water, drifting for thousands of miles, constantly threatened by bad weather conditions and assailed by sharks. They catch fish using bird meat as bait and collect rain water to stay alive. They patch up the raft when it is pierced by bullets and fight off sharks using their bare hands. Weakened by starvation, thirst, exhaustion and depression, one of them, Francis McNamara (Mac), gives up the fight for survival and perishes before reaching land. The other two, Louis Zamperini and Russell Allen Phillips (Phil), brave a typhoon and make it to an island. The most difficult part of their journey, however, comes not from natural threats but from attacks by fellow human beings. They young men are captured by the Japanese, incarcerated, interrogated, then sent to concentration camps for POW’s. Louis is first sent to Ofuna, then to Naoetsu. In those camps, the conditions are inhumane. The goal of their captors, as for the Nazis, is total human degradation. Louis recalls two particularly sadistic guards who got a sexual thrill out of beating and torturing prisoners: Sueharu Kitamura, known as “the Quack”, who beat Louis’s friend, the brilliant Bill Harris, to unconsciousness, and Corporal Mutsuhiro Watanabe, dubbed “the Bird,” a vicious psychopath whom prisoners dreaded the most. “The Bird” particularly enjoyed tormenting Louis, the star American athlete. Alternating between savage beatings and fake shows of compassion, this monster became the bane of Louis’s existence, haunting him years after he was freed from captivity. Much of Louis Zamperini’s post-traumatic stress disorder after liberation takes the form of nightmares in which he envisions strangling his former tormentor. This doesn’t relieve his pain, however. As the narrator wisely states, “The paradox of vengefulness is that it makes men dependent upon those who have harmed them, believing that their release from pain will come only when they make their tormentors suffer. In seeking the Bird’s death to free himself, Louie had chained himself, once again, to his tyrant” (Unbroken, 366). Though welcomed as a hero back home, Louis can’t escape the trauma of his war experiences. He drowns his bitter memories with alcoholism and sinks into a deep depression. Religion, along with his supportive and loving family, helps him overcome this last challenge. Louis’s greatest strength, however, stems from his own internal resilience: namely, from the capacity forgive his tormentors without forgetting his painful past. In fact, one of the most compelling messages of this incredible story is let go of the pain, so you can move on, but not of the memory. “Never again!” means, in part, forgive the enemy but never forget the experience, so it can offer wisdom to future generations. Claudia Moscovici, Literature Salon

There are no words that can accurately describe this book or this man's life. It is hard hitting, gut wrenching at times - - but life can be that way, especially during the time period in this book. The book brings to life many things that generations since then do not understand or comprehend. Even having relatives who lived through this time period and who fought in this war, it is still very hard to fathom what they went through or the way people have the ability to live (value/not value life). The book really brings home the lesson to never under estimate the "evil" human beings may possess or the absolute ends they may go to, to get what they want. This book reminds us, reality is, mankind will do whatever it takes to survive, from both ends of the spectrum of life and death. Definitely a must read for those interested in history.

This was a very harsh read. Excellent, but harsh. I’m not sure I could ever read it again and if the film (released on Christmas Day 2014) is any bit as descriptive as the book, I’ll definitely skip it. It’s hard for me to stomach certain things, such as how human beings can possibly be so cruel towards one another. Even towards an enemy during war time. This is basically a biography of World War II hero Louis Zamperini and his incredible survival and resilience that he preserved during his time as a prisoner of war in a Japanese camp. Many camps actually. More on that later. Now, I usually don’t post spoilers during my reviews, but since this story is well known, I reveal a lot from this point forward. So before reading anymore, be forewarned. Author Laura Hillenbrand first tells us the background of Zamperini before the war. We meet a fairly typical kid growing up during the depression in California with a knack of getting into trouble. It seems this kid has a lot of restless energy. With the help of older brother Pete, he learns to channel this energy into running and becomes quite the track star - even competing in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. We read quite a bit about Zamperini’s accomplishments during this phase of his life, and to be honest, it kind of drags. Maybe because most readers know what the real story is about and are impatient for the author to hurry up and get there. Anyway, World War II breaks out and Louis joins the air force. Laura Hillenbrand really does do a stellar job of providing a lot of detail without boring the reader to tears. We learn a lot about flying planes in combat during the time, and just how dangerous such a thing was - even without an enemy around. Well. we eventually see plenty of enemies, and the Japanese manage to knock out Louis’ plane, The Green Hornet, out of the sky into the Pacific Ocean. Only three of the crew survive - drifting aimlessly in an ill-suited raft. This is really where the story begins. If the 47 day journey in the raft was the entire story, it still could have been a good one, if not depressing. We hear immaculate details of just what such an encounter brings. No food, no water, a lot of sharks and sunburn and delirious survivors. It’s really amazing that two of the three actually manage to survive this ordeal. When they finally wash up on a Japanese controlled island, you feel exhausted, but briefly euphoric. Sadly, this torture is nothing compared to what the two survivors are about to face. Japan, during World War II, was a savagely brutal country, and one would almost wish to be killed rather than be taken prisoner by them. This is where this book almost became too unbearable for me. The details of what these poor soldiers endure is borderline unbelievable. We are exposed to meticulous detail of what Louis and the other prisoners are put through. Just when things can’t seem to get any worse, they do. Whether there’s a new, sadistic guard that arrives at the camp or whether their being transferred to a different camp where we hope they’ll be treated more humanely. Things never get any better. It goes on and on and on. There were times where I had to skim some of these chapters since it was so disturbing. Well, eventually the war ends, the sickly, malnourished prisoners are finally freed, and their loved ones back home (that never knew they were still alive) are ecstatic to have the boys back home. Now, I haven’t seen the movie, but my guess is this is where the movie ends. This would make the film end on a high note. However, as you can probably imagine, the nightmare of the camps never really leaves Louis and the rest of the prisoners. There lives are so traumatic that they simply can’t function anymore. Constant nightmares, real and imagine surround them. There was one instance where a former POW freaks out in a restaurant. Why? Because his dinner had rice on the plate. Rice was essentially the only food they ever had as a prisoner. Very sad indeed. Louis manages to meet a young lady and fall in love. They get married and are happy for a brief time, but he’s slipping away. He’s violent, scared, shell shocked, and is drinking far too much. Well, at some point, he remembers that when he was in the life raft, he made God (whom he was never close to) a promise that he would devote his life to him if he was rescued. It seems Louis forgot that promise. One day, his wife (the two are literally on the verge of divorce) drags him to a prayer revival that is being conducted in town by some young minister named Billy Graham. Fortunately for Louis, he now realized that God has not forgotten Louis. Louis becomes a Christian, and he slowly recovers from his torturous life. This part of the book is quite brief. One almost wishes that we could see more of the post war, Christian era, but we’re simply told that life is once again good. He’ll never run professionally again but he manages to live very happily, one day at a time. Without going into too much detail, Louis also learns about this cool Christian thing called ‘forgiveness’, which is also crucial for his future well being. A truly remarkable story. Hopefully you can stomach the disturbing parts better than I was able.

A fantastic story by the woman who wrote Sea Biscuit. She is an author who spends a great deal of time researching and interviewing before she writes a book. I think she took 7 years on this one and it shows. The story of Louis Zamperini is amazing and inspiring and actually quite unique. I love that he is from a town in America like Torrance, California too. I love Torrance and there is an interesting story about a letter being sent all around the world before it actually gets to Torrance from Japan. The book leaves littlle out when following Louis Zamperini as he grows up, goes to the Olympics then is in the military in WWII. The book includes so much detail about family and friends and men he serves/flies with as well as details about military air craft during the war and even more. It seems like not stone is left unturned here. The struggles of being in war, being a POW and struggles even after the war are not left out here. I think it is so important to note that present day service members are not the first to have these types of issues like PTSD. I cant wait to see the film which was directed by Angelina Joli and opens on Christmas Day 2014.

Once in a while you come upon a story so incredible it just has to be told. This is the case with the story of Louis Zamperini's life, and Laura Hillenbrand does a magnificent job of telling it. Any one of the events of Louis' life would make a good tale, but for all of these to have happened to one man is simply amazing. The first impressions Louis made were not good ones. He was overly mischievous from a young age, stealing any kind of food he could carry, getting in fights, playing pranks, smoking, and even drinking alcohol before he was 10. Had he continued on that path, we may never had heard about him. But his older brother Pete seemed to have a positive influence on him. Pete was a track star at Torrence High school (Torrence CA), and soon Louis turned all of his mischievous energy into the positive energy of training for track and field. Louis was a high school sensation, setting a national high school record in the mile run that would stand for decades. He was inching ever closer to the 4-minute mile, a feat that had up until then not been achieved. After high school, Louis continued training. He had his sights set on the Olympics, and made the team in the 5000 meter race. The 1936 Olympics were held in Berlin, and Louis was able to meet Adolph Hitler and steal a Nazi flag. Although he did not earn a medal, he was confident he could do better in the 1940 games scheduled to be held in Tokyo, Japan. However, war broke out and the Olympics were cancelled. Louis enlisted in the Army Air corps and was assigned the duties of bombardier on a B24 bomber. Louis survived several daring missions, most notably one in which his plane was riddled with some 600 bullet holes and saw more than half the crew seriously wounded. He was on the crew of a search and recue mission, looking for survivors of another B24, when on of his plane's engines went out and crashed into the Pacific ocean. One of only three to survive the crash, he made his way to the life raft safely. Louis, along with pilot Alan Phillips (known as Phil), were the only two to survive the ordeal on the raft. Stranded without provisions of food and water, they remained on board the raft for 47 days and drifted nearly 2000 miles. They also survived the sharks constantly around their raft, some so aggressive as to try and jump aboard to get at the men. They also survived strafing by a Japanese plane and a typhoon with 40 foot waves. Finally, an island came into view and Louis and Phil thought their ordeal was over. Unfortunately the island was occupied by Japanese forces, and both men were taken prisoner. Louis was sent to several Japanese prison camps, first on some of the Pacific islands and then on the Japanese mainland. He was able to survive for over two years of some of the most brutal conditions and harshest treatment known to man. Malnourished, denied medical attention for dysentery and beri-beri, and subjected to savage beatings on a near daily basis, Louis had the strength to persevere. After rescue and subsequent stay in an Army hospital, Louis was finally reunited with his family, who had never given up hope that he was alive. Louis' journey was not yet over. He had nightmares from his wartime ordeals, mostly of the severe beatings he received from a particular Japanese guard known as the Bird. We now know this to be PTSD, but at the time the Army had no treatment available. Louis turned to alcohol and soon became a full fledged alcoholic. With the help of his wife and family, and a new found faith in God, Louis was able to survive his alcoholism, just as he survived all the other obstacles life had thrown at him. Meticulously researched, Laura Hillenbrand tells the story of Louis Zamperini's life in a way that is flowing and easy to read. Relying on journals, letters, unpublished memoirs, and hundreds of interviews, this is an example of truth being stranger than fiction. Taking a full 7 years to finish, Ms. Hillenbrand had to overcome some of her own medical issues in order to bring us this incredible story. She is also responsible for the story of the race horse "Seabiscuit." Through it all, Louis was able to keep his sense of humor, and referring to Hillenbrand's previous novel, he told her that he would be an easier subject because "I can talk."

I couldn't put this book down and read it in three days. The language is vivid and descriptive and easy to imagine, and the story, well it's just plain amazing to imagine it happened to a real person. I loved the author's portrayal of Seabiscuit when I read it years ago, and she didn't disappoint in this meticulously researched authentic biography. I think what I appreciated most was the historical info about the Pacific front of WWII, which I didn't learn much about in school. I was telling my husband that now I can understand why Americans who fought in that war could be so anti-Japanese through out their lifetimes (e.g., My Grandpa). I had no idea how bad an Allied POW had it in Japan at that time. It was just plain heart-wrenching and difficult to read at times. I'd also read Farewell to Manzanar about one Japanese-American family's struggle interned at the Owens Valley Internment camp during the war. At the time I was sad to hear of how we treated our own citizens because of the internal threat, but considering speculations in this biography regarding at least one person Zamporini knew who turned out to probably be a Japanese spy, it makes more sense to me. This is a fascinating time in our nation's history, and this book does an incredible job illustrating what that was like for previous generations. And it conveys incredible messages of strength to endure the unthinkable, courage in the face of the unknown, compassion for others and forgiveness of those who've harmed you. I LOVED IT. We can all learn something from this book.

"Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" is one of the most compelling and inspiring books I have been privileged to read. Laura Hillenbrand has written a nonfiction book that is so fascinating it is difficult to put down. The reader may not be able to believe Louis Zamperini was able to survive his ordeals and to forgive those who abused him and his fellow POW's. He is a rare man who used his wits and some unorthodox skills to live through extreme deprivation, wartime slavery, and physical and emotional abuse. Laura Hillenbrand draws the reader into Zamperini's life from the beginning pages of this book. Zamperini was a track star at USC and on a path toward Olympic gold as well as to becoming the first individual to run a 4-minute mile. Drafted during the early years of World War II, Zamperini was a lieutenant in the Army Air Corps and a member of a B-24 flight crew. His winning personality and his inherent optimism would serve this remarkable man well during his World War II combat experiences and his eventual imprisonment by the Japanese. If your father or grandfather served in the Pacific Theater during World War II, "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" may provide you with some understanding of their experiences. For those who may be too young to have known a veteran of World War II personally, this book may provide you with a better perspective on "The Greatest Generation". This is the story of an extraordinary man caught up in unimaginable circumstances - it is truly inspiring.

How's your threshold of pain? This is not a book for the faint hearted. The story of an airman and gunner on a B-24 during the Pacific War, who along with three others is shot down and has to survive for weeks before being captured by the Japanese. By this time he and his pilot-as you would imagine-are not in great condition. Their captors behave dreadfully towards them- deaths in Japanese custody were MUCH higher than for POWs in Europe. Separated, the Olympic runner/gunner endured endless and depressing torment from one particular Japanese captor for most of the remainder of the War. I had tears in my eyes when the mainly American prisoners were finally liberated and eventually returned to their homes Nor did the story stop there. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for those traumatised by their Wartime hardships was not routinely treated and the athlete -and his wife and family had to endure it's consequences for some time before the ghosts were laid to rest. The story continues up to his death -at over 100 years of age when he is still trying to help people with emotional problems. A real super man. Not light reading but very informative and interesting, and the happy ending was uplifting even if all that suffering wasn't.

This is one of the best historical non-fiction books I have ever read. I do not care for historical non-fiction books but Laura Hillenbrand brought this book into the most realistic and factual story about an American hero in WWII in the Pacific who's plane gets shot down, survives in a raft for 47 days in shark-infested waters, and captured by the brutal Japanese. Actually, I read this book last year when it was recommended to me by my husband's cousin. I cautiously took the book thinking....ugh! But what a surprise! I could not put the book down. I decided to reread it again now just before the movie comes out. I can't imagine a person going through all that Louie Zamperini did and living to tell about it. I had never heard of him before but after reading this book, I have a deeper appreciation for all of our service people in the military. And I believe that his story needs to be told over and over again. We must never forget! I am so happy that they have made a movie and I only hope that it will truly reflect what the author was trying to convey in her story of Louie.

The first two pages had me hooked. Ms. Hillenbrand's followup to 'Seabiscuit' continues the theme of people overcoming adversity. Much like Seabiscuit, Mr. Zamperini was very well-known during his heyday in the 1930s and 40s, but time pushed him into relative obscurity. The biography covers Lamperini competing in the Olympics when Nazi Germany sponsored the games; flying a WWII B-24 bomber known as the Flying Coffin; crashing into the Pacific Ocean and surviving an ungodly long time in a raft while battling the elements as well as sharks; surviving truly horrible years as a POW in Japan; and his struggles of readjusting to civilian life when stateside. What makes this biography a cut above the rest is the author explaining many details about the times, mindset of the Japanese during the war, and the deadly conditions involved in flying B-24s. Ms. Hillenbrand also does a great service by explaining the aftereffects for POWs and how our government did (and still does today) an inadequate job of helping veterans deal with their lifelong psychological wounds. Zamperini's ordeals on the raft and as a POW were exhausting to read and took a toll on my faith in human beings being, at their core, decent people. The Japanese officer nicknamed "The Bird," who was at two POW camps, is an especially nasty piece of work I was dearly hoping would meet a horrible bloody end. How civilian Louie Zamperini was able to come to terms with his inner demons caused by being a POW will reaffirm for many religious people the healing power of faith. Louis Zamperini died this year on July 2, 2014 at the age of 97. Ms. Hillenbrand's work is not only an excellent tribute to Mr. Zamperini but all veterans. I strongly recommend you also read the interview with the author in the very back of the book. Her life isn't exactly a cakewalk either. 'Unbroken' is an outstanding achievement and deserves all the attention it has received. I'm still amazed Mr. Zamperini came out alive. The book certainly helped me put my small-minded bellyaching in perspective.

The story of Louie Zamperini as told by Laura Hillenbrand truly captures both the emotional and the factual accounts of Louie's life and the lives of so many other POWs. The research put into this book is astounding, but the facts flow in a way that is easy to understand (but still challenging in the right way). The characters are developed as deeply complicated, and their stories read like a brilliant novel. At times, I had to remind myself that this is all real, all true. Within its pages, this book brings joy, hope, faith, sorrow, loss, and truth. I was extraordinarily invested in the characters and found myself haunted by their experiences. Though I feel like I have a good understanding of WWII, the majority of my knowledge comes from European accounts, both fiction and nonfiction. Subconsciously, I think I've stayed away from the Pacific side of things. My grandfather was an American Navy Officer stationed in and around Southeast Asia during the war. My great-grandfather, on the other side of my family, was a Japanese air force pilot. My great-uncle was an interpreter. They both died fighting for Japan. In war, you want to believe that there is at least some semblance of rules and justice. WWII is complicated, because there was so little of that on the European side of the Axis. I guess, as third generation Japanese immigrant, I wanted to believe that Japan was different. But startlingly, just based on the statistics and stories in this book, POWs held by the Japanese were treated worse (MUCH worse) than POWs held by any other country, including Germany. Add that to the stories of mass genocide, enslavement, and torture carried out by the Japanese based on the same misguided eugenics doctrine as Hitler's followers, and it's no wonder they were on the same side. So, when I was reading this book, I connected with Louie, since he and my Grandfather both served in different capacities in the same part of the war. But I had an almost guilty connection with the Japanese, wondering if the Zero pilots, the interpreters, the soldiers of Japan's atrocious warfare described in the book were my family members. Where was my grandma during all of this? How did she feel about the Japanese superiority complex? I'd like to think she never agreed, but as the daughter and sister of soldiers, who really knows. I never asked and if I had, I doubt she would have told me. The family enshrined my dead relatives but never spoke of their service, deaths, or the war. It was a subject not to be brought up in the presence of my Japanese relatives, and in some ways, was equally difficult to discuss for my American grandfather. This book is incredible. Life-changing. Challenging and hard but also joyful and wonderful. I learned so much, but most importantly, I was challenged to think about this war in a different way. I started considering my relationship to history but also the general implications of this war and how it has shaped America in the smallest and largest of ways. I would highly recommend it, even if you are someone who does not enjoy nonfiction.

Louis Zamperini just died in this past summer. I am so happy for him in that he had the joy of knowing how his compelling story could reach millions in the hands of such an illustrious author as Laura Hillenbrand. She works tirelessly in her research, spent countless hours talking with with Louie, searching archives and honing her prose. This was no small feat due to her own debilitating illness. She is first and foremost a consummate storyteller, witness her well written tome about Sea Biscuit. She is amazing in her quest for detail, and riveting in her prose. I truly admire her writing skills. Louie's story is actually five stories in one. 1) He is lucky that he survived his rambunctious childhood, yet this is where we learn of his indefatigable spirit, and his sweetness. 2) His transformation in high school to a great long-distance runner, was largely due to family involvement as his brother sought to channel his exuberance and keep him out of trouble. He excelled at running in high school, college and then the 1936 Olympics, even attracting the eye of Hitler with his fast finish to a race. Then WW intervened and he enlisted. 3) His was shot down over the Pacific and survived for over a month in a small rubber lifeboat, fending off hunger, thirst, a crazed boat mate, strafing by the Japanese and multiple sharks attacks. 4) HIs little boat eventually landed in the Marshall Island where he was captured in imprisoned by the Japanese for the duration of the war, in exceedingly hard labor. 5) His salvation after returning home after the war and almost losing himself to his demons, but for the love of his wife and her discovery Billy Graham. Every one of these segments of his life could be a book in itself. Hillenbrand packed so much detail into this book, yet kept the narrative going throughout. His personal resilience, allowed him to survive over and over again. Louie's life was a testament to his survival and overcoming adversity. Laura Hillenbrand's person story is not that different. I find the two of them met, and that she told his story, has incredible symmetry. This is one of my most favorite reads in the last few years.

If we did not already know it, this book confirms what a tremendous debt we owe to those who served in World War II. And what a tremendous impact the war had on all those who lived through it. They might have been unbroken, but they were not unscarred. This is the story of Louie Zamperini, a tremendous distance runner who was just reaching his prime in 1941. Were it not for one or two of the thousands of examples of cruelty described in this book, it is possible, maybe even likely, that he, not Roger Bannister, would have broken the four minute mile barrier. The early termination of his competitive running was a huge disappointment to Zamperini, but the emotional trauma that resulted from his World War II experiences went far beyond the destruction of his running aspirations. After the war, Louie struggled with alcoholism and his marriage nearly ended in divorce. Ms. Hillenbrand makes it clear that that the primary reason that Louie was able to cope with and overcome his scars was his faith in the gospel that resulted from his attending a Los Angeles crusade led by an up-and-coming evangelist named Billy Graham. Because of who Captain Zamperini was before and after the war and all that he experienced during the war, he seems to be the best symbol of the book's title. But this book is also about all of the other soldiers mentioned in the book. All who served and particularly all who suffered as POWs have a special bond that is difficult for those of us who did not share those experiences to completely understand. But, thanks to this book, we can come a little bit closer. Some reviewers question whether this book is realistic. Did the POWs really get beaten as viciously and frequently as depicted in this book? If their meals were as meager and un-nutritious as depicted in this book, how were they able to look somewhat healthy in the first photos taken after their release? Who knows? Some of the stories seem incredible, but the author documents her anecdotes and cross checks the events with as many Japanese and American sources as she can. I commend her for her commitment to memorializing the lives of all of these heroic men and women. And I commend her for her writing skill and for using creative similes such as "the Bird [notorious prison guard] ... had been whipping about camp like a severed power line" to make her narrative come alive. The book makes one reference on page 308 to a "legendary" TBF Avenger pilot named Ray Hawkins who was awarded 3 Navy Crosses. To me, there is one TBF Avenger pilot - my father - who is more legendary than any other (for earning one Navy Cross and also being a wonderful artist, teacher, father and grandfather), but Captain Hawkins does deserve to be held in high esteem. I am sorry that my father has entered the life eternal and is no longer available to have a good discussion about the topics in this book. But I am thankful that Captain Zamperini is still alive and that he was able to overcome his physical and emotional scars and share his remarkable story.

