My interest in biographies has grown immensely over the past year or so, and I've read more this year than I have in all my years before. I found myself reading about characters across the board.
I've read about Mrs. Julia Child,
Mr. Benjamin Franklin,
and a horse named Seabiscuit.
These plus a few others have occupied my time and interrupted hours of my sleep because I just couldn't put them down. My most current sleep-depriving book was Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.
This was the second book and biography by Laura Hillenbrand that I've read. When I chose it, I was looking for an Amazon 2010 Editor's Pick. It was number two after The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. (Read more of my Resplendent Moments from earlier this year to learn more about this great book) I had noticed that the author's name seemed familiar, but because I didn't so much as glance at the cover when I downloaded it to my Kindle, I didn't know she is also the author of Seabiscuit. A book I currently own in paperback form and read multiple times a year.
Her writing was amazing. While lying in bed, I physically kicked my legs trying to help Louie Zamperini run faster at the Olympics, I felt my lips swelling from the heat just like the men in the rescue boat, and the pain and humiliation made me cry tears the POWs in the Japanese camps could not release. The ups and downs in the lives of Zamp and Phil had me reading until 3 this morning. When I could barely keep my eyes open I forced myself to turn off the lamp. When I woke up at 8, I instantly reached for my newly decorated Kindle (pictures to come in a later blog) and switched it on.
I love learning the details of lives so great and unfathomable, yet so unknown. Mrs. Hillenbrand is a fabulous writer, and I would like to read her own biography someday. Until then I wait for her next literary work, and encourage you to read about her, and her two books.
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