Books Reviews

‘Unbroken’ – an inspiring story of resilience

Albany, Oregon, U.S.A. – Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption is a book about Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner and World War II veteran who survived being a prisoner of war.

By author Laura Hillenbrand, Unbroken is a true story about immense cruelty and extreme mischance and the ability to overcome abhorrent feelings through religious faith.

It is the story of how he achieved a good life after going through a terrible one.

He was stuck at sea for approximately 47 days.  Then, the war broke out and he was shipped to several POW camps. That is where he was physically and mentally abused through torture in several camps over the course of two years.

In the POW camp, one of the commanders was out for him specifically. He brought the word hate to a whole new level. Zamperini called him the Bird and called him the worst part of his life.

When the war ended, his torture was over.

He became a heavy drinker and later, a born-again Christian. He wanted to see the Bird again, but he was absolutely nowhere to be found.

The book is amazing. Hillenbrand, who also wrote Seabiscuit, shows how Zamperini persevered and overcame everything he went through. She captured every moment perfectly and is the most incredible author I’ve ever read.

The 2010 book Unbroken, which is a fascinating story, is also the most realistic book I have read about WWII.

More people need to read this book because it’s inspirational, but also because of what he went through.

McKenzie Andersen is a Junior Reporter with Youth Journalism International.

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