The Boys in the Boat - Daniel James Brown

So many great things to say about The Boys in the Boat. This book has been on my "to-read" shelf for quite a while and I'm glad I finally came around to it as I really enjoyed it.

The book tells the story of the 9-man crew who won gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The story begins in 1933 with Joe Rantz arriving at the University of Washington's boat house in Seattle. He, and a hundred more freshmen are there to try out for the freshman crew team. At this point Joe has already overcome adversity in his life - being abandoned twice by his widowed and remarried father to LITERALLY fend for himself as a young teen. How this is possible is just completely beyond my sense of understanding people and I was deeply saddened for him.

But Joe starts to find himself and trust in others through the task of rowing, and working with a team to win. Through Joe we are introduced to the other members of the crew, coxswain Bobby Moch, Roger Morris, Shorty Hunt, stroke Don Hume, Johnny White, Stub McMillan, Chuck Day, and Gordy Adams. How this group of men came to be together through coach Al Ulbrickson's tinkering is laid out well by the story. 

Brown provides excellent surrounding facts and circumstances to set the stage in which the men would row. The tactics of Hitler and Goebbels to have Germany appear as a legitimate civilized country amid the systematic oppression and eventual murder of jews, homosexuals, gypsies, catholics and political opponents, and the United States own troubles during the depression, including the crippling poverty experienced by several members of the crew.

The story is beautifully and faithfully told. And having never rowed, I cared deeply about the men and really felt I understood the mechanics of rowing. And, despite knowing the outcome of the medal race, I found my heart rate increase when it came to the chapters detailing the races. I knew they would win, but I was worried for them because the odds did not look good. That they triumphed over so much was so lovely and uplifting. 

I wish I had met them.

5/5 Stars