With over 23,000 reviews already posted for this book, I don't know that I can add anything of any particular importance, but tough. This is a fantastic book, and I wanta say as much to anyone who cares to listen. With our WWII vets dying at an alarming rate, it's even more important for us to know and understand their stories, and the title of this book says it all: it is about the unlikely survival of two airmen after their plane goes down in the shark-infested ocean hundreds of miles from land; about the resilience of POWs in the face of brutal and inhumane treatment; and about one man's eventual redemption from the nightmarish aftermath of his experiences when the war comes to an end... through the grace of God and a certain evangelist named Billy Graham. If you think you already know all there is to know about WWII, think again. I guarantee you'll learn something new about it... and likely, something gut-wrenchingly horrid about it... by reading this book. In particular, it tells the story of Louie Zamperini, an extraordinary runner who represented the U.S. in the 1940 Olympics. When faced with horrific, seemingly impossible circumstances during WWII, he revealed himself to be an extraordinary human being, too. I highly recommend this book to history buffs, as well as to anyone with an interest in reading about the strength and resilience of our Greatest Generation. Prepare to be astounded by this tale of survival against incredible odds.

Unbroken RATING: Unbroken rates a 96 or 5 Stars. (See my rating system at the end) INTRO: First, and foremost is that Louis Zamperini’s story is simply both amazing and riveting. Laura Hillenband’s telling of the story is equal to the story itself. She has done her research and provides the reader the backdrop in a manner that makes the story resonate. There are no gratuitous facts thrown in to impede the story (as done by other authors who feel they have to prove that they have done their research). Note; For those that don’t want to read “war stories”, this is a story of a person who’s fate should have broken his will, but instead survived and came to peace with his fate. It tells the story of both Louis and his family. Are his challenges horrifying? Absolutely. But his will overcomes them all leaving the reader contemplative and stronger. Whatever else, don’t judge the book by the movie! (The movie is only a C+) PLUSES: An amazing story well-recounted. MINUSES: There so many horrifying incidents from the prison camp related in succession and without interruption (without the actual interceding time required for inmates to recover), that they become a blur and they start to seem fictional. (The 3-star ratings go into the details, but this does NOT merit a drop from 5-star to 3-star). SUMMARY: Highly recommend this wonderfully-told story of human spirit. The title tells it all perfectly. MY RATING SYSTEM: We can't award 0 stars. I argue that to be published a book rate at least a 55/100. I also argue that only ‘the best’ should get 5 Stars. So: 1 Star 56-65 2 Stars 66-75 3 Stars 76-85 4 Stars 86-95 5 Stars 96-100

What a fascinating story. I had never heard of Louis Zamperini. I know war is hell but I also never knew the depth of torture the Japanese inflicted on the POW's. I thought that honor went to the Nazi's. Hillenbrand's acknowledgments and footnotes detail her painstaking research to bring this almost unbelievable story to life. If you enjoy historical novels, this is a must read.

I never know if I will like a book better than the movie or the other way around so I am always a little bit leery about following one with the other. However, an article I read before watching the movie Unbroken had me interested in both. After seeing the movie, I could not wait to start reading the book. I have to say that neither disappointed me. Angeline did a great job in bringing the book to life on the big screen; she remained very faithful to the book. I did catch three or four times she took artistic license, but they served to keep the story moving without compromising on any truth. Of course, the book contains much more detail and showed that the movie toned down the violence in the POW camp (perhaps to keep the audience from running out to empty their stomachs). But that detail is not what makes the book stand out from the movie. AJ expressed her theme through one of the senior officers among the prisoners who told Louie that we win when we survive. No doubt that was a great note of triumph for the movie’s ending. However, Hillenbrand’s theme, I believe, comes from this observation: “The paradox of vengefulness is that it makes men dependent upon those who have harmed them, believing that their release from pain will come only when their tormentors suffer.” The real victory over Louie’s enemy occurred when the nightmares were abolished as he surrendered his hatred and desire for revenge. My wife chides me (but admires my tenderness) when I shed tears in movies. Books rarely do that to me. This one did. I wish I could give it more than five stars.

UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand (author of SEABISCUIT) is nonfiction. I’m afraid many readers will miss this book for that reason. They think nonfiction is dull. But I promise, UNBROKEN is not dull. It’s a can’t-put-it-down book that will keep you up at night. Louie Zamperini was a track star in the 1930s. He was good enough to go to the 1936 Olympics in Germany, and all expected, with more experience, he would be a medalist in the next Olympic games. Instead, World War II interfered, and Louie was drafted into the Army Air Corps. Then Hillenbrand relates his life as a wartime flier. But Louie’s experiences, even compared with other fliers who saw combat, weren’t typical. Although “war is hell” is true for everyone involved, Louie’s hell was progressively worse. Just when I thought, this is more than a person can take, it got even more hideous. Somehow, in part because Louie was so physically fit, he kept going. But he wouldn’t have if not for amazing mental strength as well. If you expect a summary of what happens, I’m sorry. It would be unfair to you. I found the book un-put-downable just because I wasn’t familiar with Louie’s story. I would be doing you a disservice by summarizing the book’s various parts. Do yourself a favor: don’t read the book flap or other reviews, either, until you’ve read the book yourself. I can tell you this. UNBROKEN begins with a prologue. Louie and two other men are floating on a rubber raft in the ocean. They’re starving to death and weak when a jet flies low over them. Louie thinks it is American, and they are about to be saved. But it’s not. What happens on that ocean is really bad. But after the prologue and after the story begins with Louie’s early life to his experiences as a runner to the Olympics to the military, it then keeps getting worse. Even so, this is not a depressing book. I’ll admit, sometimes it was hard to read, and, if you’re like me, you may get so caught up in the story you’ll even get a headache at times. I wanted to keep reading because, even though bad kept happening, Louie kept overcoming. Hillenbrand continues the story after Louie’s military service, and we see his (and others who were with him) ability and inability to cope. We see lives forever changed, often disastrously. And we also see . . . . Well, I can’t continue without giving away what you should read and not anticipate because of something I said. Although I read slowly, I read a lot. I usually find one, maybe two, books a year that are so wonderful I can’t speak highly enough of them. This is one of those books.

I felt there was an epic story here, but also felt the author should have given us more depth in the characters of Louie's family, and actually even Louie and Phil. It would seem that Laura Hillenbrand had the opportunity to probe Louie for details of his emotions re: Cynthia and his children, Billy Graham, etc. ~~ rather than so many dealing with the technical aspects of the war. The disclaimer being, I am a woman; I am from Venus. There were times that I just had to put the book down for a while. The beatings, starvation, humiliation of the POWs by the Japanese was too horrific to experience in long reading sessions. I never really understood the hatred my generation had for the Japanese, but I do now. It would be very, very hard for anyone who had a loved one experience such conditions not to generalize the entire country as such tyrants because of the POW camps. It's a little hard to believe how small the world was back then; amazing how familiar faces kept showing up. All this being said, I can't WAIT for the movie!

Louis Zamperini just might be the greatest American hero you've never heard of - one of them, anyway. Had world history run a different course, it might have been Zamperini, not Roger Bannister, who first ran the four-minute mile, and his name might have had a place on the roster of Olympic medalists. Instead, like so many of the young men of his generation, his plans and dreams were all put on hold when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and he was called to his country's defense. In "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption," Laura Hillenbrand has focused her gift for popular narrative history on Zamperini's story. If there's any justice in this world, this book, and the film adaptation coming to theaters later this month, will make "Louie Zamperini" a household name. Zamperini qualified to represent his country in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin in a longer-distance event than he'd ever participated in or trained for prior to that year. Although he didn't win a medal, his impressive performance marked him as a young runner to watch when the Games came to Tokyo in 1940. The 1940 games were relocated, then canceled, as hostilities worldwide blazed far beyond the wildest hopes of Olympic goodwill - and instead of training on the track, Zamperini found himself training as a bombardier for the Army Air Forces. Zamperini took part in several successful bombing raids over Japanese-occupied territory. More than once, he was lucky to escape with his life - but the biggest trial was to come when he and the rest of his crew were sent out on a simple rescue mission. When their plane went down in the ocean, Louie and the other survivors found themselves facing thirst, starvation, and exposure aboard a tiny, ill-equipped raft. Somehow they kept themselves alive for over a month as the raft drifted thousands of miles west over the Pacific Ocean - right into the hands of the enemy. Zamperini would end up in Tokyo after all, but it wasn't fame or glory that awaited him there . . . Hillenbrand divides Zamperini's life into five sections (of unequal length): his experiences as an athlete, as an airman in combat, as a survivor adrift, as a prisoner of war, and as a shell-shocked veteran - and somehow, every one of these sections packs more page-turning narrative tension than 85-90% of the books I've read this year (I've lost count of just how many that is, but it's probably around 50, and I enjoyed most of them). Most of the handful of people who have given this book a low rating raised questions as to the book's veracity and accuracy. I don't - any author whose source notes take up an eighth as much space as the actual text (and in smaller type, too) probably isn't one to cut corners in the research department, let alone make things up - but I understand why some people have. Zamperini's life as Hillenbrand recounts it is full of extremes: broken records, death-defying escapes, last-minute reprieves, unlikely meetings. Outside the pulpiest corners of the pulp adventure genre, no novelist could get away with this. It's like the tallest tall tale you'll ever read, except that tall tales don't usually come with fifty pages of endnotes providing verifiable sources for their heroes' most unbelievable feats. Zamperini's story is gripping, heartwrenching, haunting, unsettling, and ultimately uplifting. You will like Louie Zamperini, you'll ache with pain for and pride in him, you'll chuckle and wince at the wry humor he and his companions use to keep hope and dignity alive, and you'll be rooting for him every step of the way. I was sorry to learn that he died last July, when all I knew about him was that this book existed. He's someone I wish I could have known, but it makes me feel a little better about life just knowing I've spent 32 years on the same planet as a hero of his caliber - and I am so very, very grateful to Laura Hillenbrand for giving us his story in the pages of this wonderful book.

What a story!! At first I thought it was a bit boring but once it went to the meat of the story, which is true, it was gripping. This was a audio cd, I listened to it to and from work, or anywhere I traveled every single day, when I’d get home I would sit in my driveway listening more and try to find a spot to stop until tomorrow...many times I found my emotions so wrapped up that I’d cry. What these men went through were beyond imagination. It was all true... these men, they’re my hero.

Laura Hillenbrand is the author of Seabiscuit: An American Legend, which became an international bestseller and was turned into a theatrical film, starring Tobey Maguire and Jeff Bridges. The exact same thing can be said for her newest biography, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, which was published in 2010 and has also become an international bestseller with a theatrical film being produced and directed by Angelina Jolie and due out on Christmas Day in 2014. Unbroken is the true story of Louis Zamperini, who was a juvenile delinquent as a teenager in Southern California, changed his life around and ran the mile in the 1936 Olympics, stole the Nazi flag right out from under Hitler’s nose, entered World War II as a bombardier, was shot down over the Pacific Ocean, spent over 40 days in a life raft with hardly anything to eat or drink, and then was rescued by the Japanese, only to spend the next three years as a prisoner-of-war under the harshest conditions imaginable. Louis somehow managed to survive the cruel beatings, lack of decent food, the many illnesses that racked his weakened body over this period of time, and to return home after the war, only to find himself once again haunted by the brutal memories of Japan and the guards who tortured him. Gradually losing his will to live and slowly destroying himself in civilian life, not to mention his marriage to a wonderful woman who loved him dearly, Louis Zampernini somehow found redemption in God and the will to live. He sincerely forgave those who had treated him so unjustly during the war, started his life over, and became a hero to those who had suffered so greatly and sought to find meaning in what had taken place. The author of this book honestly captures the life of Louis Zampernini in all of its imperfections and profound glory, allowing the reader to emotionally feel and experience the tragic hardships this man endured, only to emerge from it a new human being who was able to discover the ability to forgive within himself and to move forward as a teacher, using his own life as a prime example. Unbroken is a book that will have you cringing at man’s inhumanity to his fellow beings, and then have you cheering at how one individual is able to overcome the impossible and to show what the word redemption truly means. Louis Zampernini is certainly a true hero in the grandest sense of the word, as are all the men and women who have suffered through wars, intense combat, extermination camps, POW camps, and the long-term after effects. This is the story of how one person can be severely tested over three long years and still remain unbroken at the end of the day. This is also the story of one man’s search for understanding about who he is as a human being and his place here on earth. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is a magnificent journey of clarity into the life of Louis Zampernini. It’s the type of book and story that gives hope to mankind and its struggles to survive the darkness that so often envelopes the soul. Read this biography, and you, too, will learn what it takes to find peace within one’s heart. Needless to say, I’m anxiously awaiting the movie at Christmas time. Highly recommended!

Growing up near the Dover Air Force base, I remember taking school trips there as a teenager. One such trip, we were greeted by a couple of WWII veterans standing near a humongous tin can of an airplane that didn't look like any plane I'd ever seen. Most memorably this plane had a clear plexiglass (I guess) bubble protruding from its underside. We asked the soldiers what it was and they told us it was where the belly gunner would sit and aim his gun or the bomb at the enemy on the ground. We learned that the belly gunner usually had to be the smallest and most physically agile man to be able to squeeze into the small space and stay there for hours. Being outside the protection of the tin can, he was also the most vulnerable to enemy fire. It was fascinating as a teenager to imagine boys not much older than myself being asked to do such a thing. And I remember the glints of memory in the eyes of the veterans as they talked about their experiences, as if they could barely believe it themselves. Arguably, WWII was the last war fought for absolutely righteous reasons, where there was a clear distinction between good and evil and where forces were evenly matched, with no easy prediction of who would win. In this true story about war hero Louis Zamperini's experiences as a B-24 soldier and subsequent POW, Laura Hillenbrand has managed to tell of the black and white nature of the Great War in a way that isn't at all accusatory or polemical. Awful awful things happened to Zamperini as a POW, some the natural consequences of war, and many totally unnecessary and over the top criminal. We see the evil clear as day, but we also see the oxymoron inherent in the term "war criminal." I mean, isn't there a thin line between psychosis and criminality, between just following orders and so completely succumbing to the dark? This story shows us what comes from hubris and the worst of pride in the micro-culture of war, a place where a man being human is seen as a sign of weakness, yet the only way out is to slowly and purposefully stumble back into the light and remember one's humanity. And it makes you wonder, why would any human want to put themselves through such a thing again, in the absence of clear-cut, no gray areas, absolute right and defensible reasons? Overall, Unbroken is a beautiful story about the triumph of the human spirit against all odds. What keeps it from becoming cliche is the honesty and empathy with which Louis Zamperini's inspiring story is told.

You don't have to look any further than the title to find the theme of this book. Unbroken: A World War II Book of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand is not a military history book in the scholarly sense anyway, but you will learn something about this war and its casualties. Rather, this is a book of the human soul - finding strength, commitment, compassion and ultimately, forgiveness. The star of this show is Louis Zamperini (or Louie, as he's known throughout the book). Everything else, the history of the war, etc., is the frame which Louie's story sits within. We learn something new, or find something we can relate to, and think about, on every page. Even those of us that weren't born yet during that time, or those of us that are not students of history, will relate. In Unbroken, we follow Louis from his childhood days as a thief, the love of his family that broke him of that habit for a love of track, to the 1936 Berlin Olympics, to the war, his POW experience and ultimately his time after the war. And through it all, we learn, we feel, we're grateful to be a reader in his journey. (I'm not going to revamp Louie's story here, that's the fun of reading the book). Hillenbrand tells Louie's story in an informal narrative form like I've never seen before. I haven't read

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand tells the story of Louie Zamperini — it is the beautifully recounted and well-researched biography of a very brave man, who not only survived unimaginable ordeals, but learned to live beyond survival, and truly carved a meaningful life for himself afterwards. Louis Zamperini grew up as a poor Italian boy who stole, misbehaved, and got into way too much trouble… until his older brother decided he needed to channel his little brother’s talent for running away into something a bit more worthwhile: he trained him to run track. Louie was a natural, and his desire to take on challenges made him push himself until he achieved something he never would’ve thought possible: to race in the Olympics. Unfortunately, World War II came along to draft most (if not quite all) young men in the country, Louie included. Hillenbrand recounts the statistics of men who lost their lives, not only in combat, but also due to all kinds of accidents, technical failures, and training errors — they are a sobering number. Sadly, Louie and his crew were part of these men who became victims of their own plane: a faulty B-24 — The Green Hornet. The plane malfunctioned, and they crashed into the Pacific. Out of the eleven men on board, only 3 survived the crash — they spent 47 days adrift at sea, living off rain water, fish, and birds… mostly starving, dehydrating, fighting off sharks, and talking to each other to keep themselves from going insane. One of them didn’t quite make it (he lasted only 33 days) — what was to follow, would probably make the other two wish they hadn’t made it either. After surviving their ordeal at sea, the men were captured by the Japanese. Louie and his friend, Phil, were mistreated, to say the least: they were separated, beaten, practically starved, denied proper medical attention, psychologically tormented, and worked half to death at prisoner-of-war camps. They endured this torture for over 2 years until the war ended in August of 1945. “On Kwajalein, the guards sought to deprive [the men] of something that had sustained them even as all else had been lost: dignity. This self-respect and sense of self-worth, the innermost armament of the soul, lies at the heart of humanness; to be deprived of it is to be dehumanized, to be cleaved from, and cast below, mankind. Men subjected to dehumanizing treatment experience profound wretchedness and loneliness and find that hope is almost impossible to retain. Without dignity, identity is erased. In its absence, men are defined by their captors and the circumstances in which they are forced to live. […] Dignity is as essential to human life as water, food, and oxygen. The stubborn retention of it, even in the face of extreme physical hardship, can hold a man’s soul in his body long past the point at which the body should have surrendered it. The loss of it can carry a man off as surely as thirst, hunger, exposure, and asphyxiation, and with greater cruelty.” Surviving on the life rafts while out in the open ocean was quite a challenge — yet when Phil and Louie lacked water, they waited for rain; when they were hungry, they ate whatever they could get their hands on: fish, bird, or shark; when they were too weak to do anything else, they would talk to anchor their minds to their bodies so that they could live to see another day as lucidly as possible. But once they were prisoners of war, the Japanese soldiers sought to degrade them, deprive them of every basic human right imaginable, and to crush their spirit. Yet the POW’s found ways to keep their hope and will to live alight within these camps through small acts of defiance, by finding even the slightest bit of joy in whatever was around them: a funny duck, stealing sugar, putting on a silly play… even in the worst imaginable circumstances, a person can find a reason to keep going. Louie wrote to his greatest tormentor, Watanabe in letter (after the war): “It was not so much due to the pain and suffering as it was the tension of stress and humiliation that caused me to hate with a vengeance. Under your discipline, my rights, not only as a prisoner of war but also as a human being, were stripped from me. It was a struggle to maintain enough dignity and hope to live until the war’s end.” And yet, he held on… he did indeed live to war’s end. Louis Zamperini’s story is impressive not only because he survived, but because his perseverance allowed him to continue living after his survival. Once the POW’s were rescued at the end of the war, they came home as heroes… but broken in every way: physically, mentally, emotionally… and Louie was no exception. Fortunately, after a long time, he found a way to heal… to forgive… and to give back to his community: he founded a camp for troubled youths, the Victory Boys Camp. Although this life-defining tragedy lasted over 2 years of Louis’ life, he lived to the age 97. He passed away on July 2, 2014. He lived quite a full, inspiring, and resilient life. http://doodlesandwords.com/2015/04/05/stranded-and-tortured-but-never-broken/

Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing story about a group of amazing survivors, all members of the "Greatest Generation". It offers a lot of insight into just how much human beings can endure to survive. All in all a stunning book. The reason I say I almost wish I'd never read it is because I find it very hard to accept the fact that some of the men responsible for such attrocities as were visited upon allied pow's were allowed to get away with it because our government had an agenda. It left me feeling bitter and betrayed and embarrassed to be an American. It colored the entire rest of the book for me. I am by no means a babe in the woods, I'm in my 50's and I'm well aware of the injustices that occur in this world but still, to read page after page of the torture these men had to endure only to learn that many of the men, and especially the worst of them all, the "Bird" got off scott free because we needed Japan as an ally is just disgusting. One Japanese officer beheaded an allied pow and was still given his freedom! And please don't comment that all sides commit attrocities in war, this went way beyond anything we did in the war, it was a systematic torture of prisoners that was official policy, something civilized nations don't do. To know that you need only research the way in which we and our allies treated pow's. For Louie and his comrades to serve their country the way they did, only to have that country let many of their torturers off scott free is the worst kind of betrayal. I'm sure that isn't the country they thought they were fighting for. And I know from reading the book that Louie forgave his tormenters including The Bird but I can't, the fact that The Bird was still alive and able to dismiss meeting Louie again out of hand just ruined the experience of reading this book. Louie may well have been able to turn the other cheek but the "civilized" world shouldn't have. And while I'm well aware of what happens in the real world I'm also well aware that when those who commit such acts suffer little or no consequences it almost insures that they will continue to happen again and again and again; "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing"

What makes this book so incredible is the one-two combination of Louis Z’s epoch life experience wrapped up and gifted to us through Laura H’s ability to provide vivid context that plunks us right into the scenes as they are unfolding. The most anguishing part of any experience is the unknown future. Being able to tell the past as if it is unfolding before us is a remarkable talent. If history could always be presented as masterfully as this, more people would study it, and so many repeated mistakes could be avoided. If I could give this more than five stars, I would. Well done, well done.

What a perfect title to describe the real-life hero of this novel, Louie Zamperini: UNBROKEN. One tip for writers to evoke emotion in their stories is to put their characters through hell, and I've never witnessed such emotional torture of a character. I was on the verge of tears for most of the book and at one point sobbed, reading what Louie suffered. What makes this story even more emotionally compelling is that Louie isn't a fictional character. He's a real Olympic runner, Air Force veteran, and inspirational speaker, now in his 90s. Laura Hillenbrand, author of Seabiscuit, did exhaustive research for this novel and I'm proud to say I attended the same liberal arts college as she did (Kenyon College). I loved learning about the early days of competitive running . . . the firm belief that no human could break the 4:00 mile barrier . . . archaic ideas that training hills would make a runner slower . . . the cruise ship completely hindering training and race preparation as the American athletes traveled to Berlin for the 1936 Olympics. But what was most educational were there fascinating details of WWII. I had no idea that rescue flights for downed air crew over the Pacific were so unsuccessful. Rescue missions often caused even more deaths. Most WWII novels and movies cover the European theater, but The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons taught me about the events in Russia, and this novel Unbroken really educated me about Japan's role in the Pacific. My book club recently read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, which highlighted the unfair treatment of Japanese-Americans in the internment camps during WWII. Unbroken shows a very different side---the unimaginable cruelty of the Japanese toward their prisoners of war. I developed a thirst for vengeance reading what these poor POW's suffered. But to seek vengeance or to view only one side is to miss the point of this novel and of Louie's life entirely. Louie's indomitable, forgiving spirit is truly a gift of God. His story is such a spiritual masterpiece that it absolutely confirms my faith in God. Gah, I'm welling up in tears again just writing this review! It's so rare to find a meaningful read like this one. I know Louie's story will stay with me for some time.

