I haven't written a book report since high school. It might have been Johnny Tremain. Maybe Great Expectations. I can't remember.

I love to read, but don't get to do it as often as I like. I always take a book or two on vacation. And I read as much as I can in the winter, when my schedule isn't as busy. There's just something about turning off the TV and losing yourself in a good book. And I read two really good ones, recently, that I highly recommend.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, by Laura Hillenbrand

The book title says it all. It's the true story of Louis Zamperini, a former Olympian whose plane crashed at sea during World War II. Zamperini and two crewmates floated adrift for 47 days and 2000 miles, he was caught by the Japanese Navy and sent to a POW camp where he was specifically targeted by a sadistic overseer.

But that's just part of the story. If I say more, I might ruin it for you. Never have I heard of someone experiencing so much tribulation in his life. It's not surprising that Universal has bought the movie rights and plans on making it into a major motion picture. Here's the real Louis Zamperini.

This was not an easy read. It's almost painful, at times, trying to imagine all he went through. It's heavy material, but well worth it. Click here to find out more. 

One Second After, by William R. Forstchen

This may be one of the best books I have ever read. I completed it in just two nights over the Christmas holiday. I just couldn't put it down. It's a work of fiction, with the possibility of the fantasy becoming reality, which is one of the things that makes is so compelling.

Imagine that all at once, everything stopped working. Cars, lights, phones, power plants, you name it. No more refrigeration, no more transportation, nothing. And the worst part? You have no idea why.

One Second After is a riveting and chilling tale of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack on the United States. It is a thrilling page turner, but is also so much more. The danger it illustrates is so great and so real that leaders in our government are now reading this book. Let's hope they take it seriously. To make sure they do, read this book today and get the word out.

One of the gripping aspects of this book for me is its relatability, as it is based in Black Mountain (where the author currently lives and works, as a professor at Montreat), and references many local landmarks and roads. It's not difficult to imagine the events unfolding as if they really were...just down the street from where you live.

Warner Bros. has purchased the rights, and it will soon be seen on the big screen. Read the book first, now. And click here to learn more.