What readers think of Unbroken, plus links to write your own review.

This is a history lesson that you ENJOY learning! Having spent time in Hawaii recently, so, while reading this book I was grabbing maps to see history 'come alive' in the old military bases and places I spent time at.

It's a page-turner, so do not plan alot of other activities until you are done--which won't take long!

Cannot wait for a movie on this book--perhaps FINALLY we will get one that's not automated cartoons catering to kiddies and instead tell a historic and educating story!!

One of the best books I have read on many fronts.

First in terms of WWII, books, this book is up there with Ambrose ("Band of Brothers" et al) and "Flags of Our Fathers."
Second, in terms of human courage, faith and the "American-never-say-die" attitude this book is second to none.
Thirdly, the incredibly cruel treatment of the Allied POWS, puts to rest any second guessing by historians of Pres Truman for dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Extremely well written---it is "truly a page turner."

Congrats to Ms. Hillenbrand. Mr. Zamperini and his comrades are TRUE American Heroes.

What an awesome story! I love that the subject of this book is still alive. (I marveled throughout the book at how that is possible, though). This was one of the most vivid accounts of survival I have ever read. Also very educational - we all know about the horrors that the Germans committed during WWII, but what about the Japanese? I was truly enlightened and moved reading "Unbroken", and would recommend it to anyone. If this doesn't make a best-seller list soon, I'd be very surprised. Widespread appeal to all of humanity.

I have just finished an advanced copy of Unbroken, the true story of Louis Zamperini and realized I have read the next New York Times Bestseller and looked up to see if it had already been optioned for a movie, because that is what I saw when I was reading it; an Oscar Award film playing from the pages of an incredible but absolutely true story.

Ms. Hillenbrand is the award winning, #1 New York times Bestselling Author of Seabiscuit and it took seven years to research and write this book. On the cover sheet in the advance reader copy a publishing executive writes to readers that she is humbled to write about this book, the author and its subject. I was certainly humbled to read it. Ms Hillenbrand very successfully brings Louie’s life, from his mischievous childhood, through his Olympic experiences, and the extremes of his military service to the reader with such detail as to be physically palpable.
My father served in the Navy in the Pacific and I have always been partial to the history of that theater of World War II so I was drawn by the book jacket to read this. Being from the East coast, I had not heard of Mr. Zamperini. So I have completely consumed by this incredible journey of a book and the life of the man. It carried me through every emotion and I found myself laughing out loud, reaching for tissues, and holding my breath in suspense. Sometimes I was afraid to turn a page and then at the same time afraid not to. From cover to cover, I could not put it down.
As we have just past the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II and come close to the end of 2010 with Veterans Day, I would like to thank Mr. Zamperini for his service and sacrifice (along with my father and those who suffered and gave their lives for our country) and sincere and heartfelt appreciation to Laura Hillenbrand for bringing his story to us and those of us descended from the greatest generation.
Don’t miss this book. Seabiscuit was a wonderful book. This one is even better !

I read books that cover the history of just about anything, and I love this genre. I'm delighted that there are new titles, about seemingly innocuous subjects, like Cod, that cover a vast span of history linking the main topic to the vast world in a significant way. Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken is a history of the Second World War in the Eastern theater told in conjunction with the story of Louis Zamparini. We follow him from birth to publication, which is near the end of his long life. The book, therefore, covers one Italian family's experiences in the history of the USA during that period. Growing up was hard to do. Running and military service gave Mr. Zamparini focus and direction in life, taking him away from some destructive behaviors he'd fallen into.
Ms. Hillenbrand does a remarkable job of describing the nitty-gritty of situations and experiences that Zamparini encounters. In fact, I'm convinced that the book becomes historical fiction when descriptions speak of the way a man parted his hair (I really don't care), or which side of the table she sat on (really?), or which tree the car was parked under when she cried her eyes out at 3:00 (oh, brother!). These details are the reasons why I will get to the first page of a book on, say, Queen Victoria, and toss it aside: it's clear there will be much conjecture woven into the plot. I'm just looking for facts, and facts that are important to the story. I don't really like it when an author gets into such detail about how many men hit him and how hard before the other guys were made to eat their own feces.
I realize that sensationalism sells in our society. Also, telling a story with vivid details is a strong incentive to read it, keeping the reader involved on an organic level. But, to me, these are traits best left to fiction writers, which Ms. Hillenbrand definitely does not consider herself. Therein lies my problem with her story telling: it contrives details, it plays on readers' emotions, and it relies on the grace of her audience to claim that the story is history rather than historical fiction. I, for one, can't make that claim, though I realize there is a basis of fact behind the story.

I guess I read a different book than most, given the great reviews this pulp fiction gets.
Surviving a major plane crash, beating hell out sharks, living on candy and apparently air for countless days at sea, getting beat to a pulp. Wow, Superman would be a crybaby compared to this guy.
Either the author or the main character in this book is making up more stuff than a 4 year old caught in the cookie jar. I can't tell. But what hooey.
" be happy in your work"? Give me a break. Right out of a movie I've seen more than a few times.
And don't get me going about the writing. Lame and contrived.