Laura Hillenbrand tackles difficult subjects to write about. She chronicled the life of a famous 1930s race horse in her 2002 best-selling book Seabiscuit: An American Legend, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, was listed on over fifteen best-of-the-year lists, and became a major successful motion picture. This recent (2010) non-fiction book, which took seven years to research and write, examines the life of Louis Zamperini, the championship 1930s distance runner and World War II veteran. Time magazine awarded it non-fiction book of the year, and it won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for biography. These stories are difficult for Hillenbrand because she suffers from an extremely debilitating illness called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that forces her to be bed-ridden almost every day. So she depends on helpful researchers and interviews over the phone and her family to assist in her prodigious research and investigations. And the life of Louis Zamperini required delving into all kinds of documents and artifacts, and interviews both in the United States and in Japan. To say that she has succeeded is an understatement. She is a paragon of research and an inspiration to all who suffer with her illness or any incapacitating disorder. Plus she writes a damn good story about another inspirational individual—Louis Zamperini. Zamperini’s life story begins in California, where as a youth, he became a famous track star and Olympic champion in the 1930s. It then proceeds to his stint as a bombardier in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, his nightmare at being shot down and surviving on a raft in the Pacific Ocean for 47 days only to be captured by the Japanese, his torturous ordeal at the hands of sadistic Japanese prison guards, his psychological and social battles after the war due to his wartime persecution, and finally his conquering of his demons. Hillenbrand writes about all of this with a confident and almost effortless writing style that makes you want to read more. Her descriptions of the horrors of the Japanese camps where Zamperini was held prisoner are gripping and terrifying. This is not an easy book to read because of the inhumanity involved, but it is a historical record of the brutality that occurred. Hillenbrand, at the end of the book in her Acknowledgments section states: “Finally, I wish to remember the millions of Allied servicemen and prisoners of war who lived the story of the Second World War. Many of these men never came home; many others returned bearing emotional and physical scars that would stay with them for the rest of their lives. I come away from this book with the deepest appreciation for what these men endured, and what they sacrificed, for the good of humanity. It is to them that this book is dedicated.” For her dedication in writing this riveting true story, we owe Hillenbrand a debt of gratitude, and we owe her praise for introducing us to an indomitable spirit by the name of Louis Zamperini.

This is a stunning true story, masterfully told. Louis Zamperini’s life – as a runner, an airman, a POW, a survivor, and a believer -- is nearly unbelievable in its extremes, yet the experiences at its core are undeniable. The horrific hardships he endured, the heights of his successes and the depths of his blackness, beggar the imagination. And Hillenbrand’s telling of it is riveting – her descriptions are lively and cinematic, and the pace of the plot never bogs down or gets lost in minutia. The characters of Zamperini’s life emerge in bold colors, their personalities sketched in illuminating events or words. Though written from an unbelieving perspective, this book is respectful toward the message of Jesus. Hillenbrand gives virtually no editorial comments, and is restrained even about the sadistic and murderous Japanese camp staff, a quality that helps propel the book forward but leaves one wishing for a touch more reflectiveness. Still, the reader can easily provide it, as the book – and the man’s life – provokes striking meditation on a number of themes. The role of kindness and sacrificial love, whether from his brother Pete, his fellow airmen and POWs, or the occasional guards who risked their lives to help, was pivotal in Louis’s life. The incredible fortitude that human beings are possible of, both physically and spiritually, is evident again and again. And the divine plan, breaking visibly and invisibly into Louis’s life to preserve and guide, is awe-inspiring.

"Unbroken" is all about one man's amazing will to live under the most horrible of circumstances. I came away totally astonished at what events Louie Zamperini had to endure time and time again. The book takes you through Louie's rebellious and troubled childhood. He has only his brother to thank for saving him from a life that most certainly would've found him behind bars. What was inspiring was how much Louie pushed himself to be the best runner at his school, in the State of California and in the country. I could only dream of running 1 mile in just over 4 minutes! Where the book really takes off is when Louie enters service in the U.S. Army Air Corps. A terrible fate fell upon Louie and his crew mates after crashing into the Pacific Ocean during a search mission to locate another downed plane. I honestly have no idea how anyone could've survived as long as they did on that tiny raft. But as it turns out, survival on the raft was nothing compared to the punishment that the Japanese, most particularly a man nicknamed "The Bird," would do to him over the course of several years. The final amazing feat of Louie was his incredible ability to forgive those who beat him in prison for those years. Only the life-changing power of Jesus Christ could give somebody such a forgiving heart. I totally recommend this book as I know you won't be disappointed.

I loved Laura Hillenbrand's bestseller Seabiscuit so much that I knew I would definitely read her next book. Fortunately the subject matter of Unbroken is something that draws my interest like a magnet. Many men in my small farming village in central Illinois enlisted and fought during World War II. My grandfather was one of them. While he was serving aboard an LST in the South Pacific, another man in town was a prisoner of war in a Japanese labor camp. As she did with Seabiscuit, Hillenbrand illuminates the life of Louis Zamperini, a man who grew from being an incorrigible troublemaker as a child to an Olympic caliber track and field star to a man who seemed to be able to survive anything that the war could throw at him. As she did in her previous book, Hillenbrand draws readers in by her careful layering of facts. Starting with a framework of a specific decade for example, she builds her house, brick by brick, with historical data of how much things cost, what sorts of jobs were available to families like the Zamperinis, how other relatively unknown people were doing, all the way up to the roof with what the famous were accomplishing at the same time. By the time Hillenbrand has completed the house, the reader can open the door, walk in, and immediately feel at home because everything has been so meticulously crafted that we know how each piece fits into the whole. Hillenbrand has the gift of making readers feel like participants and not just observers. Zamperini's life is absolutely fascinating. The way he behaved as a child makes it clear that this man was a survivor. He didn't like the word "no", and if someone told him he couldn't do something, he immediately set out to prove that person wrong. It's this attitude that turned him into an Olympic runner who competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and it's this attitude that helped him survive the crash of his bomber, being adrift on a life raft for weeks, and-- the ultimate test of all-- a Japanese POW camp. The sections about his childhood and his competitive running are strong, as is the part about his early days in the Army Air Corps. Once his plane goes down, the story becomes riveting, and it's altogether too easy to forget that what you're reading is true. When Zamperini finally returns home, his nightmare is anything but finished, and some of what he experienced during this period is eerily similar to what my own grandfather went through. More credit to Zamperini that he was eventually able to vanquish his demons, to be happy and to make those around him happy as well. He should be an inspiration to us all-- and Hillenbrand deserves thanks for sharing this man's life with the world.

1) Plot (5 stars) - Track sensation Louis Zamperini is called to World War Two where his plane crashes into the Pacific and he is taken as a Japanese POW. Can he survive the 6 weeks in the ocean and then 3 years of torture? How will he cope if he comes back to normal life? Will he ever run again and fulfill his dreams and potential? It is quite a story, especially considering it's a true one, and for the most the author keeps the pace quick. Though I did notice myself getting a little bit impatient with how long the POW camp sections were, and how short the conclusion and transformation was. 2) Characters (3 stars) - Louis is a great character; there is no doubt about that. But here's the thing: I always felt like I was on the outside looking into to Louis. I wanted to know what he felt, especially at the end, but all I got was a reporter's distant view. At times I felt more connected with the folks back home, and even the guards, than the main character. 3) Theme (4 stars) - The theme of perseverance, of pushing on and surviving even when life isn't worth living, was inspiring to read, and threw my cushioned wimpy life in stark contrast. But the other moral of forgiveness and passing your life over to a higher purpose was so glossed over. That was the culmination, and I felt robbed. Was she embarrassed to talk of God? Is that not as cool as describing every detail of a torture? I don't know. But I so wanted to get that experience of transformation, and I didn't. 4) Voice (4 stars) - Hillenbrand is a good writer. Her prose is fast and lucid, and she does a wonderful job of pulling out little details to make the larger story seem real. 5) Setting (5 stars) - Being a high level sports star before modern money and training ... Floating in an endless ocean without food or water for 6 weeks ... Sitting in the living hell of a Japanese POW camp, beaten and humiliated every day ... Coming home to a confusing and shallow life. All were done so well. 6) Overall (4 stars) - Overall, I would recommend this book because Louis lived such a trying and inspirational life, and Hillenbrand takes you through it scene by scene. But I can't give it 5 stars because I felt too distant from Louis and the ending was so unexplored.

The book is always better than the movie, right? It seems that way to me, even with movies as good as the Lord of the Rings series. The movies were amazing, but the books were still better. It seems inevitable that Unbroken will appear on the silver screen before long (and, if the rumors are to be believed, it will star Nicholas Cage). Before it does, make sure you read the book. Unbroken is, in a word, amazing--easily one of the best books I read in 2010. It's written by Laura Hillenbrand who also penned Seabiscuit. This new book has shot straight to #2 on the New York Times list of bestsellers just days after its release. Unbroken tells the tale of Louie Zamperini, a character who is so much larger than life that I can't believe I hadn't encountered him before. Zamperini grew up in California in the 1930's, a troublesome kid who was constantly stealing, constantly fighting, constantly getting into trouble. He was that kid, the kid who was known by the police, the kid who was every teacher's nightmare. He was also lightning fast, eventually becoming a member of the 1936 U.S. Olympic team where he ran the 5,000 meter race and even had the opportunity to meet Adolf Hitler. War came in 1941 and, like so many men his age, Zamperini joined up, enlisting in the United States Army Air Force. He was made bombardier in a B-24 bomber and posted to Hawaii. He took advantage of all the world had to offer, drinking and carousing with the best (or worst) of them. On May 27, 1943, while searching the ocean for a crashed plane, his own plane suffered mechanical failure and plunged into the ocean. Zamperini survived the crash along with two other members of the crew. They were adrift in the Pacific for 47 days, living off whatever rain fell from the sky and whatever food they could somehow pluck from the ocean. Though one of the men eventually succumbed to starvation, the two who remained were eventually "rescued" by the Japanese Navy, some 2,000 miles from where the plane had crashed. Zamperini's war was about to get far worse. While in captivity he was treated barbarically, a human guinea pig for new medications, a punching bag for sadistic guards, a slave laborer. In one camp he fell under the eye of Sergeant Matsuhiro Watanabe, one of Japan's most notorious war criminals and a true sadist who beat Zamperini near the point of death time and time again. That he survived the camp at all is not far short of a miracle. But he did survive, right to the end of the war. Though just a shadow of the man he was before, he returned to the United States. He was consumed by hate and anger, haunted by the shadows of what he had gone through and, as with so many survivors of the Prisoner of War camps, he turned to alcohol to numb the pain. He got married but found himself turning on his wife, even physically at times, and he found himself deeper and deeper in the bottle. His life unraveled even further. Let me pause here. If you already know that you want to read this book, just stop now and buy yourself a copy. Quit now before you come to the real spoilers. Do take note of this caveat: This may not be a book to give to your kids. There is some profanity used in dialog and there is the ugly truth that one of the Japanese prison guards was a sexual sadist who seemed to find sexual pleasure in beating and demeaning his prisoners. The sexual component of that sadism is not discussed in detail, it is not really qualified, but it is mentioned. The profanity and the sadism are historical, so not entirely out of place. But I do want to make you aware of them. You can buy Unbroken at Amazon, in hardcover or on the Kindle. It will make a great gift for a lover of biography or a person who has an interest in history, and especially military history. Now, for those who haven't run out to buy the book already, let me tell just a bit more about Zamperini's life. Zamperini pretty much hit rock bottom right around the time that Billy Graham began a crusade in California. Zamperini's wife had decided to divorce him, having come to the end of her ability to put up with his drunkenness and his abuse. But a neighbor persuaded her to go to the crusade and on her first night there she got saved. Soon she and the friend persuaded Louie to come along as well. The first night he stormed out in anger. The second night he began to storm out in anger, but on his way out, turned back and responded to the altar call. He got saved too. And his life was utterly transformed. He eventually returned to Japan to preach the gospel, even sharing it with some of the men who had imprisoned and abused him. And here he is, decades after the war, still alive, suddenly coming into the limelight once again. And here, perched near the top of the New York Times list of bestsellers, is a book that tells a story of a marvelous transformation, of God's stunning saving grace extended to one of his children. It's almost too good to be true. What can I do but recommend this book? It is receiving near-universal acclaim and for good reason. It's an incredible story to begin with, and it only gets better as it goes along. The climax of the story is not when Zamperini is rescued or when he exacts revenge on his captors. The story hits its climax right where Zamperini is born again, where he lets go of the anger and instead finds himself overwhelmed with love, God's love, and wants nothing more but to share that love with those who hated him. It's a story that has waited a long time to be told; it's a story that just needs to be read.

Unbroken is the biography of Olympian and World War II prisoner of war, Louis Zamperini. It is quite apparent that the author had done an incredible amount of research to collect and verify the facts that she included in the book. All along, I thought to myself, “The author must have spent years (7) compiling this information.” While this book is non-fiction, it is incredible that Mr. Zamperini ran in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, managed to return from a mission with his B-24 filled with nearly 500 bullet holes, survived 46 days in a rubber raft in the middle of the Pacific, and absorbed the abuse of overzealous Japanese guards for over two years in a POW camp. The account sin the book sound more like a conglomeration of a dozen men’s experiences rather than just one. The accounts read like fiction - one would be hard-pressed to create a more compelling fictional character than the real-life Mr. Zamperini. The author does an excellent job of describing the characters and settings. She organized her chapters such that there was always an intriguing hook to keep the reader engaged. I felt I wanted to keep reading to find out how he resolved his conflicts and how he endured the hardships.

Unbroken was one of those books that once started, it's almost impossible to put it down. When I started reading it, I had just checked in at the airport for a long flight, with several two plus hour layovers from Connecticut to Colorado. When I arrived home in Colorado, after a ten hour journey, I felt like only minutes had passed, not hours. Who needs fiction, when Laura Hillenbrand is telling the story? With such a real life personality as Louie Zamperini, she is a master story teller. And oh what a story it is. As an avid runner, years ago, I had a fuzzy memory of Louie Zamperini, mostly regarding his one and only Olympic appearance in Germany. I knew he was a great runner, he'd met Hitler and he stole a Nazi flag, and got away with it. But that was about all I knew. His story is so much more. His will to live, to survive in situations that were hopeless and cruel was super-human. Louie made me laugh and he made me cry. After finishing the book, I did some on-line research. I learned that he had died just months earlier. After all he'd survived, he'd lived well into his nineties. I had a very emotional reaction to the news. I felt like I'd lost a dear friend. That's the magic of Laura Hillenbrand's writing. I was involved with her subject, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. She is almost as remarkable as her subject. I will read Unbroken again and again. Perhaps I will read it every year, and when I'm really old and gray, Louie Zamperini will be like a brother to me.

I enjoyed this book. It was amazing to see what this man lived through during WW-II. That, alone, earns my respect. To then learn how he eventually overcame some problems resulting from his POW experience was inspirational. These men were truly the greatest generation. Early in the book all I could think was how I'd hate to have him as my kid. It was beyond mischievous... but even that taught a lesson in love because it reminds you that as a parent you love unconditionally. To then read about him maturing into a fine young man, excelling at a sport to the point of becoming an Olympian, was uplifting. Then the horrors of being adrift at sea and a POW was harrowing... You simply can't believe he lived through it all. Truly amazing and, well, sad that other humans would treat others so terribly. After the war, his life is mixed with highs and lows for a while, but you are rooting for him all the way. Towards the end, when you learn what he is still accomplishing in later years is both inspirational and frightening... inspirational in that, even middle aged, I want to grow up and be just like him (trying new things, be able to forgive to the point he does, etc.) yet frightening in that there is NO WAY I'd want someone my parents age (his age) doing some of the things he does (example - SPOILER ALERT - he starts riding a skateboard at 80!)... again, an inspiration to me personally and frightening in that I'd probably break my neck, even at my current age! The man, and many others, in this book is/are truly amazing. You can't help but feel like you've done so little (and need to do more) after reading this book.

This, the life story of Louie Zamperini, describes the strength of one man whose life experiences are not only unique and unusual, but also of tremendous strength and determination. His life of 97 years was long for the monstrous overstress he endured. A daring child, born January 26, 1917, Louie died July 2, 2014 of pneumonia. Zamperini's accomplishments include winner of high school and college track championships followed by Olympic achievements; decorated World War II second lieutenant, bombardier in a B-24 Liberator bomber; survivor of plane disaster and 47 days on a life raft existing on captured rain water and raw fish they happened to catch. He and his fellow survivor were captured immediately after they went ashore on the Marshal Islands. Both men survived two and one-half years in Japanese prison camps where they barely lived through intentional starvation and merciless beatings. Returning home after the war Zamperini suffered PTSD attempting to escape mental torture through alcoholism. His wife, Cynthia Applewhite Zamperini, virtually made him attend Billy Graham Crusade meetings in 1949 where Zamperini became a born again Christian. His mind, miraculously relieved of the torturous back flashes, continued to be rich in adventures and honors. This is a true story of an exciting life.

A very powerful book about a man whose personality was HUGE. It was well written and researched to the author Laura Hillenbrand's credit. I think she must have had a strong friendship with Louie Zamperini. She certainly did him justice. I learned about many things concerned great war in this read. One comment in regard to the total number of pages dedicated to the B-24 was over kill. To read that this plane was kept in service by the powers that be is incredible as it was very unsafe. The most difficult parts of this book was Louie's time in Japanese POW camps. I had to skip many pages as I just couldn't handle it. Was every detail of every beating that necessary??!! It certainly dampened my enthusiasm for the book. I was determined to finish it, however, so skipping through many of the hard details allowed me to get to the end. I really needed to find if he made it out of the camps. It's an amazing story of an amazing personality. The ability of some people to make it through to rise above their lives is astonishing and certainly true of Louie Z. It could be life changing if some of our youth of today's world would read it! If you buy the book, press on to the end. To finish is very satisfying . . . rewarding.

This is an amazing story of one of prisoners of war and the treatment by the Japanese government. It truly displays the dedication and service of our AAF during WW II and the dangers they faced. Then the harrowing experience of having a plane go down through mechanical failure, the traumatic experience they had facing the element for 40 some days adrift at sea and then the brutality of the Japanese prisons and uncertainty as to future. I know from experience having served in Japan after a tour of duty in Korea during that war that the Japanese people were not all representative of the cruelty and inhumane treatment render by the savage guards and their leaders. However, it was what it was and our military who became POW's suffered greatly. I am happy that this book was written and also that there is a movie showing the service and sacrifice of the POW's. I recommend this book and really enjoyed reading it and learning more of the cruelty some people could have for others. The Japanese didn't use enhanced interrogation they fully utilized torture. The Japanese government has never accepted the actions of their cruel leaders in WW II and rather have glossed over it. Hopefully they will gain some exposure if the movie is shown in Tokyo where many years ago as a young Marine I saw the movie Sands of Iwo Jima.

At first when I considered reading this I was a little dissuaded by Victorio's review stating that the author had given the book some 'personal coloring'. I wrote a reply to his review stating that in fact his own words are misleading and that he misrepresents what the book actually says so that his review is by his own definition 'dishonest'. The way things happen verses what actually happened during these horendous times are certainly two different things. I don't know how a reviewer can read this book and say that the author embellished at all. Maybe his sources embellished but what can he do about that? If your considering reading this book at all - do it. You won't be sorry. The first half or two thirds of the book deal with Louie's life before the military, the military, capture and confinement in Japan. The last part deals with the aftermath - when Louie gets home. Reading this book you get a tiny bit of history from the Japanese side. There's not much of that around for general public consumption. I lived in Japan for half a year in 1989 and WWII was never mentioned, except by a man from Hiroshima who asked me if I had heard of it 'you know ***nuclear bomb***!!!' Back in 1989 I got on the Yamanote Sen which is the train that circles around Tokyo. It wasn't crowded. There was an elderly man sitting about 15 feet away. Sitting with his cain in front of him, a kind of scowl fixed to his face, staring very intently at me. I was a 22 year old caucasion 5'11" a little scruffy that day. This in a country known to be polite. As a matter of fact the whole 6 months I was there I don't think I ever met a rude person. Any way this elderly man stared at me in a way that made me think he was in WWII and had in some way dealt with American soldiers or sailors. I was spooked to say the least. After reading this book now knowing that so many war criminals were given amnesty in 1958 as a way of repairing political ties with Japan makes me wonder even more who he really was. Maybe he thought I was a dead soldier reincarnated??? Japan is a wonderful country to visit. A little expensive. When I was there I always felt how odd it was for a country on the whole to be so polite to have committed such attrocities.

"Unbroken" deserves the acclaim it has received. It is the story of Louis Zamperini and his extraordinary tale of survival during World War II. Zamperini grew up a juvenile delinquent in Torrance, CA. At the urging of his older brother, Zamperini learned to channel his energy into running. He quickly became a legend in southern California, shattering the high-school record for the mile and eventually becoming a member of the 1936 Olympic team. Louie was training for the Tokyo Olympics in 1940 when the games were canceled because of the war. Louie joined the Army Air Corp and became a bombardier on a B-24 in the Pacific theater. While on a search and rescue mission, the plane he's on crashes into the Pacific. The survivors cling to two tiny rafts for 47 days. Two of the men survive this ordeal, only to be captured by the Japanese and sent to the first of several prison-of-war camps. His celebrity makes Zamperini the focus of terrible assaults and cruelty, especially by a horribly sadistic guard nicknamed "the Bird." The cruelty of the Japanese during the war has largely been forgotten, but this account serves to help us not forget the suffering and humiliation these men endured. Ms. Hillenbrand is an amazing storyteller. Moreover, she has done an incredible job of research. She also does a great job of describing the incredible dangers of aviation during World War II and what it's like to be a member of the flight crew on a B-24 bomber. In the end, "Unbroken" is an incredibly gripping tale and a compelling story. It is unforgettable, gripping, unnerving, and inspiring. The three primary criticisms of the tiny minority who dislike this book are all without merit: 1) One criticism is that the book stretches the truth. In my opinion, the critics would have rightfully criticized it as too over the top if it were a work of fiction, but this story didn't need embellishment. 2) Another criticism is that the writing is mundane. Hogwash! 3) The final criticism is that the suffering in the book goes on and on and one. Again, if this were fiction, that would be a legitimate criticism. But this is real life, and this is what Zamperini and many men went through.

I enjoyed this book but it did drag in parts. But when I got to the part about his POW experience in Japan, I could not put it down. My father was a POW in Japan for 42 months and I could visualize his experience through the events that Hillenbrand describes. The beatings, the names that described the Japanese Guards, the lack of food, the lice, bedbugs, clothing in shreds, the forced labor, all familiar from stories told to me by my father. Another reader had given this low rating because he could not believe that anyone could survive all that trauma. Most of the Japanese POWS are gone now but their children survive to tell the tale. I enjoyed reading about Louie's early days and his running experiences. The military parts dragged for me and his survival in the ocean could have been a bit shorter. But as an historical document, its a good read.

