This book is on many “Best of 2011” lists and I understand why – it is certainly on mine. It is a true story but does not read like dry nonfiction, overly steeped in fact. It reads smoothly and easily, much like Hillenbrand’s Seabiscuit, a favorite book of mine. She is talented in taking truth and reality and making the reader desire more – the ease of her writing, the feeling that she can’t deny or make these things up and her dedication to making the book the best retelling possible…well, I, for one, appreciate her hard work.
This true story is about Louis Zamperini, a World War II Air Force soldier whose plane goes down in the Pacific Ocean. The story tells of precocious – and trust me, that is a nice word for it – Zamperini in his youth years and how it all actually prepared him for his life and what was to come. The book’s dust jacket and promotional materials really don’t say much more than that and after reading the book, I understand why – you don’t want to spoil the story. I will share more here, but if you don’t want to know, move onto the next paragraph. Zamperini and some fellow soldiers are adrift for some time, fighting hunger, weather and sharks. Soon they are rescued, but by Japanese soldiers and are forced into their camp and a slow, long and breaking experience follows as Zamperini is a POW for many years. These years make up much of the book and you hurt for him and wonder when and how he will survive – I knew Hillenbrand had interviewed him so I knew he made it out, but my goodness , there are times you wonder. The book is not touted as a story of Christian redemption, but Zamperini does find the Lord and you see firsthand the amazing work God can do in the heart of men. The story does leave you with great hope and belief in the grace of God.
I am not sure if you have read Seabiscuit (it was made into a movie as well), but I recommend that one as well. In fact, I liked it more than Unbroken, but Hillenbrand has blessed us with both books. Her writing is very interesting to me – Hillenbrand is gifted with telling sad, often cringingly painful stories and showing the grace and light in them. She must be drawn to stories of redemption. As a Christian, I find that the best stories are stories of redemption and our natural human need for it. We know somewhere in us that we need to be saved and while we try many things to rescue us – relationships, money, success, whatever your heart leans toward – there is a sense that we need it. I think of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, “Hamlet,” “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” – even the Harry Potters, for crying out loud – they are archetypal characters and stories that seem to keep coming up in the best of all our books. I know the trend is toward hopelessness – first time David saw “Mad Men,” he said that it was the most depressing thing he had ever seen – and I know it is “in,” but I think that is a sign that we have tried many saviors and redeemers and none are coming close to filling us as the Lord can.
Read Unbroken and Seabiscuit – she is one of our most gifted writers and I want you to know her writing.
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