Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Did you see the movie or read the book, Seabiscuit? Laura Hillenbrand is the author of that book as well.
Unbroken is a true World War II story. Louis Zamperini was a teammate of Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics in Munich, Germany. He was a superb runner and was thought to be the first person who would break the 4 minute mile mark. His running career was cut short by the war.
Louis left college in California to become a member of the U.S. Army Air Force. He was sent to a base on the Hawaiian Islands and became a gunner on a B-24 bomber. His plane was shot down. Louis was one of three men who survived the water crash into the Pacific Ocean. As he and 2 crewmates floated for over 47 days they became living skeletons. One man died. Finally, an island loomed. Unfortunately it was Japanese occupied. Louis was captured. For several years he was a Prisoner of War, traveling to several camps.

The Japanese were brutal in their treatment of POW's. I find it hard to believe Louis survived, but he did. Starvation, torture.....it was all in the realm of the Japanese mistreatment of soldiers. It really is an incredible story of survival and one that will stick with me a long time.