My husband and I listened to the audio version of Unbroken over several weekend trips. Read by Edward Hermann, this was an inspirational true story that we both enjoyed. Louis Zamperini's story is well known, but how he lived his life was something else. A prankster in his youth, Louie had fun stealing food from his neighbors and evading capture. He later used that talent for speed competing in the Berlin Olympics. His determination to succeed against many more experienced runners would serve as the basis for the mental strength needed to survive against what was soon to come. When the war began shortly after, Louie joined the Army and became a bombardier on a B-24 bomber. His plane crashed, and he survived for more than 40 days at sea through his amazing ingenuity. Unfortunately, he was captured by the Japanese and ended up a prisoner of war for over two years. Louie had many hardships being a POW. The brutality he experienced was just horrifying. But he had a strong will to survive and help from others when he needed it most. It was hard to not feel emotional when reading this story. While I'm not a fan of nonfiction or stories about war, this was so much more than that. It was about the survival of an incredible individual who just never gave up. Unbroken was a fantastic book and I'm only knocking off a star because it could have been less detailed.

I love true stories of survival against great odds, and Unbroken fits in with the best of them. Hillenbrand tells the story of Louis "Louie" Zamperini, a young troublemaker growing up in Torrance, California, who through the encouragement of his older brother Pete discovers first a talent, and then a love, for running. After setting numerous amateur records, he made the US Olympic team and finished 8th in the 5000 meters at the 1936 Berlin games. He set his sights on greater achievement in 1940, but the Olympics were canceled with the outbreak of war in Europe, and were not held again until 1948. Meanwhile, Louie ended up as a bombardier in the Army Air Force, stationed in Hawaii and other islands in the Pacific theater. In May 1943, while on a mission to search for another B-24 plane and crew that had gone missing, Louie, his regular pilot and friend Phil, and the rest of their crew went down when their replacement plane, called the "Green Hornet"--a vessel with a history of problems and of questionable airworthiness--developed engine problems and crashed into the ocean. It was American policy to launch extensive searches for missing planes and crews, but uncertain where the "Green Hornet" had been when it plummeted from the sky, the searchers had little to go on and eventually had to give up. Louie was listed as missing and, as per policy, thirteen months later was declared dead (though his family never believed it). Prior to this, Louie's career had its moments of drama and terror, notably a memorable air battle over Nauru, but what happened to him after his plane crashed and sank, killing all but him, Phil, and a crewman called Mac, is both gripping and horrifying. First was simply getting out of the sinking wreckage alive, which Louie almost did not do. Then there was the matter of survival at sea on two meagerly-provisioned life rafts for an amount of time that they hoped would be relatively short (due to the search that would be made when they were reported missing) but which turned into weeks. They faced numerous obstacles, any one of which could have easily killed them but all of which together should certainly have been their doom: food and water ran out too soon (sooner than it needed to, for reasons I will not divulge), they were surrounded by increasingly aggressive sharks, they were strafed by machine-gun fire from a Japanese plane, and the sea at times threatened to overturn their flimsy craft. That in itself is an incredible story of survival, but it's only the beginning. Captured by the Japanese military, Louie and Phil were moved from prison camp to prison camp, including time on notorious Kwajalein Island and several locations on the main Japanese island of Honshu, eventually becoming separated. As a POW of the Japanese military, Louie was accorded very few rights and was subjected to near-constant brutality. Beatings were a daily occurrence, especially when he became the special target for the venom of a sadistic guard the prisoners nicknamed "the Bird." Even without the beatings, the daily struggle to survive in the most primitive of conditions, with little food, tattered clothes, and inadequate shelter, pushed Louie and his fellow prisoners to the edge of endurance. As a record of POW treatment, Louie's story is part of the well-documented history of Japan's horrific treatment of war prisoners. That he was singled out by the Bird for even rougher treatment than other mistreated prisoners makes his survival even more amazing. Louie is a bit like Odysseus, surviving hazards (crash-landing in the ocean, adrift for weeks, captured by the Japanese, brutalized for months) by keeping his wits about him. And he was not only remarkably resourceful, but at times lucky in avoiding worse injuries, not only in the crash of the "Green Hornet," but also when his regular plane, "Super Man," was shot to pieces over Nauru. The reason you read a book like this is for the tale of survival, which is also how it is marketed, so the post-POW section of the book seems to go on a bit long. It is mostly occupied with Louie's decline and the mystery surrounding the fate of "the Bird." But then comes the penultimate chapter, on Louie's religious reawakening under the ministry of Billy Graham, and his memory of a promise made on a raft drifting in the vast Pacific Ocean, and it all makes sense. After watching him endure, survive, decline, and break, the moment of his revival is quite moving (and skillfully handled by Hillenbrand). I have not read Seabiscuit, Hillenbrand's first book, nor am I likely to. But with her second book, the talented Laura Hillenbrand has told a story that has to be included on the bookshelf among the most dramatic and unlikely accounts of survival in history.

I found the book interesting and informative. At times the author seemed rather long winded and went into unimportant detail but over all it was informative. It did provide one new insight. The Japanese did have many spies here during World War II. Further inquiry makes it clear that it was necessary to put them in special camps through the war since know who could be trusted was a difficult or near impossible. The fact that a continually leak of security to Japan became known justifies the action taken.

My thanks to a friend who sent this wonderful read my way. This is first and foremost the story of Louis Zamperini, a troubled child who becomes a troubled adolescent rescued by none other than someone who loves him, his brother, Peter. Peter recognizes his brother's talent for running, usually away from trouble, and channels it into competition. It is as a runner that Louie finds himself winning many races and finally competes in an Olympics but WWII intervenes, changing his life forever. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Louie finds himself a member of the Army Air Corps where he serves on many flights. His last results in an ocean crash landing with only his friend, Phil, the pilot, and another serviceman surviving. They drift alone on the Pacific for day upon day surrounded by swimming sharks and surviving on the few fish including sharks and seabirds that they manage to catch. The details outlined by the author are graphic and appalling and put the reader right into the small boat with them. When they are strafed several times by a Japanese bomber, they somehow survive without an injury. Secondly, this is a story about imprisonment in Japanese camps where cruelty, little food and rigid schedules rule their lives. Once again the author excels in presenting detail after detail about existing as a prisoner of the Japanese. The depth of cruelty is difficult to believe as prisoners endure endless beatings, cruel punishments limited only the guards' imagination, lack of food, clothing and blankets. The author also shares postwar effects of such treatment on the returning soldiers as they return to their homes and try, often with limited success, to take up their lives. This is a must read for those interested in WWII, imprisonment in Japanese camps and how it all affects not only the returnees but their loved ones.

I was strongly urged by my husband to read "Unbroken" long ago. Since I'm not a military history buff like he, I kept putting it off. After reading this book, I'm kicking myself for procrastinating. The book is a riveting account of Louie Zamperini's extraordinary life. By his early 20's, he evolved from a not so exemplary youth to an Olympic runner and then an Army Air Forces bombardier in WWII. When his plane, the Green Hornet, went down, his resourcefulness in surviving on a drifting raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean was astounding. He and the other POW's faced horrific torture, starvation, abuse, and dysentery in the Japanese POW prison camps. I have to admit the account of beatings and deprivation was difficult to read. What is most abominable is the Japanese corporal nicknamed "The Bird". He was the daily nightmare of the POW's. He then became Louie's PTSD nightmares. Although a good portion of the book was devoted to his time at the prison camps, the author also dealt with his ability to let go of his obsession with revenge and hatred. His hidden spirituality gave him the strength to find peace and to give forgiveness. This is an excellent book, and now I'm going to encourage my friends to read it!

Biography of amazingly resilient and resourceful Louis Zamperini, who was gypped out of a likely medal and record for the first four minute mile upon the canceling of the 1940 Olympics. Trained as a bombardier, he would survive after the B24 Green Hornet plummets into the Pacific during a search mission. Louie, his best friend and pilot Russell Allen Phillips, "Phil", and a third crew member Frances McNamara would confront starvation, thirst, shark attack, strafing by a Japanese bomber and consequent damage to their life raft while adrift at sea. McNamara would perish. Louie and Phil would live for 46 days, only to wash ashore into the hands of the Japanese; thus, beginning a new ordeal as POWs. "Unbroken" delineates Louie's battle to preserve his dignity while being singled out by a sadistic psychopath, Mitsuhiro Watanabe,"the Bird", and despite daily beatings, miraculously retains his hope. He endures the misery to war's end and returns home. The lingering effects of his experience persist with PTSD; still, the devotion of his wife and family help him recover and ultimately, triumph. Fans of military history, aviation and those like myself, who eternally root for the underdog, should thoroughly appreciate this man's remarkable story.

Unbroken is the reason that non-fiction war books are written: insight, research, horror and humanity combined into an experience that no reader can truly comprehend, but Laura Hillenbrand reaches into the past and drops it squarely in the reader’s lap. After two massively disappointing war memoirs (American Sniper, and No Easy Day), this book was an extraordinary breath of fresh air (though given the horrific topic of this book, that particular cliche seems out of place...hm...). The level of stress, fear, hunger, pain, torture and isolation that these men suffered was extraordinary, and while the name of the book is Unbroken, it is clear that these men broke again and again. As the reader, you will suffer (in your own small way) with these men with each turn of the page. It’s one thing to see fictional characters in torment, but these men, these real men...I cannot even begin to fathom. It makes me love my life in 2014 Wisconsin all the more. Finally, since Father’s Day is right around the corner (oh, that reminds me - I gotta go get a card...), this is the kind of book that brings men (secretly) to tears. Nothing makes us weepier than American fighters buzzing POW camps, bombers dropping food, and returning prisoners hugging their mothers and marrying their girlfriends. This is a fantastic book, superbly written, and if you love non-fiction, historical, or World War II novels, pick this book up and read it right now.

With this remarkable story researched and written by stellar author Laura Hillenbrand, my review will be short as the Kindle version already has 19,575 five-star reviews. It's the amazing true story of Louis Zamperini from his unmanageable childhood, to the Olympics as a world record holder, and then as a World War II B-24 Liberator bomber crew member; the plane was often referred to as the Flying Coffin. When the aircraft crashes into the sea, he and two others are adrift for 27 days in the large Pacific Ocean. His next challenge of survival and resilience is being held by the Japanese as a prisoner of war for better than two years. This is a riveting story which begs to be read by every American. The 2014 movie "Unbroken" directed and produced by Angelina Jolie is also riveting. As I finished reading this story, my husband watched the movie available on Amazon. I'm so thankful to have chosen to read this story, which I will never forget. As Zamperini had challenges, readers will also face the reality, viciousness, and candid photographs of war, and hopefully we will never, ever, go through such a war again such as World War II. Become a proud American, read this story!

The title says it all. This is a biography of an amazing man is an inspiration to me in the true and certain knowledge that I could never survived the circumstances of being plane wrecked at sea and years of being a Japanese POW enduring the atrocities that were heaped upon him daily. I have not read any of Laura Hillenbrand's other books. This one is a monument to her dedication and commitment as well as her research and scholarship. So, why does she get 4 and not 5 stars from me. It is a personal matter of style. In the book she writes in a tight and compelling style up to a 'cliffhanger' in Louie's POW experience at which time she reverts to a long and (to me) unnecessary recitation of what is happening to some of the POWs' families back home worrying and waiting for word of their captive men in Japan. I am sympathetic to what they went through and the anxiety they felt for all of those months of not knowing but I did not need to be told over and over. With Louie and others suffering and languishing in camps in Japan, I wanted to find out what was happening with them. I could not get enough of their heroism. Finally I skipped most of the 'what's happening back home' and got back to the action. Nonetheless and doubtless many readers will be interested in the back home material. It is easily skipped without diminishing the overall impact of the book. I do highly recommend the book.

Reading this book (and for that matter any book on similar real life experience) was a humbling experience for me. Among all the cribbing of life, I suddenly feel blessed to have led a cosy life where there have been no occasion of having to encounter such pain in order to stand by what I believe is right. Not many can withstand pain to uphold their principles and those who do are just great. Coming back to the book, the first thing that strikes is the painstaking efforts by Laura to get the details of the story. While the author makes no claim of this being biographical, but the very fact that about 25% of the book is the notes given an indication the extensive background work which has gone into this book. And it shows in the narrative of the story. The interest of the reader is very well maintained throughout the book. The religious overtones towards the end of the story may not go well with some readers. For such readers , it may be advised not to consider the content from an evangelical perspective, else the entire transformational spirit will be lost. I found the book to be very inspirational, as it is about a normal person who survived some exceptional situation, failed at some points like any normal person would, but managed to overcome those by his own means. Laura has made an interesting life into an exciting read

This us an amazing story of a teenage Olympian (1936) and national mile champ who goes to war as a bombardier only to crash in the Pacific after his second, junk heap B-24 suffers mechanical failure. The book is divided in 5 sections, the early youth portion is also unbelievable; a 5 year old smoking, sticky fingers but quick on his feet who turns his life around and eventually goes to college as a star runner. This true story has amazing set of circumstance, dead heating in the Olympic trial 5000 with a great sprint that was so dramatic on the last lap in the Olympic 5000 final that Hitler wanted to meet him, finishing 8th with a 56 second final lap was indicative that the 19 year old had so much more to come. Even greater than his athletic accomplishments is his survival of over 30 days at sea in a raft with the pilot and. 2 years of tortuous time in a series of Japanese prisons where enlisted were treated like slaves and the officers beaten and humiliated with prisoners suffering severe rate of death and a high rate of disability. The worst if the brutes is a man called Quark and the worst, nicknamed 'the Bird'. The prison descriptions of the horrid conditions, marginal and often nauseating food and the abuse and suffering is so continuous from place to place that the ability of Louie or any of the prisoners' chances of survival seem incredibly remote. The period of allied victory becomes obvious toward the end but seems to take an agonizing amount of days that seem like months before the prisoners are released. Louie's notoriety is not lost on the Japanese who use him for propaganda and for special abuse not even acknowledging his capture until he becomes useful to them. The book also details Louie's dramatic re-entry, sudden marriage and turmoil struggles with PTSD and recovery. The number of challenges that Louie faced is simply incredible but this book also provides a picture what all allied prisoners faced in Japanese prisons and work camps. Re-entry is obviously difficult today but even more so in WWII and other wars. Audie Murphy slept with a pistol and always kept it nearby and he could be suddenly volatile. He was later an advocate for mental health counseling. The other fascinating part of the book is the search for his chief tormentor, 'the Bird' who was named the 7th worst war criminal yet was the most difficult to capture. The end of the 'the Bird's odyssey is disturbing and disappointing. Perhaps the greatest stunner is Louie's amazing ability to forgive, even traveling to Japan to express forgiveness to many of his tormentors. This must have been a cultural shock for his abusers.

Well I read the first eleven pages and wasn't sure I wanted to continue. I love historical fiction, but this was not fiction. It was the real-life account of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini and his WWII service, being adrift and lost at sea, and days as a POW in various Japanese camps. I wasn't deterred by the story but by the fact that it was 400 pages of narrative. Friends who had read it urged me on and I picked it up again. Within the span of a few more chapters I was very glad I had given it another chance. It was a compelling read and gives new meaning to what some people can survive...with a fortitude and courage, and maybe stubbornness to succumb, that allows them to deal with horrendous conditions. Louie flew on a B-24 and the novel had the added benefit of helping me realize much of what my father went through in WWII. My dad flew on B-25's in the Philippines and was shot down twice. The book gave me a perspective on what it was like on missions and also inside the planes themselves. There are many pictures of the planes, the men and families, even the Japanese guard, nicknamed The Bird, who was hunted for war crimes against the POW's when the war ended. The photos, well-placed within the body of the book, made the story truly come alive. Louie and many of the men around him were survivors and their story is well worth reading. It is unlike anything else unless you've experienced it yourself. Thanks to these men and all other men and women in uniform, then and now.

Oh, where to begin with this novel. First, you know those books that stay with you, long after the last page is turned? The books you hate to finish, those you may put down just because you want it to last a little longer? Unbroken was one of those books for me. What makes this novel so incredible is that it's based on a true story. After the plane goes down, I felt like I was in the water with the men. Throughout the entire novel, I felt a huge part of it, like I was back in WWII as a bystander watching the events unfold, yet I could do nothing to help or aid anyone in need. It tore at my heart to know someone went through all of this, then lightened it in the end once I found out how he became "unbroken." This novel touched me and made me want to research WWII and read more about it (I'm 26 and know some of the history, but not enough to satisfy me now). The beautiful writing of Hillenbrand captured me and her way of describing impossibly difficult scenes pushed me to the edge and brought me back again. I loved this story and have already recruited many others to read it, even loaned it out to a friend. I highly recommend this novel if whether you're a history buff, know nothing of WWII or just like a great story. It's a book for absolutely everyone.

BOOK DESCRIPTION Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption tells the amazing story of Louis Zamperini. A wild and troublesome child, Zamperini finally reined in his considerable energy, focus and talent to become a world-class runner--qualifying for the Berlin Olympics and gaining fame for his track exploits. When World War II began, Zamperini enlisted in the Air Force and spent a rather uneventful tour of duty in Hawaii ... uneventful, that is, until his plane went down during a bombing run over the Pacific in May 1943. The 47 days that Zamperini and his pilot, "Phil" Phillips, survived at sea in a life raft make for a riveting read. From their struggles to stay hydrated, fight off starvation, and battle sharks, perhaps that greatest struggle was the fight to stay sane. So when Zamperini and Phil finally saw a plane, they thought their long saga was over and they were saved. They could not have been more wrong. The "rescue" plane was a Japanese war plan, and Louie and Phil were now Prisoners of War (POWs). Their struggles were only just beginning. MY THOUGHTS When Hillenbrand, the author of Seabiscuit, first heard Louie Zamperini's story, she must have felt like she hit the jackpot. After all, when a 47-day lost at sea saga is just the beginning of the story, you know you have lots of material to work with. Louie's life story offers everything promised in the subtitle: survival, resilience and redemption. The things that Louis managed to survive will boggle your mind. I had no idea about the conditions that American POWs faced in Japan. It seemed amazing that anyone survived the camps ... let alone go on to live a long and productive life. Even if Louie had been rescued at sea by Americans instead of taken prisoner by the Japanese, his story still would have been astounding. The lost at sea section just drew me in, and I kept thinking "I can't believe these guys survived this." Hillenbrand realizes the power of Louie's story and tells it in a straightforward and no-nonsense style with few embellishments. Sometimes, though, I wish Hillenbrand had adopted a more "novelistic" approach to her writing as it felt very journalistic with its "these are the facts" style. (In all honesty, the writing felt a bit dry at times.) However, I did appreciate that Hillenbrand tells the full story--she never tries to make Louie seem like a mythic, heroic figure. He is very human--full of the frailties and flaws that plague us all. One final thought: I do think that Phil deserves his own book as well. Despite not being an Olympic athlete, he underwent and survived virtually everything that Louie did during the war. I hope that, one day, his story can be told with the same respect and detail. RECOMMENDED FOR Anyone with an interest in World War II stories, readers seeking an inspirational story of survival and what the human spirit can endure, anyone looking for a riveting biography that captures several key moments in history.

The hardest thing in writing this review has been a title. How do you say, great book to a story so upsetting? Do you say you loved it when it contains so much hateful violence? Very difficult to capture a succinct phrase. The book is extremely well written, which given the subject matter, was critical to the story being properly told. There are no holds on how she reveals the man that Louie Zamperini was--in all his childhood mischief to his post-war drinking. It's all laid out there for us to continually be reminded that he was human. This is important to remember as you read about his survival in the camp throughout his brutal treatment by The Bird. The inhumanity of what POWs endured at the hands of this captors was sickening. This is not a bedtime-reading book. It kept me awake many nights as I anxiously flipped page after page wanting reassurance and conclusion. I have not yet watched the movie, so can't offer that comparison, but would advise that if you have, but you've neglected the book: Get to it. The story has to be read to be felt and comprehended in its entirety. An aside note is that reading this book made me wonder about the thousand other stories of the thousand other POWs...anyone going through something so dreadful is a hero.

What a well-written, detailed book about the extraordinary life of a "lucky" man. You cannot believe all that he went through. Highly entertaining, but inspirational. Louie was tested many times in his life and chose humor and care of his fellow human beings (usually, before his own needs) to get through all the hardships. We know he lived a long life, but that doesn't make all the dangerous experiences any less nerve-wracking to read about. God used his gifts and personality (he was quite the prankster as a young man) to inspire, uplift and persevere. You will love this true story.

I think for the most part, Americans have an "of course life is this way" attitude. We don't think too deeply about the huge gift that freedom truly is. We celebrate Veterans Day and support the troops and give a nominal nod to the soldiers who put their lives on the line for the protection of the life and lifestyles we so easily take for granted. Underneath all that, shouldering the load, are the soldiers and their families who give years of service, years of being apart, years of torture and imprisonment and for thousands of them; ultimately they give their lives. In that group of exceptional people, some shine even brighter, and thankfully their stories are told. If I were to use one word to describe Unbroken, I'd say "inspirational". But it's layers and layers of so many other emotions - shock, outrage, hate, depression, joy, hope, despair, admiration, disbelief...and ultimately the deepest respect for every man and woman who enters our armed services not knowing what tomorrow might bring. One of the most unforgettable stories I've ever read.

My G-d, what a book! I could not put it down. The roller-coaster life of Louie Zamperini is memorialized and celebrated so magnificently that the reader is completely absorbed into every detail, every experience. Louie's true story is an ode to the spirit of mankind, a tribute to the greatness of one man, a testimony to all that is good, and sadly to all that is evil, in humankind. As someone who does not usually read books about wars or even watch war movies, I was spellbound. I knew the Japanese were cruel task masters in the POW camps, but was not aware that the only difference between Japanese camps and Nazi concentration camps was that the former did not have gas chambers, I am still haunted by one of the photographs in the book of a skeletal American GI who died of starvation whose body was found leaning over a sink as he tried to drink - apparently the effort was too much for his wasted, abused body. We can only wonder what happened to his mind and soul. I wish I had had the privilege of learning of and hearing Louie Zamperini before he passed away at a ripe old age in the 21st century. What a great man. this book is a tour de force.

