The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

from michigantrumpet

I just loved this wonderful true life story of the oarsmen of the University of Washington. Far removed from their East Coast elite competition, these sons of lumbermen, farmers and Depression era down-and-outers managed to overcome the odds to compete at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Through their o...

from sail7

If I could give it 6 stars I would. This is an amazing story, told with just the right amount of detail. Even though the title tells you how it comes out, it is still a suspenseful story with a great ending. "Overcoming Adversity" is a severely overused term in sports commentary, but this story t...

from traumleben

An incredibly well-written book that follows a group of Depression Era boys from Washington state to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin as they work through individual struggle and team challenges along the way. Daniel Brown constructed a beautiful narrative, which you have to keep reminding yourself is...

from Bellettres

One of the best books of 2013 for me, certainly the best "sports" book I've ever read. An earlier review mentioned that it wouldn't have been as good if it had been a novel, and I agree. The difficulties that the young men on the rowing team had to overcome were almost unbelievable. Well research...

from EBT1002

I started by giving this 4.5 stars because I don't think I've ever given a nonfiction work more than that. It seems weird to me. But the truth is that this book was almost life-changing for me. It was well-researched and well-written, with an intelligent commitment to the biographical aspect and ...