I loaded the book on my iPad last Thursday and read it, start to finish, over the weekend, but come Monday night, I was still asking myself why our group had picked this book.  Then we started talking.

The main character intrigued us.  Some of us believed every word he said, some wondered if he might have embellished a bit.

The war details horrified us, but discussing them with others, each of whom was haunted by a different scene, was cathartic.

We had relatives in this war.  Talking about them – and about how little they wanted to talk about itand when, in manic bursts, they did – was fascinating.

Three elements – an intriguing protagonist, something to learn, emotions with which to personally relate – made the night.  But you don’t have to be in a book group to appreciate these.  My books are as different from “Unbroken” as night from day, yet I try to put these three elements in each.