First off, I did not think I would enjoy this book. I do not like war books, I do not like pain and suffering. That is about 99% of this book. I enjoy books such as The Mitford Series, Harry Potter, southern humorous books. I really like books that are well written and make you smile. So why did I read this one? I am going to work on a project where we record the histories of war veterans to be archived. We will interview them and record their accounts and experiences. We have a few World War II veterans living in our community, and I wanted to read up on my WWII history in order to know a little more about it than what I received in high school and college. The reviews on this book were very high, so I ordered it on my Kindle, and began reading, not expecting to enjoy it at all, and a little bit hesitant. First off, I was quite surprised that I read it and actually enjoyed reading it. I also learned much more about WWII than I would have ever learned from a text book. The author used the facts that she had, and documented where her facts came from. This information was not boring either. She worked it into the story so that you knew what was going on during the war in Japan, at the same time "x" was going on on the other side of the world. You also would think that a person would give up long before Louie did, but he kept holding on, just like I kept holding on reading this book...you wanted to see if he would get out of the hell he was in and into a better place. Each time, it just kept getting worse. But, this still was not "hard" to read, because little bits of hope would filter in and keep you going...just like it kept Louie going. Louie is a remarkable man. I am sure there are many other remarkable men. My uncle survived the Bataan Death March, so he too had the drive that Louie had to survive, but Louie had kept every bit of documentation of his life and experience, so the author was able to use his photos, letters, etc to create this account of his life. I started to give this a 4 star review...because I still do not like the subject matter, nor the abuse, the loss of so many lives...so the 4 star would be for the actual topic...the war with Japan. But that's not the books fault. The book is a 5 star book, so I went ahead and gave it a 5 star rating. If you would like to read a good book, but aren't the history/war/torture type of reader...please don't let the subject matter of this book stop you. It is not presented in a way that makes it hard to read. On the contrary, it kept me reading. I know my review is lame. But I struggled with how to review this book, and I decided not to worry about how I "described it" and to just write my thoughts. I didn't want to put details in, because it was the details that kept me turning the pages, so I will leave them to you to discover. It's a book you will be proud to say "I read that book" and it will give you an insight to our veterans and what they endured. It also helps me to understand how bitter my uncle was whenever he would encounter an Asian from 'any' country...it didn't matter that they weren't Japanese...he couldn't be near them. I never understood that, but after reading how they were treated, now I understand. I will probably purchase the hardcover edition of this book, so that I can have my kids read it and to have on my shelf for others to read, borrow, etc. I enjoy reading my Kindle, but some books deserve to be present on your shelf. This one does.

This book comes as a welcome addition to the good stuff on the literary horizon. Beautifully written, thoroughly researched and well edited it tells the story of Louis Zamperini, (b. January 1917), Olympic track star (1936), WW II aviator, POW of the Japanese (1943-45), recovering serviceman (1945-49) and Christian activist and motivational speaker (1950-present.) Actually the book should be titled "Incredible" because the Zamperini story is - incredible. A first generation Italian boy in Torrance California from a very middle class family discovers the joy of running, has a real talent, becomes a track star at USC, goes to the Olympics in 1936, continues with his athletic program and joins the Air Force in 1942 as a bombardier on B24s, participates on at least two big raids in the Pacific (Nauru and the Marshalls) and in 1943 while on a hunt for a lost plane off Palmyra Reef 800 miles south of Hawaii survives the crash of his own B24 at sea and then survives for 47 days on a small raft with his pilot Russell Allen as they drift westward to Kwajalin in the Gilberts, a thousand miles plus from their crash site. From this point on I urge you to read the book to get the true "feel" of the subsequent imprisonment, torture and cruelty endured by Louis and every other Allied POW at the hands of the Japanese, first as prisoners on Kwajalein ("Execution Island" as it was called - appropriately, too) and then in a series of prison camps in Japan . And here is where the title "Unbroken" is earned - for Louis and for the book itself; Louis never breaks, no matter the treatment. But, heroic as that is and was, it is not the heart of the story for this writer. For me the heart of the story is the transformation of the man as the result of his conversion to a thoroughly believing Christianity under the aegis of Billy Graham. Taking as his text the Gospel story of the woman caught in adultery and sentenced to death by stoning ("He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her".) Louis forgives the brutal guards in the camps and goes to Japan (1950) to find them and deliver his forgiveness in person. From this point on in the Zamperini story Louis is a follower of and example of the teachings of Billy Graham and of the Gospels in general. And I believe that from this point on most of us probably have a new "take" on this book and our experience in reading it. There is, however, another "Unbroken" experience connected with the book, an experience almost as touching as the Zamperini story - and that is the story of the author's struggle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, an incurable viral disease of unknown etiology which virtually imprisons its victims in misery. Stricken suddenly in her late teens she has survived the next two plus decades unable to exist for long outside the close surroundings of her home, unable at times to be out of bed - yet all the while maintaining a professional and personal life of distinction by whatever means she had or which have become available to her. Her research for this book is an example to every other writer who wants to tell a good story. Her writing style is beyond criticism; and the book she has written demonstrates the word "Unbroken" in every sense of its meaning.

Unbroken is a magnificently crafted book about the inspiring story of Louie Zamperini; an Olympian, WWII bomber, and Japanese POW. His life itself was one of suffering, endurance, and perseverance. Not only is his story inspirational, but Hillenbrand did an excellent job at fully encapsulating the intensity of his journey without overdramatizing the facts. This book clearly took a massive amount of interviewing, planning, and organization. Hillenbrand accounted for all aspects of Zamperini’s life, while maintaining a smooth flow in her storytelling. She was clearly passionate about what she was writing and successfully transfers her passion into the reader. The thing that I enjoyed the most about this book was Hillenbrand’s storytelling abilities. Telling a person’s life story with such completeness is not easy task, particularly considering how eventful and complicated Louie Zamperini’s life was. Although the book is primarily written chronologically, there are some parts of the story which are told at specific times so that the reader fully grasps the magnitude and significance of the events unfolding. This calculated approach to such a dramatic story truly captures all aspects of Zamperini’s life and makes the reader feel like they know him personally. Another thing about Hillenbrand’s writing that I appreciated was her background knowledge of global events occurring as well as a simultaneous explanation of happenings within Louie’s family at home throughout his story. This foreknowledge provided by Hillenbrand enhances the weight of Louie’s situation. I, myself, greatly appreciate stories about those who have sacrificed greatly for the freedom which I now live in. It would be a shame for us to forget why we live in such freedom within the United States. Hillenbrand puts on display the sacrifices that US soldiers made for those that they loved and even for those that they didn’t. Many of us have relatives or know people with relatives who fought for the United States, for freedom, and for justice. The story of Louie Zamperini is an uplifting and redemptive story in the midst of great strife and grief. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. However, I would particularly recommend this book to people with interest in history. I never lost interest in this book. The slow parts were fun and the fast parts were riveting. Despite the length of the book, I wish there was more to read!

I am well aware that at his moment (5/1/14) there is no need for another review on this exceptional book, but the book itself has inspired me to do so nonetheless. The Bible being the exception, there has been no other piece of non-fiction that has so affected me! As a baby-boomer (born 1958), I have lived a pampered, comfortable life. So, I found myself pausing while reading, to remind myself that "this book is NOT a novel!", it is TRUE!!!! Incredible story with a superb writing style that is equal to the subject material. My questions are: 1) How have I missed Louie's story for all of my adult life? 2) My constitution is just not what his is...I would have died many times. 3) His suffering seems almost "Christ-like", beyond belief and/or the realm of reality! 4) Why was Louie not mentioned in Tom Brokaw's book, "the Greatest Generation". 5) Not only did Louie survive starvation,torture, etc., but is amazingly still alive today at age 97.....one of the countries last WWII veterans! I am proud to be an American, and even more so after reading this book. Thanks to Louie and all of the WWII veterans for saving us and the US, and the World. It is no hyperbola to say that, "All Americans should read this book." Dr. Stanley E. Toompas, Optometrist & Author of, "I'm the One the Other Isn't"

An exceptionally well written historical life story of a True and brave Americans of the Greatest Generation. A read that all true patrons of history, especially WWII history must read. The emotions and raw feelings immitted from reading this book are horrendous. I highly recommend this book to all who appreciate what our Greatest Generation experienced.

I have ADD, and reading in general is challenging. While in university I could only read a few pages at a time and the first book I read for pleasure was Seabiscuit. I found it while at a vacation rental during winter in Manzanita, Oregon and bought it online after my vacation was over so that I could finish it. As long as the book was, I could not put it down. Laura Hillenbrand is a beautiful writer, and I wish she would write more. I came across Unbroken in 2013 while looking for interesting books on Amazon. After I purchased it I stuffed it in boxes as I moved from Seattle to Miami. While cleaning out my boxes months later I stumbled across this book, and again, could not put it down. Sometimes I read parts of the book twice, to an astonishment of not only Louie’s experiences, but the affects his experiences had on those who loved him. Louie’s story is definitely one of “survival, resilience, and redemption” because his strong will to survive is ultimately the reason we are allowed to be blessed with the ability to read about him. Not only had Louie survived a terrifying ordeal of being lost at sea for 40+ days with nothing but a mirror, raft, string, hooks and a few flares, and hungry sharks swam around him he was then unfortunate enough to be captured by Japanese forces and became a POW. His new ordeal was so petrifying he missed his life on the raft, preferring to float in the middle of nowhere on the brink of starvation where his body was consuming itself. Louie had not been alone during his time on a raft, nor had he been alone during his time as a POW. His family carried a great burden of so much worry that they aged more than he. I had heard that POW’s were treated as inhumane as those in the Holocaust, but did not realize the brutal reality until reading that of Louis Zamperini’s experience. As the saying goes "every good thing comes to an end", this truly delivers. I promise you will be happy to enjoy and read every word of this book as much as I did.

There are a lot of adjectives that I see when reading that I wouldn't think I could use in real life. With that said, there are some words in my review that I'm going to use for the first time when they just "fit". This book was: harrowing, tortuous, enthralling. And to describe it in words I DO use: intense, horrific, stunning, heartbreaking. This was one of the most agonizing books I've ever read - and I still couldn't put it down. The deplorable conditions Louie lived through were enough to sicken my stomach. And, I agree with Louie who said what happened with Gaga the duck was the worst thing he saw in the war, that that story was one of the most disturbing parts of the book that made me realize the sickness of those imprisoning him in the camps. Even at their worst, I cannot believe that "people" could actually do the things described. I commend Louie for being able to survive. I commend him for being able to forgive. I don't believe I'd be able to. Then again, I also don't believe I would have had the strength to survive what he did. They are called The Greatest Generation for a reason.

Laura Hillenbrand has once again displayed her awesome writing talent. Her first book, SEABISCUIT, was a sensation. She returns with another story, UNBROKEN, written about an entirely different subject, but with her astonishing talent still on display. That's a remarkable achievement that few authors ever equal. Hillenbrand changes the focus of her writing from the gritty and provocative world of horse racing to the horrors of survival at sea and in a torture camp. In the first book a woman's struggle to maintain a racing stable and create a legendary horse becomes, in the second, a man's fight to survive horrendous conditions and to resist brutal treatment. Each of her books is mesmerizing and unforgettable. Both are certain to become classics. Her writing talents never stray from the recognized model. Her prose is sparse, her narrative never wobbles, and descriptive adjectives are almost nonexistent. The writing is tight-knit and fast-paced. As a result, Hillenbrand produces a true story that draws the reader into the spellbinding events while never allowing unnecessary verbiage to be a distraction. Her writing is easy to read but impossible to forget. There is heroism to be found in every situation. Three stranded airmen in a tiny lifeboat overcome horrendous conditions. Imprisoned POWs are contentious and courageous in the face of depravity and inhuman conditions. Some family members at home must hide their own sorrow and provide support to those less able to cope with the loss of their missing soldiers. Even some of the captors, in the face of serious punishment by their peers, provide the POWs some relief from pain and suffering whenever and however they can. Hillenbrand has gathered and woven these details into an immaculate explanation of how people can survive the horrendous cruelty of both nature and fanatical humans. There are innumerable surrealistic events in this book - so many that one might be tempted to think the author engaged in flights of fancy when putting it together. One look at the fifty pages of Notes at the conclusion, the number of people interviewed by Hillenbrand, and the huge amount of notes, diary entries, and news clippings sorted through will quickly dispel any such notion. I've always placed research at the top of the list of work an author must do to produce a worthwhile book. The author, in this case, has done her research in a meticulous fashion. The realism found in UNBROKEN is a tribute to her dedication at getting it right. Hillenbrand has a unique ability to create both the recoil of horror and rush of elation and pride in readers as they feverishly turn the pages of her books. She entertains, teaches, moralizes, and editorializes without ever tipping her hand. In the end, a gratified reader will reluctantly close the book and quietly think over the words in astonishment at her talent. And they will have, perhaps unknowingly, absorbed much information about the world, its inhabitants, and its environment. That's a promise I can make to you. Schuyler T Wallace Author of TIN LIZARD TALES

It took almost ten years for Laura Hillenbrand to write her second book and it is a doozy! Wow! I thought Seabiscuit was a great maiden book, but this second effort destroys the sophomore jinx. It tells the story of Louis Zamperini, a Lieutenant in the Army Air Force during World War II. It's so realistically written that I felt that I was right there in the prison camps with the Lieutenant. This is a story of extreme mental fortitude and courageous actions in the face of hopelessness. Louis goes from a juvenile delinquent, a high school track star, a Olympic runner, a bombardier, a prisoner of war, a post-war alcoholic to a Billy Graham inspired speaker in 406 delightful pages. The side characters are real and play important roles in Louis's life. They include his brother Pete, marine officer William Harris and B24 Liberator bomber pilot Allen Phillips, who shared most of Louis's horrors. Laura Hillenbrand draws you into one calamity to the next at a furious pace. This book is hard to put down, it reads like a novel, but it's all true. This is non-fiction at it's best. While on the Green Hornet ( a B24 Liberator ) in a bombing raid, Louis's plane gets shot down over the Pacific. He, along with his pal, Phil and tail gunner, Mac, float on a raft for 47 days while drifting west towards Japanese held islands. They are constantly surrounded by sharks, they are strafed by Japanese aircraft, they are starving! Mac dies, Louis and Phil are picked up by the enemy on the island of Kwajalein ( known as the execution island ). This starts two and a half years of misery from Kwajalein to Ofuna to Omori to Naoetsu, all prison camps from hell. Geneva Convention rules don't work in Japan. Here they meet the monster, Mutsuhiro Watanabe, the most hateful disciplinary officer in Japan, known as The Bird. This part of the book is troubling- how can anybody beat another human senseless day after day. This is what Louis experienced. The Bird hated him! The good news is that Louis Zamperini is alive and well at 94 years old. He may well be the indestructible man! He still has all his wits and zest for life. He did 75 interviews with Laura, presented her with a 65 pound scrap book, and provided most of the photos for this book. This was the most awe inspiring book that I've read in a long time. If anything, this book should be read for the sake of American history.

UNBROKEN is Breathless! On Amazon.com some 1,700 plus people have written reviews of Hillenbrand's latest book. Yet I all but ignored the book and had little thought of adding it to my must read list. Certainly I recall having enjoyed Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit" and found I was actually surprised that I could enjoy a book centered on the story of a race horse. But still despite some friends recommending her latest I just never got around to reading it. My error and my loss because this is an incredible story told by an incredible writer. Not much reason to go into the story and surprises of what is basically a biography of Louis Zamperini and his experiences in World War II. It covers his whole life and it is inconceivable to believe he survived the events depicted. The story certainly gives credence that life is stranger than fiction. And no doubt Zamperini's life was not as fast and entertaining as the page turner that Hillenbrand has created. (All be it much of the book is gruesome and violent.) Hillenbrand brings all this to life with suspense, and surprises (almost one after another) without embellishing. She is wonderful creating a journalistic narrative. (Even her footnotes are worth reading.)And there is more here than just the story of Zamperini as numerous other characters enrich the story. UNBROKEN reminded me a lot of Hampton Sides GHOST SOLDIERS which is also about the treatment by the Japanese of POW's and a mission to rescue the POW's. One thing I do think Sides did better in his book is to go into the cultural reasons and issues of why the POW's were mistreated. However Hillenbrand's story personalizes the situation much more dramatically than Sides is able to do. Both are remarkable in writing style and both authors are now among my favorite writers. As an example of Hillenbrand's ability to convey time and place in just one paragraph she opens the book with the Zamperini brothers looking up at the Graf Zeppelin... " After a slow glide around the Statue of Liberty, the Zeppelin banked north, then turned over the Atlantic. In time, land came below again: France, Switzerland, Germany. The ship passed over Nuremberg, where fringe politician Adolf Hitler, whose Nazi Party had been trounced in the 1928 elections, had just delivered a speech touting selective infanticide. Then it flew east to Frankfurt, where a Jewish woman named Edith Frank was caring for her newborn, a girl named Anne. Sailing northeast, the Zeppelin crossed over Russia. Siberian villagers, so isolated that they'd never even seen a train, fell to their knees at the site of it." This is an example of how the whole book is constructed. Layers of research used on behalf of this most incredible story and life. A must read for sure. I am only sorry I waited so long.

While this proved a very interesting story about WWII prisoners of war in the Pacific theater, I felt that the author had an agenda to forward. It was as if she felt the need to prove that Louis Zamperini, a troublesome young man who went on to participate in the 1936 Olympics, was just about the only person in the military able to figure out solutions and save himself and his fellow POWs in times of danger. I'm certain that he was a resilient and clever man, but the story is so slanted in order to make him THE HERO that I had a difficult time believing it. This man did everything you can imagine and more while those around him don't appear to have done much. As with Seabiscuit (by the same author), this is a well-written book, but while I loved the former, the way Unbroken is related left me flat. I did learn more of the brutal behavior of the Japanese in treating captured prisoners. All in all, while this is a readable and interesting book, I feel that it could have been much better. My rating is more like 3 1/2 stars than 4.

I got this book because I had been married to a Dutchman who was in aPOW camp from age 12-16. He has died a few years ago, but I felt I might gain understanding. I heard very little of his story of that time, but he talked one night with my fav uncle who was a young Marine who lied about his age to get into the war. He ended up with a chest full of shrapnel for the rest of his life but my aunt said my husband was the only person he had ever discussed the war with. It was difficult to read in that section, but Ihonestly felt I gained an understanding of his time as a POW that I not have. One of our friends worked on the bridge over the River Kwai! I had heard of his receiving only 1 oz of dry rice a day and having eaten every blade of grass, weeds, insects, anything that could be swallowed. Also knew he had suffered sexual abuse and witnessed men killed in front of him after they had committed minor infractions. I kept reading because this is truly a story of strength and survival. I won't see the movie but the author has done magificent of writing this book. I'd recommend it for many reasons not the least being the writing and the inspiration.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand is an amazing read. This is a true story of a WWII bombardier Louis Zamperini and his incredible journey from star athlete to suffering prisoner of war and finally to man at peace with his life. It is a truly inspiring tale of war and forgiveness. This book focuses on the Japanese and the War in the Pacific. I am more familiar with the German forces and the War in Europe. Louis's journey really was an eye-opener for me. I never really comprehended how terrible the Pacific really was. Louis was a bombardier on a B-24 bomber. He was part of a crew that flew several bombing missions targeting strategic Japanese-held islands. After one such flight, his plane crashed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Louis and the pilot, Phil, were the only survivors. They were able to survive on a raft for 47 days. They fought dehydration, starvation and sharks. That journey of survival would be an entire book in of itself. However, the raft was only the beginning. They managed to reach land in the Marshall Islands which was occupied by the Japanese and from there their horrific journey really began. Louis's treatment in the hands of the Japanese was appalling. Unlike the Germans, the Japanese did not adhere to the Geneva Convention's treatment of prisoners of war. The prisoners were severely tortured by the Japanese guards. Ms. Hillenbrand was able to capture the horrific treatment of the Allied POWs. At times, I just wanted to close my eyes and deny that anyone could be treated that way. As I was reading, I kept comparing the POWs to the Jews in Europe. The POWs were routinely tortured, beaten, and executed at any given time. The Japanese even experimented on the POWs. As you read, you are shocked at their treatment. Ms. Hillenbrand description of the Louis's torment was heart-wrenching. With every blow he received, you felt a little of his spirit fading away. I find it really incredible that she was able to get Louis and the other men to open up to her and share their horrific stories. The most compelling aspect of this book is the forgiveness that Louis is able to achieve. The author painted a picture of Louis as a tortured, broken and angry man when he returned from the War. It is truly amazing that Louis was able to feel any kind of forgiveness towards his tormentors. Ms. Hillenbrand vividly described Louis's journey from total anger to total forgiveness. It is hard to fathom that kind of forgiveness. After I finished reading Unbroken, I watched a 60 Minutes piece on Louis Zamperini and Unbroken. Both Louis and Laura Hillenbrand were interviewed. First, Louis is still with us at 95 years old and he still has that unbroken spirit. Second, it took seven years to write Unbroken. In all that time, Louis and Laura never met. All of the interviews were conducted by phone. It is really remarkable that Ms. Hillenbrand was able to capture that confidence with Louis. If you enjoy historical nonfiction, I highly recommend this book.

This is a story of family, of coming of age, of finding one's gift, of endurance, or survival, of torment, of lingering consequences, and of ultimate reconciliation. I had read extensively of the Pacific War. I still believe that Herman Wouk's Winds of War and War and Remembrance are two of the best books ever written. My uncle was a Marine, and veteran of Guadalcanal. He never spoke of his personal experiences, but he spoke of the 'enemy' with complete clarity. I always found it hard to believe that one could see only an enemy and be completely without care or understanding for the human being under the other flag. Laura Hillenbrand's "Unbroken" reveals the pre war and war culture of the Japanese, and in my opinion, explains why those who faced that enemy in battle could have such a kill or be killed, binary, outlook. The research is amazing. Hillenbrand brings life, pace and depth to another non fiction story. Some events portrayed in this story are truly difficult even to read, but understanding the life described, across the span of all the years, is a perspective, a gift, that makes the difficulties worth enduring. Highly recommended.

Wow, what a life ... what a man ... what a testimony of endurance and tenacity, and what a portrait of forgiveness. This is an extraordinary book. Not only is the story astonishing, riveting, compelling and convicting, but it is also extremely well written. The author went to extensive effort in compiling the information in this book to make sure that events were accurately told by weaving in testimonies of other individuals of this era ... Japanese&American, soldier&civilian ... to make reading this book a dimensional experience, to say the least. What I gained from reading this book? ...the mindset that we have as individuals is quite a determining factor in how we respond to the events and circumstances we face in this life. I saw in this book 'hope' that displaced 'fear', leading to the drive to 'survive', contrasted with crippling 'resignation' that left no hope at all. I was personally moved by the contrast of human perspective, the importance of human dignity, the awe of God's grace and the beauty and power of forgiveness.

Laura Hillenbrand thrilled us with "Seabiscuit." In doing that research, she heard someone contend that the only one who could beat a local LA runner was Seabiscuit himself. That runner was Louie Zamperini. Louie grew up a troubled youth in Torrance, California. Hillenbrand takes us through Louie's youthful adventures in petty crime and contrasts his behavior with that of his brother, Pete. Pete got a hold of Louie and insisted he learn to run before the petty crimes turned into something serious. Pete mentored Louie to a scholarship at USC and a place in the 1936 Olympics. Just as Louie was preparing to graduate and to make a bid for the next Olympics, war broke out. Like the thousands of other men in his generation, Louie joined the service. He didn't intend to become part of the Air Corps, but that was where he was sent. After dangerous training missions in which hundreds of novice pilots and their crews died learning their work, Louie was assigned to duty in Hawaii. On a day of misfortune, he and a crew went out on the "Green Hornet," searching for a lost plane. The "Green Hornet" never returned. All aboard were declared dead after a search could find no trace of them. However, Louie and two others drifted on a raft for weeks, only to fall into enemy hands and become prisoners of war. Hillenbrand takes us through the POW camps, the captors ranging from kind and respectful to absolute psychopaths. Louie becomes the target of one of the worst of the guards, enduring beatings, humiliation, and starvation. These are difficult chapters to read because Hillenbrand uses all means of research to convey the complete debasement, outside the Geneva Conventions, that the prisoners were subjected to. They lived in constant fear of mass executions, even as the war was turning in America's favor. The book details life after the war, the search for meaning and the horror of PTSD that almost killed Louie when the tormentors themselves did not. This is a well-researched chilling account of man's inhumanity to man. The air men, depicted in Hillenbrand's words and archived photographs from the era, show us the heroism of the individual and the unity of the corps.

