Originally Posted by
TeeEye7
Stayed up waaaay to late last night to finish:
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (author of Seabiscuit).
One of the best books I've ever read and at times the most difficult due to the subject matter. This is the biography of Louis Zamperini, long distance runner who competed in the 1936 Munich Olympics. With the advent of WWII, Zamparini becomes a navigator in a B-24 crew who crashes in the Pacific and ultimately is captured and interned by the Japanese. The book is very direct about Zamparini's captivity without being overly graphic. Zamparini was held for almost three years and endured unbelievable abuse (Japan did not recognize the Geneva Convention during the War). Reading of his constant abuse proved difficult for me at times and I would have to put the book down. Also, when Hillenbrand describes the Zamparini family's attempts to come to grips with the reports of Louis being declared missing, then ultimately killed in action was another difficult read, as my family, too, is a Gold Star family.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you are a fan of distance running and a WWII buff. Hillenbrand has done a magnificent job of research in presenting Zamparini's running career from its earliest stages as well as documenting many, many aspects of the World War II experience.
JimJamBonds: a must read for you if you haven't already done so, sir!