Laura Hillenbrand

There's an alternate cover edition here Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more coverage than FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. But his success was a surprise to the racing establishment, which had written off the crooked-legged racehorse with the sad tail. Three men changed Seabiscuit’s fortunes:Charles Howard was a onetime bicycle repairman who introduced the automobile to the western United States and became an overnight millionaire. When he needed a trainer for his new racehorses, he hired Tom Smith, a mysterious mustang breaker from the Colorado plains. Smith urged Howard to buy Seabiscuit for a bargain-basement price, then hired as his jockey Red Pollard, a failed boxer who was blind in one eye, half-crippled, and prone to quoting passages from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Over four years, these unlikely partners survived a phenomenal run of bad fortune, conspiracy, and severe injury to transform Seabiscuit from a neurotic, pathologically indolent also-ran into an American sports icon. Author Laura Hillenbrand brilliantly re-creates a universal underdog story, one that proves life is a horse race.From the Hardcover edition.

On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane's bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War. The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he'd been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown. Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

ACUM ÎNTR-O ECRANIZARE DE EXCEPȚIE! În această carte tulburătoare, Laura Hillenbrand repovestește pentru tineri uluitoarea odisee a lui Louis Zamperini, delincvent incorigibil în adolescență, care a izbutit să-și canalizeze spiritul rebel spre atletism, ajungând să participe la Jocurile Olimpice de Vară de la Berlin din 1936 în cursa de 5 000 m. După începerea celui de-al Doilea Război Mondial, a devenit aviator și a luat parte la campaniile de pe Frontul din Pacific, prăbușindu-se cu avionul în spatele liniilor inamice. A supraviețuit 47 de zile într-o barcă de salvare, plutind 3 200 km pe apele infestate de rechini, doar pentru a fi salvat și a ajunge în cele mai îngrozitoare lagăre de concentrare nipone. În ciuda tuturor adversităților, tânărul a izbutit să nu se dea batut însă, păstrându-și demnitatea și omenia. Viața lui Louis reprezintă o mărturie cutremurătoare a capacității de rezistență, a ingeniozității și dăruirii de care poate fi capabilă o ființă umană, fiind, paradoxal, deloc tragică, ci de-a dreptul înălțătoare. O adevarată poveste despre supraviețuire și optimism.

The #1 New York Times bestseller, which is also a major motion picture directed by Angelina Jolie, has now been adapted by the author for young adults. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this riveting biography includes more than 100 black-and-white photos, as well as exclusive content, "In Conversation," with Laura Hillenbrand and Louie Zamperini. “Every young person should have the chance to read this book. It’s easy to think, growing up, that bravery is for other people, who are simply born heroic. But nothing about Louis marked him out for greatness. He started out as a misfit and troublemaker, but became a great man because of his choices. His story shows that everyone has the potential to rise above obstacles. It is not where you start out in life that counts the most, it is how you choose to face it."—Angelina JolieOn a May afternoon in 1943, an American military plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary sagas of the Second World War. The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. As a boy, he had been a clever delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and stealing. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a supreme talent that carried him to the Berlin Olympics. But when war came, the athlete became an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown. Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a sinking raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would respond to desperation with ingenuity, suffering with hope and humor, brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would hang on the fraying wire of his will. In this captivating young adult edition of her award-winning #1 New York Times bestseller, Laura Hillenbrand tells the story of a man’s breathtaking odyssey and the courage, cunning, and fortitude he found to endure and overcome. Lavishly illustrated with more than one hundred photographs and featuring an exclusive interview with Zamperini, Unbroken will introduce a new generation to one of history’s most thrilling survival epics.Praise for Unbroken"This adaptation of Hillenbrand's adult bestseller is highly dramatic and exciting, as well as painful to read as it lays bare man's hellish inhumanity to man."--Booklist, STARRED"This captivating book emphasizes the importance of determination, the will to survive against impossible odds, and support from family and friends. A strong, well-written work."--School Library Journal"This fine adaptation ably brings an inspiring tale to young readers."--Kirkus ReviewsFrom the Hardcover edition.

Louie Zamperini, niño problemático, atleta olímpico, aviador en la Segunda Guerra Mundial, náufrago en el Pacífico Sur, prisionero de los japoneses… un superviviente. Hijo de inmigrantes italianos en Estados Unidos de la década de 1920. En ese momento pocos apostaban porque Louie sobreviviera a sus años de estudiante. Para evitar que se metiera en problemas y madurara, su hermano lo apuntó al equipo de atletismo del colegio. En 1936 ya formaba parte del equipo olímpico y muchos aseguraban que rompería grandes récords, pero dejó el deporte para alistarse como bombardero en las fuerzas aéreas americanas en la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Derribado sobre el Pacífico Sur, sobrevivió en un bote salvavidas durante más de un mes hasta ser rescatado por los japoneses. Sus salvadores fueron también sus torturadores y durante dos años en campos de prisioneros sus captores trataron de romper su espíritu fuerte y optimista a base de terribles abusos.