Unbroken (book)
biography of Louis Zamperini by Laura Hillenbrand
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption is a 2010 non-fiction book by Laura Hillenbrand. Unbroken is a biography of World War II veteran Louis Zamperini, a former Olympic track star who survived a plane crash in the Pacific Theater, spent 47 days drifting on a raft, and then survived more than two and a half years as a prisoner of war (POW) in three Japanese POW camps.
Unbroken spent more than four years on The New York Times best seller list, including 14 weeks at number one. It is the 5th longest-running nonfiction best seller of all time.
Background
Inspired by the story Come on SeaBiscuit in childhood, as an adult Hillenbrand wrote Seabiscuit: An American Legend (2001). While researching that novel, Hillenbrand came across a 1938 newspaper article about Zamperini. The discovery led Hillenbrand to tell the story of Zamperini's experience as a prisoner of war (POW) during World War II. “Unbroken” (2010) became a New York Times Bestseller and formed the basis for a feature film.
Synopsis
Zamperini grows up in a Christian home. In his youth, he is a troublemaker in his hometown of Torrance, California, stealing and stashing food, liquor, and cigarettes. He is also bullied for his Italian background.
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