Thoughts: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Louis Zamperini was a promising tracker in his young age. Already successful during the Olympic Games in 1936, he was determined to get gold in the next Games. But in 1942 the world faces second world war and Louis serves in the Air Force. The Us and Japan are fighting over authority in the Pacific Ocean. One day in 1943 a US bomber crashes in the ocean, leaving only debris, a raft and three crew members among them Louis Zamperini. As they are drifting in the ocean they face leaping sharks, thirst and starvation and enemy aircraft. But beyond all that only a greater trial awaits the men. Louis and his friend Phil have to endure imprisonment in a Japanese POW camp and suddenly all that counts is to get through unbroken.

The book served as an eye-opener for me. I was not aware of the cruelty and the dehumanizing treatment the Japanese inflicted on their prisoners of war. And I was not aware that a human body, soul and mind is able to live through it.

Laura Hillenbrand doesn't hold back. I was overwhelmed by her writing as she made a perfect little package in form of a book, filled with Zamperini's story, which is a true one by the way, and hurled it at the innocent me. I was hit hard and am not willing to forget very soon.