'Unbroken' tells tale of Olympic hopeful, war and redemption

"UNBROKEN: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" by Laura Hillenbrand, Random House, 496 pages, $27 (nf)

It's rare to open a book, read the one-page preface and become so caught up in the story that you don't want to put the book down. But that's exactly the case with Laura Hillenbrand's new book, "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption."

"Unbroken" is the story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who had his dreams of winning a medal come to a screeching halt with the onslaught of World War II.

On May 27, 1943, the plane carrying Zamperini, an Army Air Forces bombardier, and his crewmates crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Known for breaking apart in emergency water landings, Zamperini's B-24 bomber did just that, leaving only a scattering of debris and a slick of oil and gasoline mixed with blood floating on the surface.

Zamperini, Russell Allen Phillips and Francis McNamara were the only ones to emerge from the wreckage. Two of the three would survive 47 days in a raft, fending off sharks and target practice by a Japanese Zero, only to be "rescued" by the enemy.

Growing up, Zamperini was a delinquent who wreaked havoc wherever he went. As a teenager, Zamperini channeled the running skills he'd developed while stealing food from neighbors into a more positive endeavor. Zamperini had a talent for running, breaking records whenever he took to the track. He splashed onto the Olympic scene at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and was within sight of the four-minute mile when World War II erupted.

Zamperini enlisted in the Army Air Forces and became an officer. He survived dangerous missions only to find himself downed while searching for missing comrades.

The will, ingenuity and drive that turned Zamperini into an Olympic runner once again fought to the surface. Time and time again Zamperini's endurance would be pushed to the limits as he endured horrific mental and physical abuse at the hands of his Japanese captors.

Hillenbrand's skill as a storyteller is unparalleled. Her presentation of historical facts is anything but dry. She meticulously weaves together Zamperini's story with that of others in a fast-moving tale that is utterly engrossing. Her prose takes on the tone of a novel without losing its elegant flow and rhythm.

Zamperini's strength of spirit is infectious. Readers will find themselves running side-by-side with him on the University of Southern California track, in the skies above the Pacific and in the barren POW camps scattered throughout Japan.

This is a tale of enduring spirit, but it is also the story of war. Readers should be prepared for an unvarnished account of war and the treatment of prisoners. Though not gratuitous, some of the abuses are very hard to read.

"Unbroken" is an unforgettable narrative that is well worth reading.

e-mail: jharrison@desnews.com