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Unbroken
Excellent, excellent, excellent. Read this for book club and was very moved by his experiences. And I know that I could never have come to his decision regarding those experiences.
This was a really fascinating and engaging book. I look forward to discussing it!
I'm glad to hear such positive comments. I just started reading it yesterday. I am looking forward to the discussion!
I read this when it first came out and it remains one of my all-time favorites, something I always recommend. It reads like fiction, but knowing that it's a true story makes it even more enjoyable. Can't wait to hear what others think!
Love this book. It explains WHY my dad and father-in law did not want to talk about experience in the war. Will be good to discuss
Lori wrote: "Welcome to July's group discussion of UNBROKEN. This book was nominated by Karol... so Karol will be taking the lead here this month. Please welcome her and have a great time chatting about your ..."
Thanks everyone! When you say I take the lead, what does that mean? I will start reading it first, of course. Should I formulate some questions?
Here's the first question:Hillenbrand explores the extraordinary risks faced by America’s WWII airmen: 54,000 men killed in combat, 36,000 killed in noncombat aircraft accidents, and a stunning 15,000 men killed in stateside training—at times, an average of 19 per day. Men faced a 50% chance of being killed during combat tours of only 30-40 missions. Were you aware of the dangers faced by airmen in the Pacific war? What facts and stories were most surprising to you?
Mod
Asking questions, leading the discussion as the members read, prompting reactions as the month goes along, that's exactly it!
My dad flew C-47's in the Pacific during WWII. He dropped supplies over areas of fighting and landed in some areas re-fueled while the supplies were unloaded and flew out again. He hardly ever talked about it. I only learned about the dangers in high school not from him.
I am really enjoying this book. I had no idea of the dangers faced by the airmen. I was astonished when I read how many men were killed in noncombat accidents. I have had customers at my work tell me some stories about fighting in WWII. No on in my family was involved in the war, so I'm happy to hear stories from others. I am glad that we are reading this. It has been on my list for a while.
That leads me to my next question, Has anyone in your family or have any friends fought in WWII? If so, any memorable experiences to share here?
My grandfather (no longer alive) on my mom's side fought in WWII and lost one of his eyes as a result. Can't remember exactly how he lost it but he had a glass eye afterwards. I also know a Japanese man--still alive--who was in an internment camp in California back then.
I've found that most people who were involved in the war don't really like to talk about it. My great-grandfather fought in the war, but to this day, has never spoken a word about his time there. I think his mindset is that it was something that he was called to do, but there is no sense in reliving the things he experienced. I also have a great aunt who was a nurse during the war. She has been much more willing to speak about her experiences, even the parts that are hard to talk about.
This leads me to wonder as to what makes some people more willing to speak about their time, let alone write a book, than others.
Great question. I don't have anyone who fought in WWII, but my dad was in the Army in Korea just after the war. He did not talk about his experience very much. I could tell there were things unpleasant he didn't want to discuss, even if asked. I tried to respect that, but I was also curious about some things he did there. He did share just general information sometimes. I have talked with many WWII veterans who were willing to share their experiences. There are so many stories. I've never heard anything repeated or any similar to others already shared. I've met airmen, those who served on ships and submarines, some from Pearl Harbor, some who served overseas on land, and they all had amazing stories. I like to take the time to listen and thank them for their service. Karol wrote: "That leads me to my next question,
Has anyone in your family or have any friends fought in WWII? If so, any memorable experiences to share here?
My grandfather (no longer alive) on my mom's side f..."
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book -- if you can say that about a book in which so many suffer. When I started it, I thought it would be hard to get through but I actually found it had to put down.My father did serve in WWII and he was not very forthcoming about what he did during the war.
Karol wrote: "That leads me to my next question, Has anyone in your family or have any friends fought in WWII? If so, any memorable experiences to share here?
My grandfather (no longer alive) on my mom's side f..."
My Dad was in WWII and, like others, never talked about it, but was eventually urged by brother to write it down and submit it to a national library (cannot remember what one) that was collecting the memories before he died.
I just finished this book tonight. I really enjoyed learning about his life and all of what he had to endure. So far this is one of the best nonfiction books I have read. What I learned from reading this will stick with me for a very long time.
This is a wonderful, heartbreaking story and I'm looking forward to watching the movie. You can see a bunch of terrific interviews of Louie Zamperini on YouTube and he's just as feisty as ever. You can see my review of the book here.
I read this a couple of years ago. Here's a portion of my review:
Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand
Audio book performed by Edward Hermann
5***** and a ❤
The POW’s tale is harrowing, horrifying and ultimately inspirational. Hillenbrand is a master at writing nonfiction with a pace and structure that reads like a thriller. The characters are as alive to the reader as if they were sitting across the table telling their stories. Sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures assault the reader’s senses.
I was transfixed from the beginning. I’m sure if I had been reading the traditional format I would have finished in a couple of days. Listening to the CDs on my daily commute, I found myself “going the long way,” driving around the block, and sitting in the driveway to listen to just one more track. Edward Herrmann is a fine actor and does a great job narrating this story. Unlike many audio books, he makes no effort to change his voice for the various characters; he maintains the “narrator’s” voice throughout and that is fine.
