Unbroken By Laura Hillenbrand
In 2010, Laura Hillenbrand released a brilliant tribute to a resilient national hero, Louis “Louie” Zamperini, whose story was not widely known at the time. Fast forward four years and this tribute, Unbroken, has been made into a major motion picture and the remarkable story of the Olympian-turned-soldier has reached the masses.
In the book Unbroken, which I read shortly after it was released, Hillenbrand chronicles Zamperini’s epic and, at times, terrifying odyssey. Raised in California, he was the son of Italian immigrants. Although he spoke little English during his early years and had a childhood marked with bullying and disciplinary problems, Zamperini went on to earn a scholarship to the University of Southern California, thanks to his extraordinary athleticism as a runner. Zamperini was so gifted a runner that he qualified for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. While he did not win, his performance in the 5000-meter race gained him worldwide recognition. He returned to the University of California and eventually enlisted in the US Army Air Corp. Sadly, a bomber he was serving on crashed off the coast of Hawaii, killing 8 of the 11 men on board. One of three survivors, Zamperini was eventually captured by the Japanese Navy after 47 days lost at sea. He endured two years of torture as a prisoner-of-war. After his release, Zamperini spent years …show more content…
Her use of imagery enhanced the emotional power of his tale. Never will I forget the triumph in the scene where a 19-year old Zamperini tied Don Lash for first place in the U.S. Olympic qualifying meet in the 5000-meter run, nor will I forget the despair when he and his two surviving crewmates were floating helplessly in the Pacific Ocean, sharing the water with dozens of sharks below. I continue to be inspired by the courage and tenacity he displayed while defying the tormentors that held him
In the book Unbroken, which I read shortly after it was released, Hillenbrand chronicles Zamperini’s epic and, at times, terrifying odyssey. Raised in California, he was the son of Italian immigrants. Although he spoke little English during his early years and had a childhood marked with bullying and disciplinary problems, Zamperini went on to earn a scholarship to the University of Southern California, thanks to his extraordinary athleticism as a runner. Zamperini was so gifted a runner that he qualified for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. While he did not win, his performance in the 5000-meter race gained him worldwide recognition. He returned to the University of California and eventually enlisted in the US Army Air Corp. Sadly, a bomber he was serving on crashed off the coast of Hawaii, killing 8 of the 11 men on board. One of three survivors, Zamperini was eventually captured by the Japanese Navy after 47 days lost at sea. He endured two years of torture as a prisoner-of-war. After his release, Zamperini spent years …show more content…
Her use of imagery enhanced the emotional power of his tale. Never will I forget the triumph in the scene where a 19-year old Zamperini tied Don Lash for first place in the U.S. Olympic qualifying meet in the 5000-meter run, nor will I forget the despair when he and his two surviving crewmates were floating helplessly in the Pacific Ocean, sharing the water with dozens of sharks below. I continue to be inspired by the courage and tenacity he displayed while defying the tormentors that held him