The Boys in the Boat

Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

by Edward Herrmann, Daniel James Brown

12 sound discs (14.5 hr.); 4 3/4 in

Published June 4, 2013 by Penguin Audio.

ISBN:: 978-1-61176-169-6

(25 reviews)

Daniel James Brown’s robust book tells the story of the University of Washington’s 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936. The emotional heart of the story lies with one rower, Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not for glory, but to regain his shattered self-regard and to find a place he can call home. The crew is assembled by an enigmatic coach and mentored by a visionary, eccentric British boat builder, but it is their trust in each other that makes them a victorious team. They remind the country of what can be done when everyone quite literally pulls together—a perfect melding of commitment, determination, and optimism. Drawing on the boys’ own diaries and journals, their photos and memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, The Boys in the Boat is an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate story of nine working-class boys from the American west who, in the depths of the Great Depression, showed the world what true grit really meant. It will appeal to readers of Erik Larson, Timothy Egan, James Bradley, and David Halberstam's The Amateurs.

9 editions

Bridgman reviewed The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

Review of 'The Boys in the Boat' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I've been working in a bookstore for a little over a year now. More than any other book, people buy The Boys in the Boat because they'd read it and liked it so much they want to give it to friends.
After reading it, I can see why. Yes, it's ostensibly sports book, but that's a minor part of it. (If it weren't, I wouldn't have read it; I dislike sports, never read about it and never watch sports on television.) It captures the 1930s so well that you think if you were suddenly transported to Seattle in 1934 you'd feel right at home.
I generally prefer fiction to nonfiction, but The Boys in the Boat eclipses most of the fiction I've read over the past few years.
Thinking of reading Grit? Save your time and read The Boys in the Boat instead.

neilernst reviewed The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

Review of 'The Boys in the Boat' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Another one for the "back when men were men" list.

pithypants reviewed The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

Review of 'The Boys in the Boat' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I heard so many people rave about this book, I was imagining it to be like Unbroken - or even like Seabiscuit. Alas, while it's a solid story, the author is no Laura Hillenbrand, so it fell short of fully hooking me. Interesting, yes; compelling, no.

What it did well: gave me a new appreciation for the sport of crew and create a sense of of time/place for Washington State in the wake of the Depression.

Where I wish it did more: I would've liked more complete stories of the boys in the boat and the supporting characters. We were generally given nuggets about each, but not enough to really know them. For those where we DID get more back story, there was insufficient closure. In fact, the book seems to end somewhat abruptly after the team wins the gold, and it left me wondering if the real story might …