Link to my full review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
My father served 33 months in the Pacific theater during WW 2. His unit was among the first to go into Hiroshima after we dropped the bomb to assist with clean-up. He rarely talked about his service and never in any detail .. until ..My husband is a Vietnam veteran - infantry platoon leader with a purple heart and a disability rating. When Hubby and Daddy met the floodgates opened and Daddy began sharing stories with his fellow war veteran. We were smart enough to just listen and we learned much more about Daddy's experiences than we ever had before. Even my mother didn't know he had been at Hiroshima 20 days after we dropped the bomb!
I'm only beginning Part II now. After reading all your comments, though, it sounds like its a book worth finishing. Part I already captured my attention.
Interesting--and understandable--that people would not want to talk about their war experiences. I was in a writing group with a man who was in the Korean war. Sometime after he got home, he was in his yard playing catch with his son when he had a flashback to war, thought there were land mines all around him and was afraid to make a step or have his son make a step. He wrote an essay about that experience and it really helped me to understand what it's like for some war veterans. Which leads me to my next question (warning: a spoiler for those who haven't read about half the book):Louie endures much hardship during his time lost at sea and as a POW. What scene was more horrific to you? What was most surprising? How do you think people survive these mental and physical hardships without losing their minds?
Both of my grandfathers fought in World War II. This book gives me a better sense of what life was like for those men in the war. As a former high school history teacher, I can't say I was surprised by some of the atrocities committed during the war, but Unbroken brings them to a personal level as we're able to see the effect on individual human beings, rather than text book statistics. Unbroken is an emotionally exhausting read, but a must read for those wanting to learn more about WWII history. A wonderful book - captivating even for those who are not interested in history. It kept me on the edge of my seat. Thanks for nomination, Karol!
As I've reflected on people's willingness to share about their war time experiences, I've also pondered the idea that younger generations are more willing to share. I have many friends who have served in the wars in the middle east, and they have been fairly forthcoming about their experiences. With social media, it seems the ability to share is much more accessible.
Moderator has some comments and questions for ya'all.As a youngster, Louie lead a life of petty crime. In the times we live in now, his behavior would not be considered desirable. Back then, however, it may have been fairly standard. Did the description of Louie as a youth make you like him? Did you admire his tenacity or another personality trait?
The author seems to say that Louie's maverick behavior conditioned him to stay alive at war. What specific qualities do you feel helped him survive? Were there things he could have done differently, do you think?
I dont blame Louie for doing what he did. It was a lesson to me to somehow be a positive & encouraging influence. Having others "step up to the plate" to look for the good in others is a good challenge to me. This proves that most are not beyond help - if encouraged in the right direction.
I'm still in the process of reading 'Unbroken'...incredible, loving it! As for does ones childhood and early set of circumstances offer one a 'backpack' from which to draw from in life to deal with life's events... I surely do think so. Louie had a diverse set of circumstances, his rebellious nature, his Olympic training and his Air Force training on which to draw from...some very strong & powerful experiences.
Liz wrote: "My Dad was in WWII and, like others, never talked about it, but was eventually urged by brother to write it down and submit it to a national library (cannot remember what one) that was collecting the memories before he died...."Liz, my father wrote an autobiography for our family, and it included a lot of details about his participation in WWII. We submitted the autobiography to the National Archives, because they have a program called The Veterans History Project, where they are trying to collect as much first-person testimony from veterans of all wars. They take memoirs, photos, interviews, letters... whatever they can get to add to the collection. My father was thrilled to have his autobiography included in the National Archives. Is this also where your dad's autobiography was submitted?
I am really just lurking here, watching the discussion. I think Hillenbrand is an excellent biographer.
Hillenbrand is such a brilliant writer. I can't imagine another author making this content readable for me. I am so sensitive to other's suffering that reading books like this can be painful. As it was, I had to skip sections as I couldn't bear to read of the torture. But the story is fascinating. Louie was such a vivacious and obnoxious child. I do think those qualities helped him survive. I think these days Louie would've ended up in juvie, or at least kicked out of school for his antics. I was also fascinated by the role his brother played in his life. The whole family was so close, really touching.. What the men did on the boat to survive especially awed and impressed me. What a man and what a story. Thanks for choosing it this month.
Moderator: thanks for the answers and comments everyone. I do think that one's personality traits affect their resiliency in life, no question. I've always been kind of deviant against certain authority figures and I'm definitely not a "follower". And, like Louie, t's something I have to watch as it can also get me in trouble (not just out of trouble). For fun I'm including this resiliency quiz. http://www.resiliency.com/free-articl...Next discussion question is borrowed from a website:
After the war, Louie would say that of all the horrors he witnessed and experienced in the war, the death of the little duck, Gaga, was the worst. Why was this event especially wrenching for him and the other POWs?
Karol wrote: "Moderator: thanks for the answers and comments everyone. I do think that one's personality traits affect their resiliency in life, no question. I've always been kind of deviant against certain auth..."That was one of the parts I had to skip...can't handle reading about cruelty to animals. Maybe, like me, they felt the sweet duck's innocence and moral purity made it even sadder when it was abused? You can get so close to animals and when they are hurt...it crushes a tender part of your heart like no other...
