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Devil at My Heels Paperback – February 3, 2004
| Louis Zamperini (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
| David Rensin (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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“An extraordinary story of war and a touching tale of the triumph of love.”
—James Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers
Devil at My Heels is the riveting, astonishing, and inspirational memoir of one of the greatest of the Greatest Generation: U.S. Olympian, World War II bombardier, Japanese POW, and survivor Louis Zamperini. His story of courage and resilience is so extraordinary that Lauren Hillebrand, author of Seabiscuit, made it the subject of her acclaimed bestseller, Unbroken. But Devil at My Heels is Zamperini’s remarkable personal history in his own words—a gripping, first-hand account of every trial, torment, escape, and remarkable triumph—with an introduction by Senator John McCain, himself a former Air Force flyer and prisoner of war.
- Print length308 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarperCollins
- Publication dateFebruary 3, 2004
- Dimensions5.25 x 0.77 x 8 inches
- ISBN-100060934212
- ISBN-13978-0060934217
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From the Back Cover
The "inspirational" and "extraordinary" memoir of one of the most courageous of the greatest generation, Louis Zamperini: Olympian, WWII Japanese POW and survivor.
A juvenile delinquent, a world class NCAA miler, a 1936 Olympian, a WWII bombardier: Louis Zamperini had a fuller than most, when it changed in an instant. On May 27, 1943, his B–24 crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Louis and two other survivors found a raft amid the flaming wreckage and waited for rescue. Instead, they drifted two thousand miles for forty–seven days. Their only food: two shark livers and three raw albatross. Their only water: sporadic rainfall. Their only companions: hope and faith–and the ever–present sharks. On the forty–seventh day, mere skeletons close to death, Zamperini and pilot Russell Phillips spotted land–and were captured by the Japanese. Thus began more than two years of torture and humiliation as a prisoner of war.
Zamperini was threatened with beheading, subject to medical experiments, routinely beaten, hidden in a secret interrogation facility, starved and forced into slave labour, and was the constant victim of a brutal prison guard nicknamed the Bird–a man so vicious that the other guards feared him and called him a psychopath. Meanwhile, the Army Air Corps declared Zamperini dead and President Roosevelt sends official condolences to his family, who never gave up hope that he was alive.
Somehow, Zamperini survived and he returned home a hero. The celebration was short–lived. He plunged into drinking and brawling and the depths of rage and despair. Nightly, the Bird's face leered at him in his dreams. It would take years, but with the love of his wife and the power of faith, he was able to stop the nightmares and the drinking.
A stirring memoir from one of the greatest of the "Greatest Generation," DEVIL AT MY HEELS is a living document about the brutality of war, the tenacity of the human spirit, and the power of forgiveness.
About the Author
Louis Zamperini is the subject of Lauren Hillenbrand's critically acclaimed biography Unbroken, the research for which was conducted over the course of more than 75 phone calls between Zamperini and the author, resulting in hundreds of hours of interviews. Zamperini is a regular lecturer, appearing before student groups, veterans, troubled youth, sports clubs, senior citizens, and religious organizations. Zamperini, now 93, lives in Hollywood, and only recently gave up skateboarding.
David Rensin has written and cowritten thirteen books, five of them New York Times bestsellers. He lives in Los Angeles.
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Product details
- Publisher : HarperCollins; Reprint edition (February 3, 2004)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 308 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0060934212
- ISBN-13 : 978-0060934217
- Item Weight : 9.5 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.25 x 0.77 x 8 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #645,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #52 in Prisoners of War History
- #2,065 in WWII Biographies
- #6,181 in World War II History (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors

David Rensin is the coauthor of show business legend Bernie Brillstein’s widely lauded memoir, Where Did I Go Right, as well as Olympian Louis Zamperini’s World War II survival saga, Devil At My Heels and composer/performer Yanni’s memoir, Yanni: In Words. Rensin also co-wrote Tim Allen’s #1 bestseller Don’t Stand Too Close To a Naked Man and Allen’s follow-up bestseller, I’m Not Really Here. He has co-written bestsellers with Chris Rock, Jeff Foxworthy, and Garry Shandling, and co-authored a groundbreaking humorous sociology of men named Bob, called The Bob Book. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.

Louis Zamperini appears regularly before students from primary schools to colleges, veterans groups, troubled youth, sports clubs, senior citizens, and religious organizations. Zamperini is eighty-six, lives in Hollywood, California, and only recently gave up skateboarding.
