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

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"Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption" by Laura Hillenbrand is a gripping historical account that follows the incredible life of Louis Zamperini, a former Olympic athlete who becomes a prisoner of war in Japanese camps during World War II. The writing style is described as engaging, addicting, and moving, with detailed research and a focus on presenting the harsh realities of war and human nature.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is descriptive and immersive, effectively combining factual historical details with a gripping narrative that keeps readers engaged.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot follows Louis Zamperini from his turbulent childhood to Olympic fame and then through harrowing experiences in WWII, including surviving a plane crash, drifting at sea, and enduring horrific conditions as a POW.

Setting:

The setting spans Zamperini's early life in California, his service during WWII in the Pacific, and the harsh conditions of Japanese POW camps.

Pacing:

The pacing starts slowly as it sets up Zamperini's background but quickly escalates in intensity during the survival and captivity experiences, concluding with reflections on his redemption.
IN THE PREDAWN DARKNESS OF AUGUST 26, 1929, IN THE back bedroom of a small house in Torrance, California, a twelve-year-old boy sat up in bed, listening. There was a sound coming from outside, growing...

Notes:

Louis Zamperini was a troubled child who became an Olympic runner. He qualified for the 1936 Berlin Olympics at just nineteen years old and met Adolf Hitler.
During WWII, he served as a bombardier in the Army Air Forces and was shot down over the Pacific Ocean.
Zamperini survived drifting at sea on a life raft for 47 days, battling starvation and sharks.
Upon reaching land, he was captured by the Japanese and became a prisoner of war for more than two years.
In Japanese POW camps, survival conditions were horrific; Zamperini endured starvation, beatings, and psychological torture.
Zamperini's story includes themes of resilience, survival, and ultimately, redemption through forgiveness.
Despite the atrocities he faced, Zamperini returned home after the war but struggled with PTSD and alcoholism.
He was deeply affected by his experiences during the war but later found faith through a Billy Graham event, which helped him let go of his anger and resentment toward his captors.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains heavy content warnings for graphic depictions of violence, torture, starvation, and traumatic experiences faced by POWs during World War II.

From The Publisher:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The incredible true story of survival and salvation that is the basis for two major motion pictures: 2014's Unbroken and the upcoming Unbroken: Path to Redemption.

In boyhood, Louis Zamperini was an incorrigible delinquent. As a teenager, he channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that carried him to the Berlin Olympics. Then with the start of World War II, the athlete became an airman. When his Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean, against all odds, Zamperini survived. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion.

Yet Louie's willpower faced its ultimate test upon his heroic return home after the war when he grappled with PTSD, struggled to come to terms with the injustices done to him, and was set on the path of redemption by a momentous encounter with famed reverend Billy Graham. Unbroken is an unforgettable testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit, brought vividly to life by Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand.

Hailed as the top nonfiction book of the year by Time magazine

Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for biography and the Indies Choice Adult Nonfiction Book of the Year award

"Extraordinarily moving . . . a powerfully drawn survival epic."-The Wall Street Journal

"[A] one-in-a-billion story . . . designed to wrench from self-respecting critics all the blurby adjectives we normally try to avoid: It is amazing, unforgettable, gripping, harrowing, chilling, and inspiring."-New York

"Staggering . . . mesmerizing . . . Hillenbrand's writing is so ferociously cinematic, the events she describes so incredible, you don't dare take your eyes off the page."-People

"A meticulous, soaring and beautifully written account of an extraordinary life."-The Washington Post

"Ambitious and powerful . . . a startling narrative and an inspirational book."-The New York Times Book Review

"Magnificent . . . incredible . . . [Hillenbrand] has crafted another masterful blend of sports, history and overcoming terrific odds; this is biography taken to the nth degree, a chronicle of a remarkable life lived through extraordinary times."-The Dallas Morning News

"An astonishing testament to the superhuman power of tenacity."-Entertainment Weekly

"A tale of triumph and redemption . . . astonishingly detailed."-O: The Oprah Magazine

"[A] masterfully told true story . . . nothing less than a marvel."-Washingtonian

"[Hillenbrand tells this] story with cool elegance but at a thrilling sprinter's pace."-Time

"Hillenbrand [is] one of our best writers of narrative history. You don't have to be a sports fan or a war-history buff to devour this book-you just have to love great storytelling."-Rebecca Skloot, author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Ratings (80)

Incredible (29)
Loved It (35)
Liked It (14)
It Was OK (2)

Reader Stats (155):

Read It (82)
Currently Reading (2)
Want To Read (46)
Did Not Finish (2)
Not Interested (23)

3 comment(s)

Loved It
3 weeks

Emotional read.

 
Incredible
1 month

Such a good memoir, highly recommend

 
Incredible
3 months

Everyone should read this book. My grandfather served in WWII on the European front and he would never speak about his experiences. This book is not his story, but it is ONE of the many important stories that we should not lose. I feel like the author did a fantastic job of explaining the culture and mindset of my grandparent's generation, and it was a blessing to read. Soon there will not be many of these first-hand accounts left and this is an excellent, high-quality, and easy-to-read part of American history. The book was so engaging that I actually felt guilty when I paused to stop reading it, so in tune with Louie that I desperately needed to know what happened next to him and his friends.

 

About the Author:

Laura Hillenbrand is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, and Seabiscuit: An American Legend, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, won the Book Sense Nonfiction Book…

 
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