I'm not so much into non-fiction, but this first book was a surprise hit with me. It's called Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.
Laura Hillenbrand wrote this true story - she also wrote Seabiscuit - I never read that book, but loved the movie! Louie Zamperini is the main character in this story. He grows up a rebellious kid who discovers running (love that part of it), he competes in the 1938 Olympics and joins the Air Corp during WWII. He gets shot down in the Pacific Ocean, and survives at sea for over 50 days, but then gets captured by the Japanese. The book mostly takes place in the Japanese POW camps.
I found the accounts of life in the POW camps very interesting, and a totally different perspective than the majority of WWII stories that I have read, which mostly concentrated on the German concentration camps.
It was a great read, and the book ends with Louis participating in the 1998 Nagano Olympic torch relay - oops, I inadvertently told you that he survived the POW camps - it's really a fascinating book!
The other book that I finished was Freedom by Jonathan Franzen.
This was an Oprah Book Club selection. I read The Corrections several years ago. It was quirky, but enjoyable. But Freedom? Kinda whiny, and the ending was just a little too "let's wrap this up with a pretty bow". I didn't feel like the end was authentic to where the story led. It seemed to me that the author said, "Well, this is what the readers will want, so here you go." A little disappointing. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this one.
Finally, in light of recent world events concerning Osama Bin Laden, and the focus on the World Trade Center, I have a book to recommend that was amazing. I read it a few years ago - 102 Minutes: the Untold story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers, by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn.
This story was just amazing, heart breaking, insightful, and emotional! It tells the story of so many of the people trapped in the tower, and the rescue workers. It wrenchingly describes many of the problems the rescuers faced with the building design, and the 102 minutes from the time the first plane crashed to the time when the towers collapsed. It was a wonderful book that I highly recommend!
So what have you been reading lately? Anyone reading on a Kindle? I'm still struggling with loving my Kindle and loving the feel of a book in my hand. And the struggle with loving a book, but not being able to share it with a friend because it's on my Kindle!
Thanks for stopping by today!
I just finished The Lover's Dictionary. A very fast read but so much meaning in its simplicity. I laughed out loud! That's always a good sign.
ReplyDeleteI just signed up for the county library e-book free program! Love the free part - not so crazy about the way the program works. I have to tell you - the ipad reading experience (with ibooks) is fantastic. I completely forgot I was reading on my ipad.
I work in a used book store and read when I can and it is not all the time. I have not read those titles. I read for pure pleasure the book I just finished was Winter Garden by Kristin Hannan. It is fiction about 2 daughters taking a journey into their mothers past. It was a good read. I love the feel of a book so not sure I would ever use a kindle.
ReplyDeleteCathy