The big numbers speak for themselves. When you see over 3,000 4 or 5-star reviews (over 90% of the total reviews), then this book has to be good - and it is! The author managed to package the unique and very interesting life-story of Louie Zamperini in an attractive and highly readable format that will make you lose some sleep over the two days reading it. It is such an engaging read that it is difficult to put down, a real page-turner. The reader is presented with Mr. Zamperini's story, from his early childhood until his life after retirement well into the new century. Most of all, it's a story about his POW experience during WW II in the Pacific as a prisoner in Japan. Now, just the description of his long and tortuous years surviving the savage Japanese POW camps would have been interesting enough, but the author's real contribution in my opinion lies in all the explanations we find throughout the book for the various behaviors, and how he manages to cope with the brutal treatment in an almost elegant but definitely entertaining way. Writing about the worst human emotions and behavior is certainly not easy, and do it in such a way as to finish with an entertaining book even more. It has to be said that there is a long time between Mr. Zamperini's war years and the writing of this book, which casts some doubts about some details and descriptions included, but this does not really distract at all from the story and from the value of the book. If the author took some literary liberties during the writing process, it was done discretely so as to fit in the overall narrative style. Overall, this is a very interesting story told in an engaging style that without a doubt deserves the title Bestseller - highly recommended.

Born on January 26, 1917, was Louis Silvie Zamperini, son of Italian Immigrants, born in New york but raised in Torrance California. Louis “Louie” was a deliquent growing up, trying to fit in when Louie and his family were the only Italians, didn’t mix well. “With flunking grades and no skills, Louie had no chance for a scholarship. It was unlikely he could land a job. The depression had come, and the unemployment rate was nearing 25 percent. Louie had no real ambitions. If asked what he wanted to be, his answer would’ve been ‘cowboy’.” This was however put to a stop by Louie’s older brother Pete Zamperini. Pete was loved by everyone, “Pete was handsome, popular, impeccably groomed, polite to elders and avuncular to juniors, silky smooth with girls, his parents consulted him on difficult decisions,” almost as if God had made complete opposites. Pete forced Louie to join the track team and later in life helped Louie become the Olympic runner he was known for. Conflict had followed Louie since a little boy, first a internal struggle of trying to fit in with the other children. Later during his life where he would later become one of the army air corps, where his plane would crash and strand him and his partners in a prisoner camp. The conflict then was not only between Louie it was about the whole entire world. One of things I personally enjoyed in the book Unbroken by Laura Lillenbrand was the character development for Louie Zamperini. How he slowly transformed from a small trouble maker to a dedicated runner to a brave war veteran. Another thing that I found interesting was how descriptive Laura Lillenbrand was towards scenes in the book such as when Louie was losing himself in fantasies during the torturous times in the prison camp provoked by Matsuhiro Watanabe “the Bird”. Oftenly keeping your eyes set in the book in the most gruesome of scenes. The only real problem I found with this book was the fact that it was a little to long at parts and felt like nothing was really moving in the story. But that was about it, would I recommend this book to one of friends? Yes. I definitely would encourage others to read this novel.

Louis Zamperini is hardly a household name; but it might have been had he become the first athlete to run a four-minute mile. Louie was on target to achieve that goal, when his life was interrupted by World War II. For all practical purposes, this book divides Louie's life into three phases: (1) Pre-war; (2) World War II; and (3) Post-war. The pre-war phase focuses on Zamperini's youth, particularly his development as a track athlete. Blessed with natural foot speed, he qualified for the 5,000-meters in the 1936 Olympics. The bulk of the book relates Zamperini's experiences during World War II. He was the bombardier on a B-24 Liberator, a large four-engine aircraft with a long range and a record of many accidents. Louie was assigned to the Pacific theater of operations. It was a combat assignment. During the early part of one flight, two engines failed and the plane crashed at sea. Louie and two other crew members survived the crash and took refuge in two small rubber life rafts. For forty-six days, they drifted approximately 2,000 miles westward on the Pacific, stalked by sharks and surviving on rainwater and raw fish and albatross. When they finally reached land, they were taken prisoner by the Japanese forces and held in a prison camp. Eventually, they were transferred to a series of prison camps near Tokyo. The brutality and cruel treatment at each new camp was worse than before. The post-war phase of the story traces Zamperini's return to California, his marriage and his bouts with alcoholism and post traumatic stress disorder. With the help of his Christian faith, Louie finally conquers his demons and makes peace with the past. The book is well written. The reader can feel the pain of the war prisoners and know the inhumanity of their treatment. A scattering of footnotes informs the reader of historical and statistical data relating to the subjects of the narrative. The 2,000-mile drift of the lifeboats is described, interspersed with memory flashbacks, and with comments relating Zamperini's experience to the psychological effects shown in studies of persons experiencing starvation and extreme weather and thirst. The book maintains your interest throughout. Finally, there is an interesting description of the prosecution of Japanese war criminals, including some of the sadistic guards and camp commanders. Although there were many convictions and many death sentences, the national priorities changed quickly, and by about 1953, amnesty and reduced sentences were granted to all of those criminals who were still alive.

This book should be on a list of books to be read by high school students. Being born in 1963, I heard the stories of Pearl Harbor. I had met the wife of a survivor who was in tears after experiencing her husbands (a survivor of the bombing of the battleship, Arizona, where he had been stationed) reaction to the movie Pearl Harbor. I had met a survivor of the bombing in Hiroshima. I saw the horrible scaring on one side of her face. I knew two British women that told me of the horrors of the "Blitzkrieg" bombings that they survived at the hands of Germany in World War II. I met a Jewish husband and wife that were the only two survivors of their families of the German Concentration Camps. All horrific stories, but yet, stories of survival. The story of Louis Zamperini has above all given me a heart wrenching love and appreciation of our veterans. Laura Hillenbrand is one of the greatest story tellers of our generation. Once I picked up this book, I didn't put it down. I cried, I cheered, I was angry, but most of all, I was encouraged. This is a true and in depth story of perseverance. I highly encourage you to read it!!!!!

** Unbroken was read as the November 2012 selection for our book club. ** The story of Louis Zamperini is incredibly heart wrenching and inspiring when you see everything he and his fellow soldiers went through. Hillenbrand has an amazing talent of making you forget that you already know the ending, and those in our book club all got wrapped up in the moment, "...wondering if Louis would make it out alive!". Hillenbrand excellently draws each reader through philosophic reflections on Louis' experience. An example: "Dignity is as essential to human life as water, food, and oxygen. The stubborn retention of it, even in the face of extreme physical hardship, can hold a man's soul in his body long past the point at which the body should have surrendered it. The loss of it can carry a man off as surely as thirst, hunger, exposure, and asphyxiation, and with greater cruelty." I was particularly shocked by the brutality of the Japanese, which I was quite honestly naive about. History has not been favorable to the Nazis, for good reason, but somehow my high school and university history teachers neglected to cover the war crimes of the Japanese. I will refrain from republishing the atrocities, but needless to say I was shocked at the inhumanity. Our only real criticism, which I feel is worth a star deduction, was that you get very little account of what as going through Louis's head. You get a very straightforward retelling, and you get the occasional glimpse at who he may have missed or how he often thought of the Olympics, but very little about the emotions he felt. I know he became a very religious man later in life and perhaps that has impacted what he is and isn't willing to say about his captors, but I'm curious as to how he dealt with these trials in the moment. I recommend Unbroken to anyone looking for a bit of inspirational history

Words to describe this book fail me, as many others have already eloquently reviewed it. What I can say is that, while I don't normally read books having anything to do with sports, war and/or real life biographies, "Unbroken" was so well written, it held my attention throughout the whole book and I would not hesitate to recommend it. Louie Zamperini's story is only one of thousands of American World War II heroes, but the attention to detail and obvious research done by Laura Hillenbrand in writing 'his' story made me truly aware of this man's strength and his will to live against horrible odds. His survival on a raft for over a month in the Pacific Ocean is almost unbelievable, and the author describes it so well you almost feel as if you were there. Then, when he and his companions were captured by the Japanese, the brutality and inhuman treatment endured daily, for years, by the prisoners in some of the POW camps just breaks your heart and you can't begin to imagine how anyone could possibly have survived. It certainly gives you a better understanding of how hard it was for them to lead any kind of 'normal' life when rescued and returned to their homeland. Louie was lucky and definitely resilient as he fought his way through hatred and a need for revenge to eventually find peace within himself.

This was one of those books that kept me up until 2 a.m. reading when I should've been asleep. The author writes with absolute clarity about horrendous circumstances, yet manages to do so with a dignity befitting these heroic men. You will not find vulgar language or descriptions that are more graphic than necessary so you can happily share it with your teenager, and should! It brought back wonderful memories for me of my all too brief time as a PA student doing my clinical rotations in the POW clinic of the Albany VA in the late 1990's. Their health histories and the circumstances behind them were extremely complex so I would stay late and go in very early to read through their extremely thick charts before my appts with them, often in tears. Then, I would await their arrival nervously, expecting a broken, depressed, and/or psychotic soul, and, more often than not I would find an elderly man who was quick with a smile or a witty joke and more appreciative of the slightest act of kindness than any of the patients I'd met thus far. I learned more in that 6 months than the entirety of my other clinical rotations and was treated better as a student there by patients and overworked staff alike than at any other site. You cannot come away from any personal encounter with these men not changed for the better. Laura Hillenbrand understands that deeply and it comes across in this painstakingly researched and beautifully written story.

Although Lauren Hollenbrand subtitles her book "Unbroken" as a story of "Survival, Resilience, and Redempton," it might well have been subtitled "Chaos and Suffering" for the vast bulk of this big book portrays world class Olympic miler, Louie Zamberini, as the survivor of seemingly insurmountable trials. Author Hillenbrand begins with Louie's childhood, years that describe a youth and young man who could not have been more troubled, an obstreperous and disobedient miscreant. A repeated thief and troublemaker, he somehow eluded incarceration until his phenomenal talent for running is discovered at which time his criminality is overlooked. Furthermore, it is likely that his athletic celebrity saved him from 4F status in the U. S. Air Force for World War II. The next episode of this story covers his time as a B24 bomber pilot when he is shot down to spend 44 days on a raft in the Pacific Ocean where the three live crewmembers face daily harrowing adventures: e.g., fighting off sharks, attempting to stay alive drinking minimal drops of rainwater and eating bits of dead birds and fish until the two remaining crew members are rescued by the Japanese. The third segment of Louie's journey details his surviving a Japanese prison camp controlled by a known sexual sadist. Hillenbrand spares no details in her account of the viciousness of the Japanese in the prison camp where Hillenbrand's descriptions of cruelty finally become boring for their repetition, i.e., the starvation, frequent beatings with fists and clubs, the slave labor extracted from foreign nationals as well as POW's from American, British, and Canadian military troops. "Unbroken" is a fascinating book albeit several hundred pages too long -while author Hillenbrand must account for all of it, the constant proximity of death's door, the starvation, the inhospitable climate and unfeeling adversaries. The reader does not need to read all this great laundry list of such travesties in order to experience them. It's rather like our behavior passing an accident on the highway. We look at all of them in the way that gawkers do, as though we need to study it all to fully understand and empathize with the victims. For many reasons, "Unbroken" is an important book - as an encyclopedia of horrors - but I don't believe the reader would have been cheated by the loss of anything if spared some of the endless details.

A very entertaining and educational work. This is a biography of Louie Zamperini, a native of Torrance, California. Louie was an olympic runner and went to the 1936 summer olympic games in Berlin. The book covers his entire life but most of the book concentrates on what happened to him when he became a Japanese POW and the four years that followed his release at the end of the war in the Pacific. He became the victim of a rather crazy and mean guard nicknamed the Bird. The Bird did everything he could to terrorize him and break him down, although he never succeeded. However, he inflicted such deep psychological wounds on Louie that he was miserable and could not sleep for years after the war. Relief for Louie came in 1949 when he found the Lord in Los Angeles, CA thanks to Billy Graham. Once he found inner peace his life changed forever. The book is sometimes hard to read due to the terrific detail that the author uses to describe Louie's horrific suffering. There is a happy ending for Louie, however, that is not true for other Japanese POWs that sustained similar experiences. The author describes some of those cases.

I'm one of those guys that reads the book after I've seen the movie...and that's only if the movie was interesting enough to warrant purchasing the book! And this book was WORTH the price of the book AND the movie and much more! Hillenbrand weaves the amazing life stories of Zamperini masterfully while painting a vivid, yet dismal, picture of what was going on in the world around Louie. I love reading Biographies that read like "story" rather than a "wikipedia entry". After every chapter, I was so exhausted because I felt like I was on the journey with Louie. I also felt so grateful for LIFE! You look at your life's problems...and compare them to what Louie Z. went through...and then you can't help but think, "Maybe my problems aren't that bad." In other words, the book gives you a different perspective on LIFE. And any book that can do that WELL gets 5 stars in my book! Lastly, in the movie version, I'm SOOO glad that Angelina Jolie left out a ton of the atrocities the POWs experienced. In some sense, it would have been equal to or worse than Passion of the Christ to see it depicted on the BIG screen!

Grade: B- L/C Ratio: 30% Literary / 70% Commercial Thematic Breakdown: 30% - Life of a POW 25% - Lost at sea 20% - Military operations 15% - Track & field 10% - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Addictiveness: Medium Movie Potential: 2 Thumbs Up (Angelina Jolie is slated to direct it) Re-readability: Low The amount of time, research, and effort that Laura Hillenbrand pours into her books is staggering. That level of labor was apparent in her account of Seabiscuit the depression-era racehorse, and in Unbroken, it's on display again through the story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner and WWII prisoner-of-war. From punching sharks to surviving torture, Zamperini's experiences make for an exhilarating read. Hillenbrand recounts events chronologically for the most part, but at times it feels like she can't decide whether she wants to write Zamperini's biography or a broader war story. In addition, Unbroken has a surprising lack of quotable moments. Hillenbrand's straightforward prose, while perfect for describing historical events and character backgrounds, does not always maximize the emotional potential of her material. Noteworthy Quote: Without dignity, identity is erased. In its absence, men are defined not by themselves, but by their captors and the circumstances in which they are forced to live.

Wonderful book by a truly gifted author. The book tells a story that is filled with hope and despair, joy and sorrow, maltreatment and forgiveness. Like

I don't read a lot of books and I definitely don't review books, but I have a brief opinion of this book. I bought it based on the synopsis of the story. it is an AMAZING story! The book covers the life of Louis Zamparini. The author focused primarily on Louis' experience as a POW. It was left more to the reader to recognize the contrast between the early, Olympic athlete years and the POW years mainly because it seemed that the emphasis was on Louis' time in WWII. I realized, again upon my reflection after reading the book, how much strength it took to survive his POW experience. If Louis had been able just to concentrate on running, there is no doubt he would have been the first to break the 4-minute mile. In terms of writing, Hillenbrand did provide a lot of information. The "story" seemed to sometimes get lost in the research she conducted for writing the book. While the numbers and statistics give support to the tale, it breaks up the flow of the story somewhat. I heard that this book is going to be made into a movie. It should. It is a compelling story and there is a lot there to make a good movie. However, the book is what I'm focusing on here and it could have been better.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand has been perched on the New York Times bestseller list for over a year with good reason. It is the remarkable story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner, a World War II veteran, a crash survivor, a survivor of the brutal Japanese prisoner camps and a fearless man. Laura Hillenbrand's previous work, Seabiscuit, was a highly successful 2002 work. This work was recently optioned for a movie. Louis Zamperini grew up in California and was a rambunctious teenager. With his brother's guidance, he became a runner, nearly breaking the four minute mile. He competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics turning in an extraordinary performance in an event he had no real experience in. His training for the 1940 Olympics was cut off by the war. As part of an air force bomber crew, Zamperini flew regularly over the Pacific. In May 1943, his plane went down. Miraculously, Zamperini and two other crew members barely survived. They spent 47 days drifting at sea in a tiny raft with essentially no provisions. The three men survived daily shark attacks and a vicious attack by a Japanese bomber. Picked up by the Japanese, Zamperini was interned in a POW camp. He was brutally beaten and barely survived his two-year ordeal. The US government had declared Zamperini as dead. His return home at the end of the war was nothing short of a miracle. Today, Zamperini is in his 90s. With this work, Hillenbrand turned in a magnificent performance. The book is meticulously researched. It is loaded with corroborating facts. Hillenbrand does a masterful job of telling this modern Odyssey story. Some reviewers have noted their disbelief at parts of Zamperini's story. While many parts of the story defy reality, what many soldiers and Holocaust survivors endured (and how they did it) defies comprehension. Hillenbrand's reputation and work deserves deference. The book reads as well as any fiction work. It is a page turner and will give you a deep respect for the unbroken spirit of Mr. Zamperini. He truly is an American hero.

We originally selected this title because two members of our household once lived in Torrance California and we knew that our local airport was re-named in Louis Zimperini's honor. This story of his life does not disappoint and is truthfully reflected in the title. "Unbroken" absolutely characterizes Louis's spirit. His life is really a series of battles starting with his running career, the 1936 Olympics, then his ill-fated role as bombardier in the Pacific war. He survives 40+ days adrift on a life raft after his plane is shot down, then captivity in the Japanese POW camps. Louis's WW 2 career reads like an airman/ soldier's worst nightmare. There is no pause in his life challenges, however, after coming home he has to start a wholly different course in life. He cannot pick up where he left off and go back to competitive running. Today, we understand Post Traumatic Stress syndrome, but such understanding wasn't common in Louis's post WW2 world. Fortunately,in Louis's case, the love and support of his wife, and eventually his embracing of faith, brings resolution to his demons. He "pays it forward" at this point by seeing a need to help others, especially troubled teenage boys. One could say that Louis's chain of inspiration is most certainly "unbroken."

Louis Zamperini was born in Torrance, California. He was a rough, rugged child who loved to play pranks and get into trouble. Thanks to his older brother Pete, Louis was set on the straight and narrow. Pete instilled a love for running in Louie, and soon he was setting all sorts of records in the mile run. Louis set an intercollegiate record in the mile run that stood for years. Many thought he'd be the first runner to break the mythical 4-minute mile. Louis was so accomplished in running that he qualified for the 1936 Olympics, but instead of running his customary mile, he ran the 5,000 meters. Although he didn't win a medal, Louie established himself as one of the best distance runners in the world. He set his sights on the 1940 Olympics and gold. But, war intervened and, as author Laura Hillenbrand so eloquently describes, Louie's life was about to make an amazing change. Accepted as a crewman on a B-24 Liberator stationed in the Pacific, Louie and his crew flew many missions over Japanese-held territory. Each time, Louie had returned safely. However, on May 27, 1943, Louie wouldn't be so lucky. Dispatched to find another B-24 that had gone missing, Louie and his crew took off in a seldom-used spare plane. As luck would have it, the men started experiencing problems and soon, they themselves crashed into the vast Pacific. Only 3 men; Louie, pilot Russell "Phil" Phillips, and "Mac", the tail gunner survived the crash. Thus began an odyssey that lasted for forty-seven days as the men drifted on the ocean. Mac would eventually succumb, but Phil and Louie survived and were eventually captured by the Japanese. For the next 2+ years, Louie was moved from prison camp to prison camp, all the while enduring beatings, little food, and humiliation at the hands of the Japanese guards. One guard in particular, known simply as "the bird" was especially cruel. Louie suffered at the hands of his Japanese captors until the Japanese surrendered in August, 1945. Upon arriving home, Louie slipped into alcoholism, depression, and flashbacks about being beaten by "the bird". Even his new wife Cynthia couldn't console him. Finally, unable to endure any more, Cynthia filed for divorce. Before signing the papers, Louie was persuaded to attend a Billy Graham revival in Los Angeles. It was here where Louie finally found peace. By accepting Jesus, Louie was able to fix his relationship with his wife, and he even traveled to Japan to forgive his former Japanese guards. He wasn't able to meet with "the bird", though. Even at his advanced age, Louie continued to run and set up a campground for underprivileged boys. This is an amazing story and book. Laura Hillenbrand has done an excellent job of telling Louie's incredible story. It's remarkable that Louie was able to survive his ordeal on the raft and then at the hands of the Japanese. Hillenbrand describes each aspect of this story with great detail; pulling no punches as she describes Louie's miserable existence in the POW camps. She also includes passages from Billy Graham's sermons that led to Louie's salvation. This book is a triumph of World War II history as well as one man's struggle for survival and ultimately, redemption. Highly recommended.

"Unbroken" is our book club selection this month, and I'm awfully glad it was, because I'm not usually drawn to "World War II" books, and I would have hated to miss this fantastic story of a man who starts out life at a disadvantage (frequent pneumonia, and a predilection for getting into mischief) and continues to be knocked down and challenged throughout his life--but who Keeps. Getting. Up. Again. Louis Zamperini is truly the embodiment of the phrase, "Greatest Generation," and we can all learn a great deal from his courage and strength. What I loved: Lauren Hillenbrand's writing. She is so humble, she writes the story and gets the heck out of the way of it. There are no extraneous, show-offy words (like "extraneous" for instance, ha ha). She's like a superb and sensitive and observant reporter, as she tells the story and lets the facts speak for themselves. She's so skillful that during the plane crash scenes, and the stranded-at-sea scenes, including the shark attacks, one reads and feels as if they are SEEING those events. I also loved her obvious love for this man, her affection and admiration for him shined. I loved her acknowledgments, sharing the credit for her SEVEN YEARS of work researching and writing this wonderful book with those who helped her. What I didn't love: I thought the concentration camp/Japanese prison section was too long. If Lauren's goal was to make the reader feel a little bit like Louie must have felt in that prison camp--like it was going on and on and might never end--she kind of succeeded.If I hadn't been reading it for book club I might have bailed on the book at that point, because I'm a rather undisciplined reader. I'm SO glad I didn't bail, because I would have missed Louie's glorious epiphanies and how he changed his life, later in life. What I didn't love: This is almost a quibble, but: after all those pages and pages spent on the raft and then especially in the concentration camp, I was kind of rocked by how quickly the author handled Louie's epiphany. She spends many pages detailing his descent into depression and alcoholism and rage, but then in what seems like a few paragraphs, boom! He hears Billy Graham and he never has another nightmare and never touches another drink. I believe it is the truth, but it was just treated so quickly and without any detail by an author who meticulously and at great length detailed the other four major sections of his life: childhood, the Army, being lost at sea, and the prison camps. Recommendation: Absolutely, positively, two thumbs way up. Loved this book and will recommend it to everyone.

