UNBROKEN

A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption written by Laura Hillenbrand; author of Seabiscuit: An American Legend.

Book reviews are hard for me to write, I never really know what to say. But I would feel amiss if I did not recognize this book. There are very few books I can say I felt the Spirit while reading-all of them are LDS books/scriptures; until now that is. This book brought tears to my eyes again and again-for his physical pain, his emotional/mental pain, for his loses, for his rotten luck, for the severe cruelty he was singled out to endure, but also for the Spirit I felt during certain parts of this story.

Louis Zamperini has forever etched himself as a gracious hero and idol in my eyes. He has truly triumphed over life, figuring out the correct priorities while leaving out all that we as humans try to eliminate from our lives to become more Christlike and allowing all that is good and righteous in its place. What a great and honorable man and (at the risk of being redundant) I feel honored to have been able to read his story.

The book is honest, real, and uncensored of the cruelties POWs suffered at Japanese camps. The book is very hard to read at times and certain chapters leave you feeling despair and hopelessness for these brave young men who were captured behind enemy lines. But just as Hillenbrand does in "Seabiscuit," she brings out the American hope and dream that conquers all and leaves you feeling proud to be an American.