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Zamperini’s became so adept at running that he not only beat out other high school athletes, but older, seasoned athletes as well. In 1936, he competed in the Olympics in Germany; however, he came in eighth.
After the Olympics, he attended the University of Southern California where he set national collegiate records. But in 1941, he enlisted in the Army’s Air Corp, was appointed a Lieutenant, and stationed in the Pacific Islands.
In 1943, while scouting for a missing airplane, his plane crashed into the ocean with 11 crewmen on board. Three survived. Zamperini and two other men drifted in the Pacific Ocean for 47 days.
I believe Zamperini had developed his survival skills, not only from his streetwise adolescence, but his love of running. Sports had been the reversal from a tough-hardened, troublesome youth, you would believe incorrigible, to a resilient, dedicated, focused young man. While adrift at sea, Zamperini remained levelheaded, caring for his wounded friend, Phil, while the other man, Mac, panicked. Several times, Zamperini had to slap Mac during his hysterical outbursts. Mac gobbled down all the fortified chocolate, sabotaging the trio’s effort to have rations. Meanwhile, the Army listed Zamperini and crew as dead at sea.
Zamperini caught birds that perched on their raft, and fish and small sharks for them to eat. In the meantime, he used psychology to keep the men buoyant. He promised God he would serve him if he ever returned home alive.
The Japanese Navy rescued them on their forty-seventh day at sea, near the Solomon Islands. Only Zamperini and Phil survived. Mac had succumbed at sea two weeks prior.
Gaunt-like and weakened, Zamperini and Phil were separated once they reached their destination. As prisoners of war, the men, Australians and Americans, were sadistically beaten by their captors. One leader, in particular, Watanabe, singled out Zamperini, brutally beating him almost daily. Yet, a toughened Zamperini remained positive and motivated in the face of difficulties.
The war ended in August 1945. At that time, Zamperini was filled with hatred and rage. He wanted to wreak vengeance on Watanabe. Watanabe had escaped the camp before the POWs were freed.
Zamperini received a hero’s welcome when he finally returned to the United States. In 1946, after a two to three month courtship, he married Cynthia Applewhite, became financially adroit in real estate and then lost all of his money with a quick get rich swindler.
Like numerous veterans returning from the war, Zamperini developed an addiction. His alcohol dependency almost destroyed his marriage, because of his partying and drinking.
The couple lived in a small, cramped apartment with their infant daughter. He had forgotten his promise to God, dedicating his life to Him.
Cynthia began to attend tent revivals with Reverend Billy Graham. After the war, Zamperini no longer believed in church and had forbidden Cynthia to attend. Although a loving and dutiful wife, Cynthia decided to attend church without Zamperini’s permission. She began to coax him to attend too. The first time he attended, he walked out. The second time, Zamperini appeared, he became a member and was given a book with the Gospel of John.
Zamperini converted, devoted his life to God; he ceased partying and drinking, and prayed for strength to forgive his wartime captors.
Zamperini became a sought after speaker on the lecture circuit for the church, as well as other organizations, earning enough money to care for his family. Eventually, he returned to Japan as a guest speaker. After listening to Zamperini speak, several audience members became Christian disciples. He visited the prison where numerous known prison guards were detained. He forgave them. Watanabe was not amongst them. Later with Bob Simon from Sixty Minutes, he discovered Watanabe had lived in the mountains during the siege of Japan.
Zamperini had suffered nightmares, alcoholism, and almost the loss of his family from the war. He frequently dreamt of Watanabe. When Zamperini saw Watanabe face-to-face five years later, he forgave him.
Zamperini developed a camp for trouble youth in the Sierras Mountains of California.
This book concerns the author’s reckless prepubescent life, his transformation as an outstanding runner in high school, an Olympian in 1936, lieutenant promoted to Captain in the U. S. Army Air Corp, a POW in Japan, where fortitude enabled him to bear adversity with courage.
After the war, he addressed his downward spiral of alcoholism, becoming reformed, and devoted his life to Christ.
This is an outstanding book for families to realize how war deprives you of a complete person when your loved one returns home, and how love, fervent perseverance in prayer, understanding and psychological help is the breakthrough.
The book also reveals how Zamperini, pivoted from being a troubled youth to sports, which boosted his morale, built a relationship with peers, instilled confidence, leadership qualities, and the ability to be socially interactive.
I gave this book four stars.
Top reviews from other countries
Fascinating to read the full version of the story. God is good.








