While vacationing in Robson Ranch in Eloy, Arizona, I happened to find a copy of this book in their free lending library. It was a hefty book with small print, but I still recalled Don and Leslie's high recommendation, so I took it on. I'm so glad I did. It's worth the time and worth the pain...the pain because the descriptions of torture in the P.O.W. camps are hard to take. This book was interesting to read on a very comfortable and leisurely vacation; the contrast to my life was stark! And it made me intensely grateful for every morsel of food I was enjoying!
I was amazed by the detailed descriptions...I know that Louis Zamerini had years of time to reflect and remember things, but still it amazes me to read the details of conversations, situations, feelings, engine noises, etc. Incredible! These details really bring the story to life. This World War II pilot had amazing experiences before he became a Japanese P.O.W., and that story is compelling as well. He was quite the out-of-control youth, and it's interesting to read how that energy and dysfunction turns out to serve him well (mostly) in the camp.
I marveled the most at his 41 days in a little life raft before the Japanese caught him. How he fought off sharks with the oars, how he ate an albatross and used its bones to fish with, how inadequate the supplies were, and how the drive to live created so much ingenuity.
This story gave me lots of insight and questions about World War II. As I read, I kept thinking about my dad, who also served in that war. I was anxious to ask him about it...and he read this book too. But the only thing he really had to say about it was that he wondered how truthful all of the stories in the book were...I had the sense that he thought this was a lot of bragging. Interesting reaction! My dad is great about describing how things work mechanically, and tells stories of people, but doesn't focus much on feelings or impressions. I told him that this author had attempted to verify everything she wrote with at least two corroborating witnesses, which had to be a monumental task! The list of her notes and citations is incredible!
I loved her description of finally meeting Louie face to face. Because she was suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, she spent seven years researching and writing this book. She worked from home. Her interviews were conducted by telephone. So when she finally met him, after the book was published, it was heartening to read about their meeting. She also felt very gratified when she was able to make connections with people and things by doing her research that Louie didn't know. That must have been a great and satisfying work. I know the joy doing small things for my dad brings me, so I can happily imagine how satisfying this work was for this author.
It also reminded me about the strength of the tried human spirit. I love to read these stories of triumph in very difficult situations. Louie's ultimate conversion to Christianity was fascinating to read, especially since he was converted by Billie Graham in a tent revival kind of situation. He was able to look back and see God's hand in his life and realize his forgotten promise to serve Him. It was a wonderful conversion story that made the book complete. Without that conversion, Louie's life in post-war American society would have been a tragedy.