I read this book a while back, so cannot recall exactly what happened to the duck...but it does bring to mind all the stories of dogs being reunited to U.S. soldiers after leaving Afganistan. The bonds that soldiers create while serving on their tours -- with each other or an animal -- must be especially meaningful and strong.
I feel that the duck proved just how people would do things just because they had the power to do them and for no good reason. I can see how Gaga's tortured death would have weighed heavily on him. So much pain was inflicted on the innocent during WWII and the duck was no different.
Karol wrote: "Moderator: thanks for the answers and comments everyone. I do think that one's personality traits affect their resiliency in life, no question. I've always been kind of defiant against certain auth..."I accidentally put deviant when I meant defiant...big diff! LOL
I just learned they are to make a movie of this book. Can you think of some actors who would be good in the roles of Louie, Francis aka Mack, Phillips (both in the lifeboat with him), the Bird, Pete and other family members? Are you looking forward to seeing the movie or not?
Karol wrote: "I just learned they are to make a movie of this book. Can you think of some actors who would be good in the roles of Louie, Francis aka Mack, Phillips (both in the lifeboat with him), the Bird, Pet..."I'd love to see Bradley Cooper, but I don't think he's young enough. I'm not very current on the younger actors. Don't you think they'd have to be in their early 20's to pull it off?
I too think it should be someone younger, but then Hollywood gets their own ideas. They're casting Ben Affleck in the lead for Gone Girl...I think he's about a decade too old for that role.
Karol wrote: "Here's the first question:Hillenbrand explores the extraordinary risks faced by America’s WWII airmen: 54,000 men killed in combat, 36,000 killed in noncombat aircraft accidents, and a stunning 15..."
Only about a quarter of the way through the book currently but I do recall being horrified when reading these statistics! 50%! How did these men mentally manage to wake in the morning knowing this is beyond me. Also, I had no idea that so many men died by accidents and mechanical failures. It's appalling and difficult to imagine with the way safety measures are in this day and age.
I'm only 1/4 of the way into this book also but am loving it.What a great story and who better to tell it than Hillenbrand. I was amazed about all the airmen killed in noncombat circumstances. These people were all heros to even get up every morning and have to face the horrors of war.
Louie was a terror when he was young, but society in those days helped bring a person with his daring personality into focus. Today he would be in jail.
I don't know anyone who was in WWII, but do have a military family, my Dad was Air Force and in Korea, my husband's father was Army, hubby was Army and in Viet Nam, older son Army in counter intelligence, younger son in Air Force and two nephews, one in Marines and other in Navy.
We go to a diner quite often and see a few older men in their baseball caps that say WWII. I will definitely be looking on them in a different light after this book.
I recently read this book and I have to agree with my fellow readers that this book is a tremendous read. The cost in human lives was unbelievable and you do get an appreciation of what it was like to serve in all wars. In addition to Unbroken, I just finished a novel about World War I and it gives that same gritty feeling of what it was like. While I don't know many who have served recently, I think it is easy to believe that they do have faced the same trials.
Kristie wrote: "I too think it should be someone younger, but then Hollywood gets their own ideas. They're casting Ben Affleck in the lead for Gone Girl...I think he's about a decade too old for that role."Kim wrote: "Karol wrote: "I just learned they are to make a movie of this book. Can you think of some actors who would be good in the roles of Louie, Francis aka Mack, Phillips (both in the lifeboat with him),..."
Karol: I would like to see an unknown cast in the role of Louie--someone who displays intelligence and willfulness and can run fast.
I read this book and most people on the thread thought it was a wonderful read. I'm really thankful for the book club because I don't think I would have read it if it had not been a book club pick. Seen an interview with the real Louie on CBS; it was very interesting learning stuff about the war that I didn't know. I have recommended this book to several other people.
Mod
What did you guys think? Was this preferable to just voting on the book and commenting at will?
I enjoyed it more, it gave me something to respond to. I just finished the book last night and it will probably be on my favorites list for the year. Thanks Karol. : )
really liked the author's way of story telling and learnt a lot ..
I never had time to read this in August, but it is coming up in a local book club for October. Eagerly awaiting beginning this book after readying all the commentary here.
Just bought it. Wanted to check out THE BUZZ.Thanks everybody for the insights. Can't wait to get started.
Hope you enjoy it. I'm looking forward to the movie.
Paula wrote: "Hope you enjoy it. I'm looking forward to the movie."With Jack O’Connell as Zamperini, and Angelina Jolie directing.
Janice George(JG) wrote: "Paula wrote: "Hope you enjoy it. I'm looking forward to the movie."With Jack O’Connell as Zamperini, and Angelina Jolie directing.
Just talked to my Dad yesterday and he's the one who had recommended the book to me. We are going to see the movie together.
Please welcome her and have a great time chatting about your thoughts and feelings on this month's read-a-long.
Oh, and be sure to cover up your spoilers while you have at it!!