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

Most excellent narrative of a hero's life, showing the real man behind the heroics. Makes me want to see the movie now. Hillenbrand knows how to write! ( )

This is a wonderful book! I've always heard great things about it, but the cover looked boring and discouraged me from reading it :P I never watched the movie either. I am so glad I finally overlooked the cover and read it. The author is a great writer. And she has done meticulous research. And the storyline itself -- the life of Louis Zamporini -- is a jaw-dropping tale. I did not know the last Olympics before World War II was held in Germany when Hitler was in full power. It was interesting to read about how Zamporini experienced that Olympic game. It was fun to read about the B24 aircraft team that Zamporini was a part of, the raids he participated in, the raids he suffered through as a victim. Then his B24 aircraft crashed in the sea ( a stupid accident that should not have happened which demonstrated the incompetence of the U.S. air force :( ). Thus began Zamporini's 46-day ordeal on a raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with next to no provision of food and water. This is my favorite part of the book. It was amazing to read about how Zamporini kept coming up with ways to secure food, water, and safety from natural hazards. Next comes his days in Japan as a POW. Reading this section makes you gaze at the evil in mankind head on. Then, after the war was over, Zamporini struggled with PTSD but became miraculously free of PTSD after the day he became a Christian. I don't think the author really knew what to do with this part of his life, given that there was no rational explanation to this miracle. She tried to frame it as if Zamporini's forgiveness toward his Japanese tormenters comes from Zamporini's willingness to change his mindset. But a Christian's ability to forgive or become mentally well again really comes from outside (power of the Holy Spirit) rather than within (the self's willpower). Overall this book is very well-written, engaging, moving, and educational. I learned so much about the Pacific War. ( )

Check out my review...http://shannonsbookbag.blogspot.com/2011/01/unbroken-hillenbrand.html ( )

This is the story of Louis Zamperini now immortalized in the film "Unbroken" which I have yet to see. The story is incredible. Troublemaker as a child grows up to be an Olympian athlete. Olympian athlete goes to war and is shot down surviving 47 days on a raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean only to be "rescued" by the Japanese. The Japanese ignore the Geneva Convention laws and mercilessly torture and starve the POWs. Louis never breaks and lives to return home. Then redemption for his captors.

The story itself is incredible. The man is fascinating. It's that I found the writing style bland like reading an encyclopedia and trying to make sure all the facts were listed.

Looks like I'm in the minority here because most of the readers here LOVED this book. And that's fine. I will make an extra effort to see the movie and give a moment of silence to the man when I visit Zamperini Plaza @ USC next time I go. ( )

I loved the amazing story telling and Lois certainly is a marvelous example of a person with a true grit. Though I must admit ,I am not a fan of how it ended. Not being a believer myself,it's hard to relate how he suddenly found peace in a sarmon, after being tormented for years by the nightmares of the prison camp. Besides ,it felt like the story might have been written for American audiences and may well not be as exciting for others . ( )