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Devil at My Heels: A Heroic Olympian's Astonishing Story of Survival as a Japanese POW in World War II Paperback – November 1, 2011

by Louis Zamperini (Author), David Rensin (Author)

4.7 1,978 ratings

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The bestselling autobiography of the legendary Louis Zamperini, hero of the blockbuster Unbroken.

A modern classic by an American legend, Devil at My Heels is the riveting and deeply personal memoir by U.S. Olympian, World War II bombardier, and POW survivor Louis Zamperini. His inspiring story of courage, resilience, and faith has captivated readers and audiences of Unbroken, now a major motion picture directed by Angelina Jolie. In Devil at My Heels, his official autobiography (co-written with longtime collaborator David Rensin), Zamperini shares his own first-hand account of extraordinary journey—hailed as “one of the most incredible American lives of the past century” (People).

A youthful troublemaker, a world-class NCAA miler, a 1936 Olympian, a WWII bombardier: Louis Zamperini had a fuller life than most. But on May 27, 1943, it all changed in an instant when his B-24 crashed into the Pacific Ocean, leaving Louis and two other survivors drifting on a raft for forty-seven days and two thousand miles, waiting in vain to be rescued. And the worst was yet to come when they finally reached land, only to be captured by the Japanese. Louis spent the next two years as a prisoner of war—tortured and humiliated, routinely beaten, starved and forced into slave labor—while the Army Air Corps declared him dead and sent official condolences to his family. On his return home, memories of the war haunted him nearly destroyed his marriage until a spiritual rebirth transformed him and led him to dedicate the rest of his long and happy life to helping at-risk youth.

Told in Zamperini’s own voice, Devil at My Heels is an unforgettable memoir from one of the greatest of the “Greatest Generation,” a living document about the brutality of war, the tenacity of the human spirit, and the power of faith.

Print length

292 pages
Language

English
Publication date

November 1, 2011
Dimensions

5.31 x 0.76 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0062118854
ISBN-13

978-0062118851
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A youthful troublemaker, a world-class NCAA miler, a 1936 Olympian, a WWII bombardier: Louis Zamperini had a fuller life than most. But on May 27, 1943, it all changed in an instant when his B-24 crashed into the Pacific Ocean, leaving Louis and two other survivors drifting on a raft for forty-seven days and two thousand miles, waiting in vain to be rescued. And the worst was yet to come when they finally reached land, only to be captured by the Japanese. Louis spent the next two years as a prisoner of war—tortured and humiliated, routinely beaten, subjected to medical experiments, starved and forced into slave labor—while the Army Air Corps declared him dead and sent official condolences to his family.

This is the remarkable true story of accomplishment, glory, disaster, survival, and true heroism made famous by Laura Hillenbrand in her #1 New York Times bestseller Unbroken. Told in Louis Zamperini’s own words, Devil at My Heels is a stirring memoir from one of the greatest of the “Greatest Generation,” a living document about the brutality of war, the tenacity of the human spirit, and the power of forgiveness.

About the Author

A son of Italian immigrants, Louis Zamperini (1917-2014) was a U.S. Olympic runner, World War II bombardier, and POW survivor. After the war, he returned to the United States to found the Victory Boys Camp for at-risk youth and became an inspirational speaker. Zamperini's story was told in his 2003 autobiography Devil at My Heels, as well as in Laura Hillenbrand's 2010 biography Unbroken.

David Rensin worked closely with Louis Zamperini for many years and cowrote Devil at My Heels, as well as fifteen other books, including five New York Times bestsellers.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks; Reissue edition (November 1, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 292 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062118854
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062118851
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.76 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #495,770 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #564 in American Civil War Biographies (Books)
- #892 in WWII Biographies
- #4,049 in World War II History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.7 1,978 ratings

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David Rensin
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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.
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Louis Zamperini
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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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4.7 out of 5

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Jobear

Great to read the story from Louis Zamperini's view.

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2014

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I had read "Unbroken" when it first came out, and read it again about a year later. A truly incredible story by Laura Hillenbrand. After seeing some of Louie's interviews and speeches on the internet, I became even more enthralled by this hero's story. I read "Devil at My Heels" and I was pleasantly surprised at how great it was to hear the story from Mr. Zamperini's point of view. He's such an inspirational man. I'm amazed at how at 93 yrs old he's got the energy and enthusiasm of a young man. One would think his body would be a wreck after the beatings and torture he endured. The book adds so much to his story and covers aspects that aren't covered as well in "Unbroken". There were things that happened on that raft that could have only come about through Divine intervention. Another thing that jumped out at me was that Louie never missed an opportunity to prepare himself for such an ordeal. Taking care of himself physically and never missing an opportunity to attend survival courses and lectures that others didn't bother with. There were 27,000 military personnel in Hawaii, and Louie showed up early for a lecture about sharks to make sure he got a seat and was amazed that only 15 men showed up for the presentation! I want to add that I know there were thousands of brave men that were captured and tortured during WW II. Many didn't survive, and we should remember them all. A reporter asked Louie if he thought they were the "Greatest generation". He said "we were the Hardiest generation" because of the hardships we endured growing up during the great Depression and being children of immigrants. Louis Zamperini is a truely incredible man and what an inspiration he is..

