Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, 2011

Having read Seabiscuit back in yesteryear when it was a hit (it was released in March 2001), I, along with many others, anxiously awaited the arrival of Laura Hillenbrand's next book. I loved all of the backstory and decisions and luck and atmosphere and characters that came together in Seabiscuit, that fit perfectly in order for a great racehorse to have been what he was. Hillenbrand wove a story from a million seemingly small details, and I was curious what she would do with her next undertaking. And now, for our reading pleasure, we have Unbroken: A WWII Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.

Unfortunately, Ms. Hillenbrand suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome (read "A Sudden Illness", an essay she published in the New Yorker in July of 2003). She must very deliberately work through such well-researched books as Seabiscuit and Unbroken. Kudos to her for presenting us with this new read: the fascinating story of Louis Zamperini told through detailed and precise storytelling. The book had been out for a while, and I had heard talk of greatness, but I hadn't got my hands on it until this February. While visiting family in D.C.,  I spied a copy on a bookshelf. It turns out my sister-in-law had gifted it to my dad for Christmas. He had finished reading so I was able to "borrow" it. And shoot dang! Just look at that cover! That tile with that image? My heart was aching before I even read the inside jacket, before I even cracked the spine!

From the subtitle, you can discern that the truly harrowing, page-turning parts of the book are those that chronicle Zamperini's time lost at sea and as a POW in Japanese territory. However, be prepared for a detailed description of this young man's life growing up in southern California and pursuing his running dreams at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Having read Seabiscuit (though my memories of it are faint...a good candidate for a reread!), I was aware of Hillenbrand's tendency to set the stage with a lengthy backstory. I give you this warning so you can prepare yourself and not put the book down when you find yourself mired in early life details. Once you're further into the read, you'll appreciate the wealth of knowledge you have of Zamperini. The backstory will help you understand how he endured incredibly cruel conditions at the hands of prison guards  in Japan, how he fought off sharks with swift kicks while hiding under a rubber raft in the middle of the Pacific in an attempt to escape artillery from a Japanese aircraft, and how he faced Japanese citizens in mile races around the perimeter of his prison camp...just a few of the amazing feats he endured. What did you do today?

And while you're getting caught up in Louie's personal story, you'll learn quite a bit about the Pacific theatre during WWII and the lives of airmen. But Hillenbrand does this in the skillful way good historical nonfiction writers do...that way where you don't realize what you're learning while you're learning it. Another interesting side affect besides strengthening your WWII knowledge is you'll long to be a part of the "Greatest Generation" (thanks, Tom Brokaw). Okay. You won't really want that because of all of the suffering and sacrifice and "do your duty" and other terrible things war brings on a generation. But you will really appreciate the hope for the future, the devotion, and the bravery millions of ordinary people, ordinary YOUNG people displayed.

ANYWAY, just read the book because it is one of the best I've read in a long time.

*Thanks BarnesandNoble.com for the picture!