Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption in Crazy Challenge Connection

Apr 16, 2011 Book Concierge rated it it was amazing

Shelves: japan, library, nonfiction, concierge, book-club, audio, history, own, favorite, nature

5***** and a ❤

WOW!!

Louis Zamperini was a rambunctious kid and headed for trouble when his older brother Pete got him involved in track. Louie excelled at the sport, breaking records and going to the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, where his performance (while not winning a medal) earned him the attention of the world. He went back to USC and continued training as a miler - many believed he would break the 4-minute mile barrier - setting his sights on the 1940 Olympic games. But war cancelled 5***** and a ❤

WOW!!

Louis Zamperini was a rambunctious kid and headed for trouble when his older brother Pete got him involved in track. Louie excelled at the sport, breaking records and going to the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, where his performance (while not winning a medal) earned him the attention of the world. He went back to USC and continued training as a miler - many believed he would break the 4-minute mile barrier - setting his sights on the 1940 Olympic games. But war cancelled those games and Louie wound up as a bombardier in the Army Air Corps.

When a plane went missing, Louie’s crew was ordered to fly an unfamiliar plane on a search and rescue mission. “The Green Hornet” was a notoriously unreliable craft and was usually parked to the side; mechanics sometimes raided it for spare parts to fix other aircraft. When an engine quit, the pilot and co-pilot did everything they could, but to no avail. The plane crashed into the Pacific, killing all but three … Louie, pilot Russell Alan “Phil” Phillips, and tail gunner Francis “Mac” McNamara.

With no food and little water, they did their best to survive, managing an astonishing 47 days at sea in an inflatable raft, only to be captured by the Japanese. Their nightmare was only just beginning.

The POW’s tale is harrowing, horrifying and ultimately inspirational. Hillenbrand is a master at writing nonfiction with a pace and structure that reads like a thriller. The characters are as alive to the reader as if they were sitting across the table telling their stories. Sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures assault the reader’s senses.

I was transfixed from the beginning. I’m sure if I had been reading the traditional format I would have finished in a couple of days. Listening to the CDs on my daily commute, I found myself “going the long way,” driving around the block, and sitting in the driveway to listen to just one more track. Edward Herrmann is a fine actor and does a great job narrating this story. Unlike many audio books, he makes no effort to change his voice for the various characters; he maintains the “narrator’s” voice throughout and that is fine.

I have convinced at least three of my friends to read this already. Don’t wait any longer …. Read it NOW!
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Sep 22, 2011 Stacy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, five-stars, nonfiction, read-in-2011, books-to-movies

Powerful, emotional book. I loved Louie's personality and spunk. I enjoyed the stories of his misbehavior in his youth, and the survival instinct that he showed on the raft.

It really bothered me to learn about his constant abuse in the POW camps. I wanted to stop reading because of that (and that's part of why I hesitated to read it in the beginning), but since it was a non-fiction book, and Louie really had endured that, I felt that it wouldn't be fair to him not to follow the full story.

I had ...more

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Jan 30, 2011 Martha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, history, 2011, ww2, favorites, group-read

This is an amazing book ... not one I would have chosen on my own, but was repeatedly recommended by many friends here on Goodreads. Having just finished 2 fairly emotional histories, I really didn't want to read it. I am SO glad that I ignored my feelings and listened to my friends. What an amazing, heart-wrenching story! Louie is a hero for the ages. I admire him tremendously and so many others who lived through hell on earth in the Japanese POW camps which were much worse than those in German ...more

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Feb 21, 2014 Suzanne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, history

A very, very powerful story!!

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Jan 22, 2011 Sue rated it it was amazing

Shelves: biography, natalie-bk-club, wwii

This is a fascinating story told with the same current breathlessness as the author's "Seabiscuit". Louis' story is amazing in its depiction of human depravity and the victims' subsequent resilience. The suffering of the Pacific POWs is almost unimaginable and the descriptions are graphic. I was reminded of "Ghost Soldiers" by Hampton Sides, which depicts the Bataan Death March and rescue. Even though some of the book is difficult to read, it's an important story, and ultimately, an uplifting on ...more

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