Unbroken

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

By: Laura Hillenbrand

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Number-one New York Times best seller

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

On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

In her long-awaited book, Laura Hillenbrand writes with the same rich and vivid narrative voice she displayed in Seabiscuit. Telling an unforgettable story of a man’s journey into extremity, Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit.

©2010 Laura Hillenbrand; 2010 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Unbroken is wonderful twice over, for the tale it tells and for the way it’s told. A better book than Seabiscuit, it manages maximum velocity with no loss of subtlety. [Hillenbrand has] a jeweler’s eye for a detail that makes a story live." (Newsweek)

"A master class in narrative storytelling.... Extraordinarily moving...A powerfully drawn survival epic." (The Wall Street Journal)

"Ambitious and powerful.... Hillenbrand is intelligent and restrained, and wise enough to let the story unfold for itself. Her research is thorough, her writing crystalline. Unbroken is gripping in an almost cinematic way." (The New York Times Book Review)

“[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)

“Hillenbrand...tells [this] story with cool elegance but at a thrilling sprinter’s pace.” (Time)

“Unbroken is too much book to hope for: a hellride of a story in the grip of the one writer who can handle it.” (Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run)

Intoxicating book, I couldn't stop listening

What an amazing tale- unbelievable at times. The spirit and endurance is truly stuff of legends. Well written and captivating, I flew through the book though, admittedly, it was hard at times to continue. I had not listened to many historical war pieces but am very glad I purchased this audiobook. I already have plans to buy at least 2 copies as Christmas gifts for family members.

Amazing Story

This was such an amazing story. It's hard to believe that people could survive the torment and torture that these POWs endured. Louis Zamporini's life is an inspiring testament to the resilience of the human spirit!

This man is what we all should strive to become!!

An amazing listen!! Zamperini's life was unbelieveable. His inner strength and courage and ability to affect others was infectious. I would love to meet this man and shake his hand and say thank you for carring a life long burden of memories of what he suffered in war to fight for our country. THIS BOOK, THIS MAN and THIS LIFE he led is like no other!

Extraordinarily -Unputdownable- Superior Narrator

Extraordinary ???Fear- Profound ???Rage- Unfathomable - Victorious -Veneration.
These are just a few words that describe what I felt while listening to this stupendous book.
In my long life, I have read thousands of books. Mostly all of them enjoyable.
However there have only been four that have affected me deeply.
1. The Bible
2. The Power of One: (Bryce Courtney)
3. Bonheoffer Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: (Eric Mataxes)
And now
UNBROKEN
Wonderfully written by Laura Hillenbrand.
Expertly narrated by Edward Herrmann

All I can say is if you never read anything else, these four books are a must read. Do yourself a favor and find out what I am talking about. It will be well worth your time and treasure.

By the way all, of the above are available on audible.com

Amazing Man, Amazing Story

Once I started this book, every free moment was spent listening. I was so anxious to see what Louie was going to encounter next! The words just flew off the page (so to speak), and Louie Zamperini is, to this day, an amazing man with an amazing story.

A horrid yet wonderful story...

This books carries my highest recommendation. A beautifully told story of a man who defies easy description. This story superbly communicates the horrors of war, the power of the human will, the serenity of redemption and paints a beautiful portrait of a group of young men and how whether they lived or died in their brutal captivity, triumphed over their oppressors.

Fiction can be a wonderful thing but this book is proof that the most amazing stories are the ones that actually happened.

Excellent Recording, Well-Narrated & Well-Told

I already knew that Laura Hillenbrand was an excellent non-fiction writer, having so much enjoyed "Seabiscuit" many years ago. However, I hadn't heard an Edward Herrmann recording in several years and I will definitely be looking to see what else he has recently recorded. The narration was excellent, easy to follow, pleasant to hear and easy to understand. Really, I don't think you can ask for more from a narrator than what Hermann delivers in this audio. Without any funny accents or disturbing vocalizations it was very clear who was speaking at all times and the tone was always appropriate to the action. What I liked best about the reading was how little I actually thought about the narrator until I was almost finished with the book when I realized how excellent a narrator has to be to disappear into a story!

Hillenbrand achieves amazing storytelling for a non-fiction writer. From the opening of the book she grabs you and keeps a tight hold on you in a way that is very rare. I actually ended up listening to the audio with every free moment I had for two or three days. I went out to get lunch at work, bought some soup, paid for it, walked back to work and had to go back to the deli to retrieve my lunch because I didn't notice for four blocks that I had nothing in my hands and only my ipod in my pocket! And I was glad for the extra time of the walk back....

One of top 5 books I've ever read or listened to

This riveting story was only made more so by virture of being true. Hillenbrand is a masterful story teller and I was captivated. While the subject portrayed displays man's inhumanity to man, the end is one of redemption and ulitmately, forgiveness. One warning: some of the violence is graphic but for me this added to my understanding of the story and why feelings were so strong from those who lived through this period of history.

Couldn't stop listening; great narration, story

Of the ten or so books I've listened to in the past year, this one was by far my favorite. Not only is Mr. Hermann's narration engaging and involving, but the story itself takes you places. This book had so many driveway moments it was hard to believe.

Unbelievable

I can't even imagine going through what this soldier went through. One of the most amazing stories that I have read to date in WWII. Great narration as well. I loved this book.