Unbroken

Do you ever think about reading a particular book and then put it off so many times that you doubt you'll ever truly get around to reading it?

That book for me was Unbrokenby Laura Hillenbrand.  I first heard about it several years ago and considered reading it.  Then I found out it had close to 400 pages of small type and I changed my mind. But the book gained in popularity and I was intrigued again.  It was being made into a movie (a bonus!) and  the main character was a runner (though he was faster and more dedicated than I ever dream to be!).  Still, I hesitated.  History books are not my thing and this book certainly did not look like light bedtime reading.

When Kati put it on the Sisters Book Challenge, that gave me the incentive and motivation to go for it. Reading is sort of like running for me.  Sometime I have push out of my comfort zone and put forth a little more effort than is comfortable...but I'm always glad that I did it!

Unbroken is the true story of Louie Zamperini,  a member of the Army Air Force during World War II  who survived a plane crash and years in a brutal Japanese POW camp. The author shares amazing detail of Zamperini's childhood, early adulthood, and the horrific years of his capture. Knowing almost nothing about the man before I started the book, I found the handful of chapters describing Zamperini's life after the war fascinating.  What a story of forgiveness and redemption! 

The book is peppered with photos which was also a highlight for me.  I love to study photographs, illustrating and cementing what I'm reading.

Now I'm more excited than ever to see the movie.  I think we're number 22 on the library hold list so I have a few weeks to wait!

Have you read Unbroken? Have you seen the movie?  What did you think?