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Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption Audiobook
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Plot Summary
On a spring afternoon in 1943, a US Army Air Forces bomber crash landed and disappeared into the Pacific Ocean, leaving only fragments of the plane visible on the surface, along with gasoline, oil and blood.
Then, a man appeared among the debris. It was the plane's bombardier, a young lieutenant, struggling to pull himself aboard a life raft. One of the most remarkable journeys of World War II was about to begin.
The bombardier was Louis Zamperini. As a boy, he had been a crafty and unapologetic hooligan, burglarizing houses, and leaving home to ride the rails. When he harnessed his energy into running, he discovered a dormant talent that took him all the way to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. With the arrival of World War II, he became a pilot and began the journey that would lead him to his ill-fated flight and set him adrift at sea on a tiny life raft.
In the open ocean, Lt. Zamperini faced starvation, thirst, enemy aircraft and jumping sharks. Pushed to the limit of his considerable endurance, he met desperation with resourcefulness, brutality with defiance, hardship with brave determination. His very survival depended on his eroding resolve.
In Time's top book of 2010 and #1 New York Times bestseller, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, Laura Hillenbrand employs the same eye jeweler's eye for detail and vivid, rich narrative voice that she displayed in her acclaimed 2001 bestseller, Seabiscuit. Unbroken tells the extraordinary tale of a man's odyssey into extremity, and stands testament to the power of human resilience.
"I really liked this book because it captured the mood of the WWII era. I can only imagine what it was like to be faced with the horrible atrocities of war. This book honors our WWII veterans with dignity and I was glad my book club chose this book. I would not have read it otherwise. "
— Renea (4 out of 5 stars)
Publisher Summary
#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. 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 new 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. Praise for Unbroken “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 “Marvelous . . . Unbroken is wonderful twice over, for the tale it tells and for the way it’s told. . . . It manages maximum velocity with no loss of subtlety.”—Newsweek “Moving and, yes, inspirational . . . [Laura] Hillenbrand’s unforgettable book . . . deserve[s] pride of place alongside the best works of literature that chart the complications and the hard-won triumphs of so-called ordinary Americans and their extraordinary time.”—Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air “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
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Quotes
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“Monumental…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 -
“Hillenbrand’s triumph is that in telling Louie’s story, she tells the stories of thousands whose suffering has been mostly forgotten. She restores to our collective memory this tale of heroism, cruelty, life, death, joy, suffering, remorselessness, and redemption.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“[Hillenbrand’s] skills are as polished as ever, and…this book has an impossible-to-put-down quality that one commonly associates with good thrillers.”
— Booklist
Awards
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A 2012 Audie Award Finalist for Best Nonfiction Narration
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Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award, December 2010
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Selected for the December 2010 Indie Next List
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Winner of the 2012 ALA Notable Book Award for Nonfiction
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A 2010 Time Magazine Top 10 Book for Nonfiction
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Winner of the 2010 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Biography
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Winner of the 2011 Indies Choice Book Award for Nonfiction
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A #1 Los Angeles Times bestseller
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A #1 New York Times bestseller
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A 2012 RUSA Notable Book for Nonfiction
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Winner of the 2011 Christopher Award for Adult Books
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A 2013 Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee for Teen
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A Library Journal bestseller
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New York Times audio bestseller
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Nominated for Audie Awards, 2012
Unbroken Listener Reviews
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Trina Hartmann, 12/8/2022
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Worknprogress06, 11/21/2022
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6/2/2021
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abby kynion, 10/12/2020
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John, 2/28/2019
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Dolly Parker, 7/19/2014
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" I agree with Jeanette. The book was too scattered and convoluted for the first dozen chapters, then it picked up "
— Caroline, 2/14/2014 -
" Not a great book. Reads too long. Considering the subject that she is writing about, it feels like he was constantly trying to stretch a little bit of information. "
— David, 2/12/2014 -
" Absolutely amazing- definitely worth the read. "
— Michael, 1/28/2014 -
" Being the grandson of a POW, this book really opened my eyes at what the POW's had to endure. This is a generation of people who is no longer to tell these stories and glad that at least one was able to tell his story. "
