Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption By Laura Hillenbrand Laura Hillenbrand's long awaited new book Unbroken, is finally available. I loved her previous book "Seabiscuit" and before I even started on this one, I was wondering if it was possible for her to be able to write on a completely different subject. Well I was pleased to find that her writing in this book uses the same rich and vivid narrative voice.
She tells a story that is very difficult to forget about one man's extreme journey. This is the story of a 1930's track and field star by the name Louie Zamperini. He was a member of the American team for the 1936 Berlin olympics and then joined the US air force in World War Two. The book starts slow, and then really kicks in when he is active at war. I really enjoyed how she vividly describes the scenes when Zamperini and his friend Phil are adrift for close to seven weeks at sea . She continues this when she describes the horrors they experience at the Japanese prison camps after they are captured. She does not dwell on the gore and violence but instead shows a lot of respect for the men whose story she was telling us.
I really appreciated the seven years Laura Hillenbrand, spent researching this story. As a result she ends up with one of the most detailed stories of the life of an American POW captured by the Japanese during the second World War. It was interesting how she named the guards that were responsible for torturing the prisoners. I think the most interesting parts of the book for me are definitely the facts and details about the war in the Pacific. I was surprised to read how dangerous the planes they flew actually were. There were a few times when I put down the book because I felt the main character was experiencing too much hardship. Laura is one of the select few authors who are able to pen a non fiction story in such a gripping and vividly imaginable way. Somehow she manages to let her prose rely on her research and the many witness accounts, but at the same time she keeps the book interesting.
The book is well written and was responsible for stirring up many mixed emotions as I read it. I will admit it is a hard story to read, however it surely is worth it. She has an exquisite writing style that allows her to make you feel like you are there when she describes people and events. On the surface this book may seem like it is just about World War II. The author has written it like a novel, making it is easy to forget that it is based a on true story. This has to be right up there with the most influential books I have read in my lifetime. I found myself drowning in the story and gasping for air until the last word. This heart warming story will leave you in tears. It is one of those stories that you will remember for the rest of your life. Unbroken is truly a great and inspiring read.
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