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D-nae

one of the best books I had read

Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2016

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Hands down, one of the best books I had read.

"Zamperini was a skinny, gawky kid who suffered the derision of his classmates and compensated by fighting, stealing, hopping trains, and flouting authorities. But his older brother, a talented long-distance runner, coaxed Bill into trying track. He did so, and found his gift. Practicing relentlessly, he became a great long-distance runner in high school and college (USC), then one day found himself performing with Jesse Owens on the Olympic track in Berlin—and exchanging a few words with the Führer himself. (No medals, though.) He was among a handful of runners approaching the four-minute mile, but nothing came easily. When war broke out, Zamperini trained as a bombardier and flew a few dangerous missions in the South Pacific. During an attempt to rescue some other downed fliers, his plane was shot down; he and fellow crewmembers survived for 47 days in an open rubber raft by catching rainwater and fish. (They also survived an attack by a great white shark.) The Japanese eventually picked them up, and Zamperini moved from one unsavory site to another, enduring two years of poor diet and physical and psychological abuse. His family back in America presumed he was dead. When the war ended, he became a temporary celebrity, then slipped into a slough of alcoholic despond from which he did not emerge until his wife convinced him to go hear Billy Graham. A conversion to Christianity ensued, and Zamperini thereafter lived an exemplary life, delivering countless testimonies at gatherings of the faithful. He has published his story once before in 1955 (same title, different ghost writer, foreword by Graham) and here deviates little from the I-was-a-no-good-backsliding-slob-until-I-found-Jesus tale so common in the Christian conversion genre."

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The Farmer's Daughter

Interesting Read

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2024

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Great read for history buffs.

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Urenna

He bore adversity with courage

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2016

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Devil at My Heels reveals the remarkably candid autobiography of Louis Zamperini. Although reared in a loving family, Zamperini was a clever, streetwise delinquent. He escaped the streets of Torrance, California, unscathed during his youth for the love of ‘running.’ During his teen years, Zamperini’s older brother, Pete, cultivated his running skills. However, Zamperini learned accountability and leadership in sports.

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.

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Mark Barrett

Great, inspiring book

Reviewed in Canada on April 8, 2024

Verified Purchase

A great man, and inspiring journey. Most of us would have crumbled under what he went through. A great example to follow.

Samar Sisodia

Absolutely Inspirational

Reviewed in India on July 1, 2021

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If there is one story you need to know and read about, this is it. The message this book and Louis life gives is what makes it worth reading!

Jen

Lucky Louie

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 4, 2018

Verified Purchase

I watched the film "unbroken" and thought it was amazing (helped by the fact Jack OConnell plays Louie!!) I straight away wanted to hear the story from the horses mouth so ordered this book. I'm just up to the bit where the war has begun : (

Chloé Brenienek

Super livre...

Reviewed in France on February 28, 2015

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Aucun soucis avec le revendeur, le livre est niquel!
Avis aux amateurs qui ne craignent pas l'anglais, c'est un super livre qui raconte tous les petits secrets, non sans humour et l'impressionante vie de Louis Zamperini.
A recommander à quiconque veut s'aventurer dans les mystères d'une vie bien remplie...

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購入者

「アンブロークン」の元の本と言えるかもしれません。

Reviewed in Japan on March 29, 2015

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驚きました。「アンブロークン」における物語のベースは「アンブロークン」の８年前に出版されたこの本のようです。基本的には、この内容を踏襲しています。実はルイスが語る話というのは、実にトリッキーなのです。この「DEVIL AT MY HEELS」という題名の自伝は１９５６年にも出版されています。１９５６年版も購入し、この２００３年版のものと比較してみました。すると、次の２点が明らかになりました。１．ルイスの話はコロコロ変わる（虚言癖がある）　２．１９５６年版には事実に近い描写がある　という点です。ルイスの虚言癖に加えて、１９５６年版から話を「話を変えている」部分も多いので、この２００３年版の「DEVIL AT MY HEELS」の「真実性」は２０％程度かと思います。すなわち「８０％は作り話」ということです。「アンブロークン」という作品は、この２００３年版の「DEVIL AT MY HEELS」を、ローラヒレンブランドが「書き直した」ものであり、その際に、さらに「作り話」が加えられているため、結果的に「アンブロークン」という作品の９０％は「作り話」と言ってよいかと思います。

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