This book is powerful, horrifying, and inspiring. Following Louis Zamperini from his turbulant, deviant childhood, to his famous Olympic run, to surviving a plane crash and floating on a raft for 2000 miles, to becoming a POW, you'll be horrified yet unable to stop reading. This nonfiction book reads like fiction, one you could only hope ends on a high note (it does). While I'd known a little about Zamperini before reading this book, his harrowing tail was both fascinating and saddening. Finding his place as an Olympic runner the world looks good for him until WWII breaks out and he's flying with the military. A few close calls with Japanese Zero airplanes (agile and quick) do nothing to dampen his smile, wit, and search for a good time. After getting shot down his story of endurance begins after floating adrift for weeks and thousands of miles. After surviving getting shot at by the Japanese (while on the raft), shark attacks, and a tyhpoon, they finally find land, only to realize it's occupied by the Japanese. Thus begins his life as a POW where he's beaten, mistreated, broken, experimented on, and treated like the scum of the earth. The fact that he survives this physically is astounding. After Japan surrends and the POWs are freed he returns home but is haunted by flashbacks and nightmares and sinks quickly into alcoholism. Christianity eventually saves his life and he's able to make a positive impact on those around him for the rest of his very long life. This book is written incredibly well and you won't want to put it down. Highly recommended, an excellent read.

in the hands of Hillenbrand. Because the inside book jacket contains a nice little summary, it won't spoil anything to say that the main character in this true story, Louis Zamperini, was a ruffian during his childhood who, with the support of his brother, achieved athletic excellence as a runner. As luck would have it, a permanent detour while on a path towards the Olympics to make use of what he'd probably call his God-given talent, sent him instead towards WWII. Along with the rest of his crew aboard the "flying coffin," he survived a number of missions before being shot down during a search and rescue operation and ending up in the shark-infested drink. The recounting of his nearly seven week ordeal aboard a life raft with little food, drinkable water or shelter is one of the most compelling parts of the book. He survives, but, unfortunately, goes straight from the frying pan into the fire, becoming a Japanese POW camp under the command of a particularly nefarious man who prisoners nickname "the bird." He lives to tell the tales of the brutalities he suffered at the hands of his captors, but, having endured incomprehensible horrors, he returns to civilian life forever changed, unadapted to the now unfamiliar world. Zamperini eventually thrives, though afflicted with post traumatic stress disorder, primarily as a result of a certain experience that I won't reveal so as not to spoil the moment. Although it's not for any of us to judge, I must confess a certain level of...disappointment at the inspiration that became Zamperini's saving grace. It was as if he'd survived an odyssey to hell and back only to require assistance afterward. Then again, that is sometimes the way with ptsd. We each have our own way of dealing with difficulty. And I'm very thankful for his success, whatever the mechanism required to achieve it. Having previously read Seabiscuit, I knew I was in for quite a story with Unbroken with Hillenbrand doing the telling. Reading her version of his recounting of events is a little like being a fly on the wall of his home, his raft, and his cell. Unbroken is an utterly amazing story of survival. Also good: Coming Out of the Ice: An Unexpected Life by Victor Herman, Even Silence Has an End by Ingrid Betancourt and Left for Dead: A Young Man's Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis by Pete Nelson.

I save 5-star reviews for books I think everyone would benefit from reading and everyone would enjoy. This is one of those rare books. Louis Zamperini was a troubled youth who came from a good family and should have known better. What he needed was purpose and direction, which he found in running. We follow him to the 1936 Olympics;from there to the hell of WWII where his plane is shot down. The author gives enough information that the reader is appalled at the aircraft these men are supposed to fly, and the number of deaths caused by these deathtraps. But the information isn't overwhelming to the point of boredom. The author does a superb job of spotlighting Mr. Zamperini's spirit and optimistic perseverence, reflecting on why some men survived atrocity and deprivation, and some didn't. She also performs us all the service of introducing us to a broad cast of characters who also served and suffered, as well as those who waited at home. Despite the horrendous suffering of these, the book left me with hope. Hope that men and women of such character and steadfastness still exist.

Every so often you run across a story that enlightens and educates besides revealing the heart of a hero on a host of levels. "Unbroken" is an incredible tale of an honest to goodness man who began as an incorrigible kid who did not want to follow any rules other than his own but who turned his life around into one of sheer heroism. If you've read the book jacket cover you essentially know the headlines but along with this multi-dimensional story, it's the behind the lines information that grabs your attention and teaches even more. At first, I found the tale quite interesting and intriguing but it was an easy task to lay the book aside to read more later. Once our young man grew old enough to join the military effort in WWII it became impossible to set down because I couldn't wait to find out about his next exploit. I had little knowledge about military aircraft and some of the efforts crewmen had to put up with simply to fly. How easy it was to crash or how many young lives were lost during training flights long before any battles were ever fought. Laura Hiltebrand has an uncanny method of slipping in all kinds of information and substance to support her stories with unbelievable facts that rivet imaginations. Then the story unfolds and once that is set into motion it's all but impossible not to read to the last page. Every paragraph was packed with emotion, details and the reality of what being a prisoner of war entailed. The horrors of war and man's inhumanity to man grew frightening and captivating at the same time. I would also highly recommend "Seabiscuit" wirtten by the same author. The identical quality of story and integrity of information spills off every page while acquainting the reader with one of the finest athletes of our modern era. "Unbroken" is a monumental book that deserves every award because it reveals the essence of a man as normal as any old guy on the street with a talent and determintaion that set his world on fire and taught a country what heroism really meant. It's a fabulous read not to be overlooked.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, follows the life of Louie Zamperini and his struggle to survive the war. Louie is a benevolent young man with multifarious skills who sticks to his roots, even in the face of the enemy Japanese: “The Bird tried to knock Louie down; Louie wouldn’t fall” (181). He never gives up and always tries to be hopeful that he will make it home. Phil, who is one of Louie good army friends who also accompanies him throughout most of the War, is a loving man, and he doesn’t ask for trouble: “[…] he was so quiet he could be in a room for hours before anyone noticed him” (51). The main conflict of Unbroken is clearly the war with the Japanese and Americans. The war is the external conflict that leads Louie and countless others to end up lost at sea. The deep animosity the Japanese feel towards the Americans almost pushes Louie to the point of death several times. They beat him, starve him, and force him to exercise when we is extremely malnourished. The internal conflict that troubles Louie, is his struggle to survive. He is kept inside a cell almost all day and when he is not, he is tormented and forced to dance for rice on Kwajalein Island. At Ofuna guards fart in his cell. All throughout his time being held by the Japanese, they try to take his humanity and self-worth. One important plot event would be when Louie and his team on the Green Hornet crashed into the ocean after the plane’s engines failed. Louie nearly drowned as the plane dragged him deeper and deeper to his death. When he emerged, he saw only two other men. Another plot event important to the story was when The Bird forced Louie to hold a heavy wooden beam over his head. The Bird ordered a guard to hit Louie with his gun if he lowered the beam. Louie kept that beam over his head for an entire half hour keeping one thing in mind: “He cannot break me” (213). One of my favorite parts of the book was when Louie and his crew worked together perfectly while battling Japanese on Super Man. This part of the book shows us how strong these military men really are. For example when Pillsbury’s leg has been shot while fighting a Zero he ignored the wound and continued his job. This book is also very captivating. For example when Louie was at Kwajalein Island, each day I wondered whether or not he wound die by the demeaning Japanese and their cruel forms of torture. But my favorite part of Unbroken is when The Bird forced every enlisted man to punch Louie and several other men in the face. Every time, even when he was knocked down, he got back up, just to be punched again. Louie would not let them win and he has inspired everyone who has this book to never be broken. I would most definitely recommend this book for its action and inspiration that it delivers the reader.

One of the best books I've ever read. This is an unbelieveable true story of a man who survives incredible events. He went from being a juvenile delinquent to an Olympic runner. Then he jointed the Army and went to war where his plane was shot up, limping back with large holes in the fuselage. Then he survived a plane crash in the Pacific Ocean, survived 47 days on a raft with no food or water (drinking rainwater, eating raw fish and birds that he caught with his bare hands) only to be picked up by the enemy with land in sight. Then he spent the rest of the war in a Japanese POW camp where he was further starved, overworked and beaten daily. Coming home was no picnic either. His PTSD was impossible to cope with sober so he became an alcoholic, still plagued by nightmares. How he overcomes his alcoholism and nightmares is a truly inspirational story. You will learn things you never knew about WWII. You will be horrified by the death toll of our troops just from the training exercises. You will think about this book for a long time and hopefully you will come to respect all Veterans even more.

I don't normally read non-fiction, but when I saw the reception this book was getting, I decided to take a look. The story is incredibly well written, almost flowing like a novel, so I was drawn into it immediately. The descriptions of the different places that Louie goes and the people he meets are excellent. I'm a little ashamed that I hadn't heard about this war hero until now, but it's never too late to right a wrong, correct? Some of the stories in this book are incredibly graphic, and honestly, a lot horrifying. I love Japan, but after this story, I'm a little taken aback. I know the Japanese committed atrocities during WWII, but to have them listed for you in incredible detail? That's disturbing. I can't believe people treat(ed) each other this way. I just have one nit-picky thing that bothered me. I believe that most of what is written probably actually happened as told in the book, and the rest happened, although maybe not in the way it is written or the way Louie remembered it. There are some events that stretch the believability of the story. I know that Olympic athletes are in much better condition than the average person, but it's kind of a stretch to believe that a man who spent over a month starving on a raft, who is then beaten, harassed, abused, starved, and otherwise killed in tiny measures, could even stand by the end. I believe he was abused and starved and tortured at the camps. I believe he starved on the raft. I don't believe he's super-human, and I got that vibe by the end. Internal mental strength can only hold a body together for so long. You still need to eat. I did like that Ms. Hillenbrand continues the story past the end of WWII to follow how Louie adapted to being back in the US and getting 3 meals a day. I know that the kind of war experiences in this book can really damage a person, and it's heartbreaking to see how Louie survived the camps only to torture himself at home. I'm glad he had a happy ending, and I'm glad his story is being told. I think a lot of our past is being forgotten, so this is definitely an important read for members of my generation and younger. We could learn a lot from someone like Louie.

As the last paged was turned I closed the book and bawled like a baby. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand is a book you will live with long after it is read. This is the story of Louie Zamperini. Zamperini was a track and field star of the 1930's, ran in the Berlin Olympics and was a member of the US air for during WWII. Zamperini was shot down over the ocean and held as a POW by the Japanese. You will rarely find me reading a war book, but Hillenbrand is such a skilled author who brings this story to life in vivid detail, I found I could not put this book down. Hillenbrand's book is carefully researched and gives this story the details and respect that is due. This book begins with Zamperini's early life events and how lessons he learned early on helped in his survival later. Hillenbrand tells the story through the words of men who were actually there during the B24 bombers raids, through the sequence of events that left Louis and his friend Phil adrift at sea, along with the horrors that awaited them at the POW camps. When you read a book titled Unbroken and then you read some of the stories in this book half way through you think, "Wow I am amazed that did not break him," then you find out the horrors had only begun. This was a hard book to read. I questioned the Lord while reading it. How could one man go through so much? How could he survive? Lord where were you in it all? Hillenbrand answers that question through a young minister whose name you will recognize (don't want to give it away) shows up and breaks through all the evil left in Zamperini's heart. Is is only God who can break through those kind of hell-like horrors and change a man for His glory. I have read a lot of good books this year, but I think this one has had the greatest impact on my heart. Even if you have never read a war story book, please read this one.

Prior to reading Unbroken, I could not understand the reasons why family members, friends and colleagues who were veterans would never speak of their war time experiences. When they reunited with others who did serve, or met someone for the first time and learned they were a veteran, I always noticed a bond, a trust that was not shared with others, and the quietly huddled away from others, speaking in voices were that were low and private. After reading Unbroken, I cannot say that I know what they endured, but I now have a deeper appreciation for that bond. I likely will never know what they saw, what they endured, the memories seared into their minds that may continue to haunt them - perhaps this day. Be forewarned that many of the passages were more than difficult to read. They were shocking, and difficult to imagine amnd grasp that people could treat others with such brutality and inhumanity. As you learn the story of Louie and others whom Tom Brokaw has come to call The Greatest Generation, I believe that you too will share the admiration, and the appreciation for those who gave so great a measure of themselves to keep us free.

I was a big fan of Laura Hillenbrand's book

I started reading this book out of curiosity because of the movie having recently opened. What I found was a giant of a book. Once I started, I just had to keep reading right onto the end. Not only is the book a result of a depth of research way beyond anything I have ever read, but it is written with a level of feeling and understanding that is above and beyond that so any other living author. You feel as if you were were right there in the middle of the actually events, while, at the same time, riding high above seeing the whole world at the same time. It is written with so much sympathy that you want to know what happened to each person involved, and, in fact, the author fulfills those wishes on almost every person. The level of scholarship required to follow upon so many people is beyond belief. If there is a Nobel Prize-winning book, both this one and Seabiscuit should both be in the running.

Having lived among Japanese myself for eleven years, I can see this will be a disgrace for some. As an American, I experienced the flurry of emotion that good writing can evoke and am especially appalled at the inhumanity of cowards. My thoughts on this book are conflicted knowing I'm reviewing a book, but one that contains real horrors endured by great people. Of the writing, it was mainly narrative. Extensively detailed. The provided photographs were necessary to break up the narrative which is difficult to follow at times when describing unfamiliar details (listing person's names or military terms specific to the war). There were two points in the description of seemingly hopeless situations when I felt the details were exaggerated and not genuine. Of the story, I think it was glorious. Knowing that someone prevailed after having faith in God through such trials, brings tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat. I'm reminded of the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. So many thoughts, I fear I can't do justice for this review...I'm humbled by the extent of ill treatment the men endured and angered by the startling number of lives that were lost. Heart-breaking.

I don't really care for war history, and this book makes me want to read more about WWII! Hillenbrand is masterful in telling the human tale while incorporating enough technical detail to make you want to know more. I hear there's a controversy that many Christians are very disapproving of the movie representation in that it doesn't highlight Louie's faith. I even talked to one who hadn't seen the movie or read the book, but insisted anyway. Well, I say, read the book! Louie was clearly a late blooming and very reluctant Christian. I say this as a Christian who wrestles with faith as presented by our varying religions (which love to cut each other down). Read the book! Louie, yes, prayed while he floated with his companions for days on end in a life raft. Yes, he thinks he had a vision then also. But after, in the camps, his slight blossom of faith at that time took a backseat, and didn't reappear until he had a turnaround at a Billy Graham gathering, years after the war was over. The movie, like the book, has three parts. Louie's youth and Olympic career, the aftermath of the war and his faith, but MOST importantly, the real center of the book, what happened during the war. I thought the balance was just right, and we need to NOT insist this entire story be a soapbox for Christianity. Beautifully written, as I said, in three parts, before, during, after, each with the proper detail and respect. I don't really care about horse stories either, but I'll most definitely be reading Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit.

This story should be an intrinsic part of the American moral experience. I can't believe that at my advanced age I have never before heard of Louie Zamperini. This is the true story of the "hero" venturing from his adolescence and the safety of home to face challenges of mythic an moral dimensions, challenges that are brutal and hard to fathom. I do not say this lightly, this book has changed my life. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's quote comes to mind; Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sands of time.

Story of a former Olympic athlete who spent time in a Japanese POW camp during WWII. Story at the end, for me, was really more about the resilience of the human spirit than just of the body surviving all of the deprivation it was exposed to. As a true story that can be looked up there is no ending to "give away". Exciting, novel like read. A couple of "take-aways" for today: when Louie is finally released from the POW and returned to his home the biggest ordeal and the one the nearly finishes him is not the physical hardship he has to overcome but the mental and emotional. Today we call this PTSD and probably do not accord it so much effect as it has, just because we cannot always see it. The demons of prior experience are not gone just because they are apparently covered up. The second was the example of the lesson from Viktor Frankl, that while you do not always have full control over your body and what you must do, you retain the final freedom which is the control of your mind, your dignity, and your ability to choose your response to situations. This may be a difficult lesson for many to accept but becomes the only one that provided true peace.

I picked this book up in part because it was recommended by a friend and in part because I loved Seabiscuit, which is also by Laura Hillenbrand. It did not disappoint. A decent number of historical books have an agenda or an angle. I don't get that impression from Hillenbrand. I consistently get the sense that she attempts to understand the story from all angles and to tell it from every side. As Hillenbrand notes, we learn the European theater's side of WWII pretty thoroughly. But we don't always hear much about the Pacific theater. This book is an exception, and it monumentally improved my comprehension of that side of the war. I have a lot more to learn, but this was a good start. I especially appreciated it because I am currently living in Japan, and the explanation of the local mentality completely changed my view of a war that I knew little about yet which is fresh in their memories. Oh yes, and it was gripping and riveting and everything else. I learn best in story form and fortunately put this on my e-book just before a solo trip abroad. I finished it a week later while waiting in long lines at an amusement park. It was the perfect companion for such a journey.

Just like Seabiscuit, Laura Hillenbrand does an excellent job of painting a picture that gets you emotionally involved in the story. This book is much better than the movie, which cut short his story after becoming a Christian. The book not only informs you about Louie, it also gives you insight into the history of that period. It gave me another perspective of the level of violence and fear that was present during WWII & the Japanese Empire at that time. The only question I had at the end is whether some of the information was exaggerated by Louie. Laura spent a great deal of time with him and others in the book, gathering information on their stories, so I don't think she fabricated anything. However, Louie often sounds as though he was superhuman in the way he survived. I don't believe he intentionally lied, but it's possible his story grew bigger and bigger over the years just as how my memory of the small fish I caught as a kid turned into my wrestling down a 50 pound bass. I recommend reading this book.

This is an incredible story and a well-written, gripping book. Be forewarned, I literally could not put it down and finished it at 3:45 am (when I should have been asleep by 10). Born in 1949, my knowledge of World War II (from books and history classes) was centered on the European War Zone and the atrocities and genocide performed by the Nazis. This book brings to life the Pacific Sector of WWII and it was astonishing to me that the atrocities and mass murders committed by the Japanese were essentially swept under the rug. It also was clear to me from the insight into Japanese culture that possibly nothing less devastating than dropping the atom bomb (which I still consider excessive and inhumane) would have brought the Japanese to surrender - that they would have continued the war to the last gasp of every Japanese. Thank you, Laura Hillenbrand, for opening my eyes to the broader view. Thank you also for the story of Louie's life. My life is richer for it. As a postscript, my brother served in Korea and Japan from around 1955(he would have been 18-20 and I was 4-6), a couple of years after the "Korean Conflict" and 10 years after Hiroshima. He confirmed my new understanding of the end of the Pacific portion of WWII from his experinces in Japan. I knew he would love this book, but he claims he can only read short magazine (technical) articles, can't finish a book, has tried audio books and they could not hold his interest. So the audio version went out to him for his birthday. He expressed gratitude and doubt that he would be able to listen all the way through. I told him his wife would enjoy it too and they could play it on their next trip and see how it went. They played it all the way from Indianapolis to Branson Missouri, and then all the way home. They were both enthralled by it. His thank you call was downright emotional.

Interesting personal retrospective on how the events of one's early life serve as means of surviving all but impossible challenges of living through & surviving the aftermath of the horrors of life as a POW. Insightful "insider's view of the context from a historical description of the war fought with Japan in the Pacific not often depicted in print. As far as a piece of literature, I found myself plodding through overly descriptive depictions of POW life from both sides. The book is basically over approximately 60% through, then wanders in all sorts of directions about characters whom I as a reader had little interest in. This diversion is all over the place, and is followed by an endless series off acknowledgements I could care less about. "Unbroken" would have provided a much better "read" if it were cut in half.

There is no doubt for me that Laura Hillenbrand's sophomore non-fiction book, "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" is the finest book I've read in 2011, and my suspicions are that it will remain so, for the rest of this year. The product of unceasing and excellent research, coupled with Hillenbrand's one on one relationship with hero Louie Zamperini and her ability to drawn in, to absorb her readers, much the same way she did with her first book "Seabiscuit"; all of that is in the background when you begin to read, and, when you do, you cannot put her story down. Moving from pre-war (WWII) California, where Louie was a local high school and college athlete with international track aspirations, to the schism that was the pre-war Olympics in Nazi Germany, from the Honolulu that existed post Pearl Harbor, to the terrors of flying a plane in the early part of the war, Hillenbrand gives you the resilient backbone of former hellraiser and lifelong comic Zamperini. The landscape abruptly changes when Louie's plane is downed in the Pacific, and he and his fellows go through an agonizing and frightening experience adrift for a record-breaking 47 days in the shark-infested Pacific, only to be washed ashore and imprisoned by the Japanese. The account of his daily life with the Japanese, with torture and deprivation leading finally to rescue, is one that is inspirational, raw and leaves you with a breathless tale of heroism that will stay with you a long, long time, after you leave this book. Having purchased the book for several friends, who had much the same response, I can say with confidence that I can highly recommend this book, and celebrate the career of the author, who will, hopefully, present us with more of her work in the decades to come.

Laura Hillenbrand is fast becoming my favorite nonfiction author. Whether it's a horse or a human, her penchant for selecting popular icons from yesteryear and bringing them back to life is entertainment at its finest -- though in the case of "Unbroken," the tale is harrowing. Truth might often be crazier than fiction, and in my view, a topnotch novelist couldn't conjure better material than the real-life World War II saga in this book. The star this time in Hillenbrand's legend is World War II veteran Louie Zamperini, and his cast of surrounding objects and environs include rickety jumbo war planes staying aloft by a shoestring and gum; a vast, uncaring ocean that is a picnic compared to the brutal Japanese Prisoner of War camps that Zamperini and thousands of others would experience; tenacious sharks that never quit; and bullets buzzing by menacingly on the ground, in the sea and thousands of feet in the air. "Unbreakable" is un-put-downable. Of course, it's not all action and hardship; "Unbreakable" does contain moments of inspiration and ultimate redemption. Zamperini's close-knit family and his Olympic feat as a runner add a grounded realism and surprising extra layer to the story, respectively. Additionally amazing were the instances where Zamperini and his fellow soldiers did what they had to do to survive, whether it was repairing a deflating raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean or starving to death in a secluded POW camp where some of the most ungodly experiences you can imagine occurred. Trust me, the terror and stress that these guys faced as prisoners make the ordeals we confront in our 9 to 5 jobs seem like a wedding reception. War is certainly still hell in this day and age, but Hillenbrand's book aptly demonstrates that it used to be fought on much harsher terms, and in a more widespread, deadly fashion. Let's hope there's never a World War III. In the end, a book like this might be most useful in that it demonstrates why we can't forget history, and why we owe so much to those who fought for the right reasons back in the 1940s. For as much as you'll recoil during the dreadful portions of "Unbreakable" (and there are many such passages), you'll also be heartened by the tough spirit, loyalty to country and steadfast togetherness that these soldiers maintained throughout their difficult war years.

