Seabiscuit: An American Legend
Chronologically first full-length book and a self-contained introduction to Hillenbrand's narrative nonfiction.
Author guide
Laura Hillenbrand Books in Order
Laura Hillenbrand is an American nonfiction author whose narrative biographies focus on remarkable figures facing extraordinary challenges. Her first book, Seabiscuit: An American Legend, chronicles the famous racehorse and the people around him. Her second book, Unbroken, tells the World War II story of Olympic runner and airman Louis Zamperini. Hillenbrand has also written award-winning magazine journalism, including the New Yorker essay A Sudden Illness, and co-founded Operation International Children with Gary Sinise.
nonfictionbiographyhistorysports writing
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Novels (3)
- Seabiscuit: An American Legend
nonfiction · 2001
Retraces the journey of Seabiscuit, a horse with crooked legs and a pathetic tail that made racing history in 1938, thanks to the efforts of a trainer, owner, and jockey who transformed a bottom-level racehorse into a legend.
- Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
nonfiction · 2010
From Laura Hillenbrand, the bestselling author of Seabiscuit, comes Unbroken, the inspiring true story of a man who lived through a series of catastrophes almost too incredible to be believed. In evocative, immediate descriptions,…
- Unbroken (The Young Adult Adaptation)
young-adult-nonfiction-adaptation · 2014
Frequently asked questions about Laura Hillenbrand
What kind of writer is Laura Hillenbrand?
Laura Hillenbrand is an American nonfiction author known for deeply researched, narrative accounts of remarkable figures and events. Her work has reached bestseller lists and been adapted for film.
What influenced Laura Hillenbrand to become a writer?
Hillenbrand has said she decided she wanted to be a writer during childhood. She has cited authors including Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, Edith Wharton, and Leo Tolstoy among her literary influences.
How did illness affect Laura Hillenbrand's career?
Hillenbrand developed chronic fatigue syndrome while she was a student at Kenyon College. She later described the illness in her New Yorker essay “A Sudden Illness” and wrote her books while living with its effects.
Sources: newyorker.com (opens in a new tab)newyorker.com (opens in a new tab)
What awards has Laura Hillenbrand won?
Hillenbrand’s work has received major recognition: Seabiscuit won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year and Book Sense Nonfiction Book of the Year awards, while her New Yorker essay “A Sudden Illness” won a National Magazine Award.
Sources: penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)news.williamhill.com (opens in a new tab)
What is Laura Hillenbrand's legacy beyond her books?
Hillenbrand helped bring historical subjects to broad audiences through literary nonfiction and film adaptations. She also co-founded Operation International Children with Gary Sinise, which provided school supplies to children through American troops.
Sources: penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)garysinisefoundation.org (opens in a new tab)