— Brandon, 1/28/2014 -
" This is such an amazing story of survival and the will to go on. One of the BEST stories I've ever read! "
— Liz, 1/24/2014 -
" This is the kind of book that I appreciate, but don't actually enjoy. :/ "
— Mandi, 1/22/2014 -
" Magnificent and in-depth research by Hillenbrand on a fascinating individual. "
— Jeff, 1/18/2014 -
" Awesome book! Couldn't put it down! Worth the read! "
— Esther, 1/17/2014 -
" Fantastic! Very insightful into the war atrocities that occurred in the Pacific during WWII. "
— B, 1/12/2014 -
" Good read. It was about how our men fought ww2 and survived pow camp. "
— Leslie, 1/8/2014 -
" This one was hard for me to get into, the first half dragged/read like a history text book and then once it got going it seemed a little embellished. I wasn't even sure I was going to finish it but I finally got through it. "
— Jackieinthebox, 1/8/2014 -
" It's not quite fair for me to rate this book with one star, as I only got through the first few chapters. The story itself had potential, and it's unfortunate that it is written so poorly. "
— Katie, 1/2/2014 -
" Awesome true story, I couldn't put the book down. Flabbergasted and rather surreal to think of what some people have lived through and survived against all odds! "
— Pam, 1/1/2014 -
" What a great book. This book taught me so much about the price of war and the strength of the human spirit. This is not my usual genre or era of book, but I loved it. I highly recommend it. Reading it made me feel patriotic and empowered. "
— Kelly-ann, 12/30/2013 -
" I think I would've given this 3 stars right after I read this. However, it has stayed with me for a long time and I love that. It is a tough story to digest. It is what it is. Not sure I "enjoyed" it but wow, what a story. "
— Pamela, 12/13/2013 -
" This book is why they made a 5-star rating: something that changes the way you see and move through the world, something you will remember forever, something you are so appreciative you were able to be a part of. Wow. Freaking AMAZING story, brilliant writing, simply incredible... "
— Laurie, 12/7/2013 -
" Slow start, but it really opened up my heart and my eyes to so many things that I did not know. A must read. "
— Yvette, 12/5/2013 -
" what an inspiring tale of survival and resilience, and also how brutal mankind can be. a non-fiction tale that reads like thrilling fiction. "
— Kirsten, 10/2/2013 -
" a very dark, true story of humanity, with the ever present Hope just on the horizon. "
— Jeannie, 4/28/2013 -
" Truly one of the best books I've read. An inspiration to all. "
— Laurie, 3/17/2013 -
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Monica Falcao, 3/2/2013
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" It was an unbelievable story, but it was so heart breaking, it was a hard for me to read. "
— Lorena, 2/8/2013 -
" I would have liked more info about his life after the war. "
— Dawn, 3/25/2012 -
" Amazing story of survival...without gratuitous descriptions of torture! "
— Jessie, 2/22/2012 -
" Very readable and extremely intense and interesting. A good choice for Durham libraries' Pass the Book 2013 "
— Christy, 12/20/2011 -
" This would be almost hard to accept if it was fiction. What an amazing true story, and what an incredible human being. Loved it! "
— Joni, 11/19/2011 -
" Unbelievable true story of courage and tenacity. Reads like fiction. "
— Babs, 6/21/2011 -
" Amazing! This was by far the best book that I have read in a long time! "
— Jill, 6/6/2011 -
" One of the best books I've ever read.... I literally can't put it down! "
— Ann, 5/24/2011 -
" Unbelievable, I read this book in two sittings - couldn't put it down. Memorial Day will have a new meaning for me this year. "
— Marie, 5/24/2011 -
" I really loved this book. It was the best I have picked up in a while. It was inspiring, gut wrenching and thought provoking. I would definitely recommend this book! "
— Aimee, 5/24/2011 -
" The story of the Olympic runner, Louis Zamperini, inspired me. I'm glad Gaylen recommended it--repeatedly and insistently. It's a good one, a well-written story. At one point, I was so engrossed in it that I shrieked and woke Gaylen from his comfortable nap. "
— Carla, 5/23/2011 -
" I was very excited to re-open this book every day to delve further into this incredible journey of strength and faith. I am still stunned by the positive, uplifting tone at the end. "
— Bethgentner, 5/23/2011 -
" Gripping real life story of a survivor of a world war II prision of war in Japan. A bit repetitive and length to me "
— Cara, 5/23/2011 -
" Couldn't put this book down. One of the best survival stories I've ever read. "
— Tom, 5/23/2011 -
" A book that is definitely worth the hype--an amazing story that is very American! in nature. "
— Jami, 5/23/2011 -
" Really good. Depressing and gueling because of the tragic events, but there's triumph at the end, and that's what counts. "
— Jennifer, 5/23/2011 -
" This is the book Marilyn read to Anders--at least parts of it. It's excellent--a great historical read. Some parts are hard--the suffering he experiences in the war. You'll like the "fly-boy" parts--it will remind you of your dad. "
— Carol, 5/22/2011 -
" Inspiring story of survival during WWII-- lost at sea then in Japanese prison camps. Great writing. <br/> "
— Laura, 5/22/2011 -
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Julie Esquivel, 2/22/2011
About Laura Hillenbrand
Laura Hillenbrand is the author of two #1 New York Times bestsellers Seabiscuit: An American Legend and Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. Seabiscuit was a multi-award winner, made more than fifteen best-of-the-year lists, and inspired the film Seabiscuit, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including for best picture. Unbroken was also made into a movie that garnered three Oscar nominations and won multiple other film awards.
About Edward Herrmann
Edward Herrmann (1943–2014) was one of America’s top audiobook narrators. He won multiple Audie Awards and twenty-two Earphones Awards, and his narration of the King James version of the Bible remains a benchmark in the industry.