So many accolades have already been given that is seems hard to add anything about this wonderful book and the brave "men" and "man" about whom it tells. I do not believe that anyone can read this and not come away somehow changed. Certainly the descriptions of Louie's early California days would be interesting enough but to see his drive and determination overcome his compulsions and propel him into sports highest echelons is amazing. Watching as his world and that of all humanity is turned upside down and evil ambitions plunge the globe into horror and chaos, death and destruction provides a surreal background. And reading the trials by fire that he underwent, however sanitized by the written word, cannot but help to grip any reader with awe and some disbelief. The author does more than a splendid job in presenting those facts of Louie Zamperini's life. She entwines them with all the emotions that human kind can experience and forces the reader to experience in slight ways the atrocities visited upon our POWs in WWII. There are some who say it is too 'fictionalized' or glossy but short of keeping a vial of blood and guts on the back jacket there is little left to imagine when reading the descriptions of what would seem insurmountable tortures by two legged beasts that went on for years! That Louie Zamperini came out of the camps alive is a remarkable testimony to his fortitude. That he survived and was able to know love provides ample evidence of his great heart and compassion and hope by which he clawed his way through one prison camp after another. That he not only came home, married and made a family but found it in his heart to finally forgive and live, to love life and people again is testimony to He that Zamperini serves and Loves and that is a fitting end to a life greatly lived in Hell.

this is about a guy who was the best runner and who probably would have won the Olympics had the war not started. then it goes on to how he was in a plane with his crew going on a mission and the plane crashes into the ocean killing the whole crew except three guys. how they were in a small life raft forever and then one of the guys dies. they were shot at by Japanese planes and with just two of them left and after floating in the ocean with sharks always trying to get at them they come to an island that is japanese occupied and then they are taken as prisoners. then the story continues with mostly about the main character and all he went through while a prisoner. if anyone knows anything about how the japanese treated our soldiers as prisoners you know they beat, killed and starved them. the fact that this guy made it out a live is a amazing. it also details what he his life was like after the war which is sad as well. but he does finally get himself together. good and well written book.

was written in 2001. At the tim I considered it the best book I had read in ten years. Over ten years later, Ms. Hildebrand delivers Unbroken. Like Seabiscuit is is meticulously researched, and a tale of athletic achievement in the face of adversity. Ms. Hildebrand who suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome knows a bit about adversity. Nothing in her life experience prepares her for the recounting of the tale of Louis Zamperini, a California kid who by learning to run escaped a lifetime of petty crime. The running took him to the 1936 Olympics, and to the University of Southern California. But like many of his generation the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor produced a career change. Zamperini ended up as a B-24 bombardier in the Pacific Theatre. Shot down during a search and rescue mission, Zamperini and two survivors (one died on the raft) drifted into Japanese held territory for 47 days. Following that ordeal came another, life in brutal Japanese POW camps where he was tormented incessantly by a crazed sergeant nicknamed "The Bird". It is, however, after the war that Zamperini's real test begins. Spiraling out of control into alcoholism and depression an encounter with Billy Graham changed his life as profoundly as anything that had come before it. This is not Seabiscuit. There are aspects of this book which are truly horrifying. Sections on survival at sea and in POW camps are difficult. At the end however the book like Zamperini is redeemed. While it ia not the best book I have read in the past ten years, it teaches important lessons about duty, sacrifice, endurance and of course redemption.

In the last four months I've read eighteen books about addiction. Since I'm beginning to look at everything from the perspective of a drug treatment counselor, I decided to take a break and read something just for entertainment. The book I chose was Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, who is also the author of "Seabiscuit" which I enjoyed very much. And lo and behold, the hero of this true story is smoking cigarettes by age five and drinking at eight. But luckily, that's only a small part of what this inspirational story is about. "Unbroken's" hero is Louie Zamperini who metamorphoses from a hardscrabble youth into a record breaking track star and eventual Olympian in 1936. And he comes oh-so-close to breaking the four minute mile barrier before anyone else. But World War II begins and dramatically alters the course of his life. In short, he joins the Army Air Forces, his plane goes down in the Pacific where he floats for forty-seven days, and he is captured by the Japanese who hide him in a series of POW camps where he experiences unspeakable cruelty until the war ends two years later. Upon his return to America, he struggles with what is now known as post-traumatic stress disorder and he descends into alcoholism until he is saved by none other than Billy Graham at a tent revival in Los Angeles in 1949. I'm deeply inspired by Louie's courageous story. He truly walked through the valley of the shadow of death and is a true testament to the strength and resilience of the human soul. And Hillenbrand certainly out did herself. She set the bar high enough with "Seabiscuit" and still managed to surpass it by far with "Unbroken". I could not tear myself away from this book and neglected all my duties and responsibilities until I finished it. Books like "Unbroken" are the reason I love to read and I can't wait for Hillenbrand's next one. David Allan Reeves Author of "Running Away From Me"

- I was skeptical when I first saw this book had been published: No way can it be as good as Seabiscuit, I thought. But I'll give the author of such a great book as Seabiscuit the benefit of the doubt; so I purchased the book via the Kindle Store and was reading it within a few seconds. And then, within a few minutes, I was swept away. I am now convinced that author Laura Hilldebrand has the magic touch. This book proves once more -- perhaps even moreso -- that she's a masterful storyteller, meticulous researcher and journalist, who has, at least with Seabiscuit and Unbroken, the ability to identify subjects whose stories capture the essence of key facets of an entire era. These books inform and inspire the reader, without being schmaltzy or preachy. Without any spoilers, I'll merely say that like the horse Seabiscuit, Louis Zamperini, the subject of this book, may be little known by those of us born after around 1930. But Zamperini's story, like Seabiscuit's, is one that desperately needed to be captured and preserved in a popularized "best-selling" way, so that it can be shared with the ages. And one last thing, take note of the three words in the subtitle of this book: A Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption. I can assure you that Unbroken is a story that must be read to its end to truly appreciate the depth to which the promise of that subtitle is so richly fulfilled.

Laura Hillenbrand writes with intensity as she exquisitely describes Louis Zamperini's life. She gave us enough of his childhood to explain his fortitude and ability to withstand physical and emotional terror. I liked Unbroken better than Seabiscuit, another hero, because her unwavering description of the Japanese and their wartime atrocities came to life. Many have read about the Nazi concentration camps; this author took us upfront into the foray of American POW's and their treatment by the Japanese. This book has produced countless positive reviews. They are well-deserved. Hillendbrand, herself, has suffered from a relentless illness and is quite familiar with despair and "no end in sight." A few years ago, The New Yorker, wrote a comprehensive article regarding her background and the accommodations she needs to write. In this book, she captures Louie's uncanny ability to stay alive and his brilliant creativity to ward off the evil spirits of the Japanense officers and soldiers. The reader will garner no sympathy for the Japanese. Instead, you will be proud of the American soldiers' ingenuity and loyalty to each other. Even now, we do not read or view the transgressions of our enemies in our present wars. I wonder what the Americans would think now if they knew how our soldiers are treated by the enemies. There was not one page in this book that was superfluous and almost not one scene that wasn't heartbreaking. Louie's strong will and intelligence rose above depression and he could bury his hate; I'm glad his family did not have to bury him.

"Fortitudine Vincimus" is Latin for "By endurance we conquer", and I think this is a good way to summarize what thousands of our soldiers went through to survive the brutality of Japanese POW camps in World War 2. The United States of America owes them and their families the highest honors. This is an amazing story of the extremes people can endure in the struggle to survive. While the story focuses on the life of Louis Zamperini, there are other men and women in...more"Fortitudine Vincimus" is Latin for "By endurance we conquer", and I think this is a good way to summarize what thousands of our soldiers went through to survive the brutality of Japanese POW camps in World War 2. The United States of America owes them and their families the highest honors. This is an amazing story of the extremes people can endure in the struggle to survive. While the story focuses on the life of Louis Zamperini, there are other men and women in the cast, and I found it interesting to see what motivated them to survive. Without including spoilers, I will mention the book has a Christian theme to it, and one should realize this going in because it plays a vital role in the "redemption" mentioned in the subtitle. I found this to be an encouraging story that touched on God's providence, and the comfort He can bring to our troubled lives. I highly recommend the story to people struggling under heavy burdens because I finished the story being both encouraged and stronger in faith. The only reason I didn't give the book five stars is because I thought the ending was a little weak. It seemed to peter out rather than coming to a strong conclusion about Louis' life and his will to remain unbroken. The ending was OK, but it left me wanting a little more closure and/or reflections from Louis life.

I have not read Seabiscuit, so this is my first experience with this author. I found it difficult to put down my Kindle, mesmerized from the first chapter. No doubt, there are thousands of these type stories from the Greatest Generation, but this one is particularly captivating. Ms. Hillenbrand compellingly captures the dreams of a young Olympian whose career was cut short not by injury or lack of talent, but by events wholly outside his universe. My parents and their siblings are/were part of that Greatest Generation, and not one of them has ever shared their stories, despite numerous attempts by many of us 'boomer' offspring to elicit a history of their participation. My own dad has photos of a burned-out Berlin taken just after the war, but it has been more than 20 years since I have seen them. I only wish that some of them had been more prodigious about saving mementos and documenting their own histories. There is no Olympian amongst them, but certainly all are heroes to us. Mr. Zamperini is a living inspiration and I am so glad that Ms. Hillenbrand, with great personal commitment, chose to tell his story. The book draws you in, and stays with you. Weeks after completing the book, I am still considering, pondering, remembering the story. There were a couple of times when I was impatient to "get on with it," but then it occurred to me that Louie and Phil and Cynthia and Pete and Louise were also likely to be have impatient and ready to get on with it during those long years. The photos included certainly helped make the participants come alive from the pages (er, screen). I whine about the price of some books on the Kindle, but this is one I'll want to go back to. This is an absolutely stunning book. Don't miss an opportunity to read it!

It is an excellent book that truly details the life of Louie Zemphereli. He was an unbelievable strong man who turned from going the wrong way in childhood to working hard to become a brilliant Olyimpic runner in the 30's whose time stood for 20 years or more When going into World War !! he served bravely until his plane was destroyed and then he was on the open sea on a shark circled raft for an unbelievable number of days and almost died there. The story gets worse when he was picked up by Japenese troups where you get a though story of how our world War 2 men were treated as POWs and how many, many were killed outright or by slow torture and starvation. The Red Cross sent packages for them that were never given to them but used by the Japanese and letters from home were never given to the men. Coming home with Ptsd the Japanese prisoners had it the hardest and it took many years before Louie heard Billy Graham for 2 nights in a row and gave himself to the Lord. From then on he lived a changed life. A life of going out and giving speaches about his experiences to bring others to Christ. He established a boys home where hurt children no one else would take would go and he would work with them until they learned about the Lord. Learned that they were important and that they were loved by God and had a real future ahead of them. This part of Louis story was not spoken of except in minor paragraghs and he spent many many years being this strong man mightily use of God. This part was a marvelous, strong and lasting part of his life that was not told and should have been.

Although generally familiar with the long odds faced by allied personnel captured by the Japanese during WWII, I was not familiar with the individual history of Louie Zamparini. "Unbroken" is his story. Within the pages of this book are at least five different tales of survival or personal transformation. Any one of these could have stood on their own as the subject of a book. That they are woven together here makes for a book that I simply could not put down. Each of the story lines present in this book offers inspirational fuel for anybody seeking focus, having a bad day, struggling with their personal demons, or wondering how much of *anything* they can take. The stories addressed in this book are: -the story of an incorrigible youth who discovers a gift (in this case, the gift of being able to run) that salvages him from a path of restlessness and petty crime, and sends him to Hitler's Olympics and USC in the years before WWII -the story of a member of "greatest generation", transformed from Olympic athlete to B-24 bombardier -the story of survival in raft at sea against incomprehensible odds to the limits of human endurance -the story of survival in the custody of captors who delighted in stripping their captives of dignity as they subjected their prisoners to horrific maltreatment -the story of homecoming, the ugly aftermath of traumatic events, and one person's path to recovery. This book is meticulously researched and evocative of the times and places it describes. I challenge you put it down or remain unmoved by the story. And when you finish reading Louie's story, reflect for a moment on the millions like him (both those who came back from the detour of their wartime experience, and those whose lives ended during the war, leaving them forever young, forever detoured).

This is the riveting and triumphant story of Louis Zamperini; Olympian, War hero, POW, survivor, Christian, son, brother, husband and father. You name it and Zamperini has seen it or done it, but what makes this man so admirable is how he handled the blows that life dealt him, he was given a great deal of lemons in his lifetime and he made lemonade with them. This book will have you so deeply engrossed you will miss meals, sleeping and getting your everyday errands done. I must warn you that some parts of the book are extremely hard to read example the POW Camps but some how you will continue you to read through because if you don't you will feel as if the characters that you are reading about will not survive until you finish. This book is a must read and if you are a Veteran or a lover of WWII history. I also learned a great deal more about what happened during WWII to the POW's and it made me tear up. This book is so compelling and so inspirational that I am sad to say I never had the pleasure of meeting the great Louis Zamperini. May he rest in peace.

Ms. Hillenbrand writes a gripping, harrowing tale. Her descriptions of the men and machines of WWII reinforce the "greatest generation" characterization.This book is not an easy read. Depictions of torture and violence are vivid and gut wrenching and as I recoiled in shock at the cruelty displayed, I could not help reflecting on our own recent discussion of the acceptability of torture. Louis Zamperini is an inspiring and tragic figure. His courage, and determination not to be 'broken' is augmented by his concern for his compatriots; sharing meager food, refusing to disparage others who lacked his resolve, at all times striving to be the man he wanted to be. His heroic homecoming, punctuated by substance abuse and depression as he finds himself without real purpose, is all to familiar to those who know someone with PTSD. The documentation and pictures which Hillenbrand has assembled are a historic treasure.

Know going into this that it is a true story. And while it is very well written (make that EXTREMELY well written - Laura Hillenbrand knows how to tell a story), it is graphic. Now... this is an amazing story about an amazing man, Louis Zamperini, and his amazing life. It is also a story about WW2 and the experience of our soldiers, our incredible military who were willing to risk all and give all for the sake of freedom. No holds barred in the telling... yet she tells the story with dignity and respect and clarity. I could not put this book down until Zamperini was not only safely home, but had come to a personal place of redemption. The weight of hatred, greed, and depravity is more than we can bear, and the telling of this story would not be complete without the redemptive ending. I will never again take for granted the exuberance of a child, the potential of every human life (for good and for evil), the sacrifices made by our armed services personnel, the devastating reality of PTSD, and most certainly the completeness of redemption - all as experienced by Louis Zamperini and artfully told in this book.

I read this book a few years ago when my nephew, who is a history teacher, gave it to me, knowing that I like to read true stories. I could not put the book down! I never liked history books, but this story is just so heart-wrenching it was a real eye-opener for me. Quite frankly, I never understood why my father, a WW II Veteran, just never forgave the Japanese for what they did -- now I totally understand his feelings. I never realized how many POWs were in the prisons in and around Japan, nor the extreme abuse that so many suffered, IF they survived. I liked this book so much, I recommended it to our new Book Club as one of our monthly books to read. The book was a great read for everyone and we had so much discussion about it, we went over our normal time to review the book we read. Thumbs up from all in our club! I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 because I agree with other reviewers that some of the details, especially in the beginning of the book, were just a little too much. I got the idea of what a character Louie was without so much detail. However, I do not think the details of what he went through while surviving at sea or the horrors of his imprisonment as a POW should have been cut out of the book. That is the gist of the story. You won't be disappointed if you read this book, especially if you like history!

This is without a doubt one of the most touching books I've ever read in my life. I haven't seen the movie and it isn't likely I will because I can't imagine a movie doing justice to the story of Louis Zamperini. The horrors the allied POWs endured in the Japanese prison camps are beyond belief. His life was worthy of a book before he went into the military. The things he endured I can't imagine, a lot of which was due to the fact he was a well know Olympic athlete. It is also a tribute to the American character, along with other allied prisoners to see their capacity to help the local people who hated them immediately after the surrender of Japan. Supplies were dropped to the camps in massive quantities before soldiers could arrive to assist them. They distributed extra supplies to the nearby villages and even to some to the guards who were still at the campsite. Louis Zamperini lived an equally amazing life after the war. On the scale of 5 stars I give it a 10.

This was a really, super motivating book. After reading it, I find myself pushing myself past what I think are my limits at the gym, when I miss lunch, etc. It's really completely unfathomable that one man suffered so much and not only survived, but was able to rebuild afterward. After a while, I was almost desensitized to the descriptions of the brutality, starvation and attacks that Louis suffered...they all sort of started to blur together and by the end of the war, nothing surprised me anymore. I feel like maybe there was a little too much detail given about every single injustice done to him in the camps, only because all the details at once had the effect of desensitizing me...not to diminish anything the man went through. Overall, I enjoyed this book, zipped right through it and have been changed by it. Every time I think things suck, I just think about getting hit in the head with a belt buckle over and over and over.

The author has painstakingly researched and equisitively written the unbelievable true story of a man who has had so many extraordinary life defining experiences in the 20th century. From competing in the 1936 Olympics, meeting Hitler, surviving a B 24 air crash into the sea, rafting in a survival float for weeks on end with little food and fresh water across the vast Pacific Ocean,surviving shark attacks, avoiding a Japanese firing squad and/or decapitation, enduring torture and starvation in a Japanese WW II POW camp and surviving post WW II traumatic syndrome, alcoholism and depression. And through all of this there is not only survival but in fact redemption. And if all of that is not enough the true story continues on as he lives today well into his nineties and with all of his wits about him. If you have any appreciation for WWII history, and have an interest for the story of an unbelievable biography, well told ,this is the book to read. Turn off the television, disconnect the telephone, lock your door and sit down to read this riveting book. You'll read it straight through till dawn...and God forbid even if you have to put it down to go to work or answer the door, this story will not leave your mind at ease until its rewarding conclusion. And even at its conclusion you are left to wonder how did he do it? Truly I am jealous that the author got to know his story, meet him and write such a wonderful biography of this humble man. There is no fluff or fiction in this book and yet it can rivet your mind as if it were an adventure novel. This book is destined to be a classic in biograghical literature.

This book is an amazing true story of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini's WWII experiences. I was reading it for my book club and started reading passages to my husband. He could not wait to hear the next part, so started reading on his own and finished before I did. This should be required reading for every high school student. With discussion about what our nation and our military suffered during the war. I was only a baby, and did not appreciate what my father(a P38 pilot) suffered in the Pacific theater. He never talked about it, and sadly he is gone, and I will never know his story. Our children are protected from reality and live their lives connected to video games. Parents and schools need to teach the real history of America and not the new re-written history that leaves out the truth and emphasizes the anti-American view of liberal teachers. Sorry, but this book brings the truth of war to the forefront of our minds and makes us realize what is being hidden from our view. Everyone should read this book!!!!

After years of reading about the European War, I was amazed at the dreadful atrocities of the war in the pacific, I had read novels about the people of Japan and how the atom bombs affected them, but never in my wildest dreams could I imagine how much the pow's there went through the punishments, the torture the daily living, it was inhuman. In some reviews I read where they thought Ms. Hillenbrand was to graphic, that is one of the reasons, we are always so sheltered and unconcerned about our war vets and pows. I believe in her interviews many of the man held back, I could feel their pain and humiliation. The description of what the man had in the way of gear and protection, brought to light a lot of things have not changed, poorly equipped and patched up equipment. History is barely taught today in schools and I now see how sugar coated the history lessons we got led us to believe, oh it couldn't have been that bad. This book was a true eye opener. Very well written, researched and the pictures of some of those involved helped make the human connection. I highly recommend this.

I read this book for my book club. I probably never would have picked it up otherwise, because I general don't enjoy biographies or war stories. I'm grateful that I did read it. The story is horrifying and well as inspiring. The reader is taken to the depths of human depravity, made worse because this is not fiction, but fact. It also takes us to the furthest reaches of human resilience as displayed by Louis Zamperini. While the first hundred pages did not grab my attention, they laid the necessary groundwork for the heart of the story. As a boy, Louie was a hard headed scoundrel who later channeled his energies into running. He became a world renowned track star, and even shook hands with Hitler at the Berlin Olympics. When the U.S. got involved in the World War, Louie signed on and became a bombardier. When his plane went down due to mechanical failure, he was one of only three survivors. Louie's hard headed determination enabled him to survive on a rubber raft at sea longer than anyone on record, only to be captured and imprisoned by the Japanese. What he suffered at their hands made for some hard reading. The book was well researched, the story well told. I think anyone who decides to give it a try will be well rewarded. Laurie Hanan author of the Louise Golden Hawaiian mysteries Almost Paradise and How Far Is Heaven?

This book is simply beyond words! A true story in World War II, the author did an excellent job in portraying the Pacific War POW Louie Zamperini, by telling his story in the most stunning way that will just blow you away. A modern world Odyssey, Louie's life will make you cry and laugh at the same time, rejoice with his athletic accomplishment in his early adulthood but later on just heartbroken after his capture as war slave. And yet in the end you will admire from the bottom of the heart his courage and strong will in survival and preserving human dignity. At some part of the book I simply couldn't bring myself to continue as what Louis encountered at the POW camp was just too cruel and unbearable, yet again and again I was amazed by his unbelievable survival skill and determination to live as a human being under the unimaginable miserable situation. Time after time he striven to live on, even during the darkest hour and the direst moment. I was in awe of what he has endured as a war slave and an human being, and therefore giving out all my respect for Louie who never gave up in himself and others. In the end he even confronted his worst enemy of life and through which he was able to be redeemed and relived in the grace of God. It's such an incredible journey that one has lived through it all. Thumbs up for this masterpiece and if you haven't picked up this book please do so as it'll make you reexamine your life with a totally new perspective.

This is a great personal interest story, and has crossover appeal for those only casually interested in WWII. The story begins with the childhood of Louis Zamperini and progresses from an undisciplined and unruly child who finds a focus through sports. What's amazing is his progression in his chosen sport, running. After only 5 years of serious athletic competition he finds himself running in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, turning in such a blazing fast last lap that it got the attention of the Fuhrer himself, who even asks to meet with him briefly. The author gives some great history on the B-24 Liberator, the less glamorous first cousin of the well known and iconic B-17 Flying Fortress. 70% of losses are the results of accidents, versus a 30% combat loss rate. Bad weather, pilot error and the vastness of the Pacific make every bombing run a treacherous one. His WWII experience begins in earnest after a few flights in the Pacific, and after a miraculous survival adrift at sea, he is picked up and makes his way through the brutal and deadly Japanese POW camp system. His past fame would come to haunt him and target him for brutal treatment. For those seeking more information on the brutality of the Japanese POW camp system throughout all of Asia in WWII, there is not a more informative book on the topic than the expertly researched "Prisoners Of The Japanese" by Gavan Daws, and would make a great companion read to Hillenbrand's book.