William Hill Sports Book of the Year
1 appearances
-
Edition 13 (2001) Winner
Laura Hillenbrand
ローラ・ヒレンブランド
Laura Hillenbrand
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1967-05-15 （Fairfax, Virginia, U.S.）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Fairfax, Virginia — birthplace → Sharpsburg, Maryland — childhood on family farm → Chicago — lived in a small apartment while freelancing → Washington, D.C. — long-term residence → Oregon — moved after 2015
Career
- Occupations
- Author, Non-fiction writer, Journalist
- Active Years
- 1990-
- Influenced By
- Ernest Hemingway, Leo Tolstoy, Jane Austen
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenyon College | — | — | — | 1985–1987 | United States |
Kenyon College
Period:
1985–1987
Country:
United States
Left before graduation due to onset of chronic fatigue syndrome
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | William Hill Sports Book of the Year | Seabiscuit: An American Legend | — | William Hill (UK) | winner |
| 2011 | Christopher Award | Unbroken | — | The Christophers | winner |
| 1998 | Eclipse Award for Magazine Writing | Article on Seabiscuit (American Heritage) | — | Daily Racing Form / National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (Eclipse Awards) | winner |
William Hill Sports Book of the Year
2001
Work:
Seabiscuit: An American Legend
Organization:
William Hill (UK)
Result:
winner
Christopher Award
2011
Work:
Unbroken
Organization:
The Christophers
Result:
winner
Eclipse Award for Magazine Writing
1998
Work:
Article on Seabiscuit (American Heritage)
Organization:
Daily Racing Form / National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (Eclipse Awards)
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 31 (2010) Winner
Works
Major Works
Seabiscuit: An American Legend
2001 Non-fiction (sports/biography)A meticulously researched nonfiction account of the racehorse Seabiscuit and the people around him, exploring horse racing history, 1930s American society, and the personal dramas of those involved.
resilienceAmerican dreamhorse racinghistorical context
Adaptations
- [Film] Seabiscuit / Gary Ross (2003)
Translations
- Seabiscuit (Japanese translation)
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
2010 Non-fiction (biography/history)A biography of Olympian and WWII survivor Louis Zamperini, chronicling his harrowing experiences as a prisoner of war, postwar struggles, and a story of forgiveness and redemption.
survivalresilienceforgivenesswar
Adaptations
- [Film] Unbroken / Angelina Jolie (2014)
Translations
- Unbroken (Japanese translation)
A Sudden Illness
2003 Essay / Non-fictionAn essay recounting Hillenbrand's sudden onset of chronic fatigue syndrome and its impact on her life, detailing the challenges of diagnosis and coping.
living with illnessdiagnosis/isolationprocess of recovery
Bibliography
- Seabiscuit: An American Legend
- Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
- A Sudden Illness — essay (The New Yorker)
Adaptations
- Seabiscuit (2003 film)
- Unbroken (2014 film)
Translations of Works
- Seabiscuit (Japanese edition)
- Unbroken (Japanese edition)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- story-centered narrative nonfictionmeticulous, research-driven reportageclear, restrained prose
- Recurring Motifs
- resilience and recoverystories of athletes and competitionpersonal redemptionreconstruction of historical contexts
Health
-
Myalgic encephalomyelitis / Chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)1987–presentOnset in college; profoundly affected life and writing practices (research from home, telephone interviews). Limited ability to travel or leave home for many years; improvements in tolerance to travel noted after 2015 though not cured.
Legacy
Through bestsellers Seabiscuit and Unbroken and their film adaptations, Hillenbrand is recognized as a leading contemporary nonfiction writer. Combined sales exceed 13 million copies and her story-focused journalistic approach has been widely praised.
In Popular Culture
- Wide recognition through film adaptations of Seabiscuit and Unbroken; books became bestsellers
Quotes
-
To me your story – battling your disease... is as compelling as his (Louis Zamperini's) story.
Source: Bob Schieffer (interview) (2014)
Trivia
- Combined sales of Seabiscuit and Unbroken exceed 13 million copies (reported 2016)
- ‘A Sudden Illness’ — personal illness essay published in The New Yorker in 2003
- Co-founder of Operation International Children
- Began as a freelance magazine writer; first published in Equus in 1990
- Has struggled with myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E./CFS) for decades; travel tolerance improved after 2015