Everyone who reads this true-life account of a courageous World War II prisoner of war brings it to me at the library and says, "Have you read this? You should read this! It's incredible!" But, when our Valley book club picked it, I was wary. After all, this was the author of Seabiscuit, a book lauded by critics and readers everywhere, and one that is cemented in my top ten most boring books ever written. I know, I know. I need a little nonfiction in my life, right? Or do I really? Was this one going to be a huge snooze like most of the nonfiction I'd read in the past few years?
The answer is: Mostly no. It is the harrowing story of Lieutenant Louis Zamperini, a former world-class runner, and an airman whose bomber crashes into the Pacific in 1943. But that is just the beginning of this tale of survival. And one would think that being stranded in the middle of the ocean, miles from anything but circling sharks, would be the worst thing that could happen in one man's story. But it's certainly not. In fact, this part of Zamperini's journey seems almost like luxury when compared to the rest of his horrifying experience in the Japanese war camps.
Zamperini's life is truly a testament to the strength of the human spirit and of the human body. It was well worth the read and I did find it inspiring despite the almost unbelievable details that at times were, like Seabiscuit, quite repetitive. But if you can skim or sift through the repetition and focus on the story and the wonderful characterization of Zamperini himself, it's a fast, rewarding read. But I have to say, after the harsh realities of this nonfiction, I'm ready for a little fantasy. Let me know what you think!
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