The #1 New York Times–bestselling story about American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany and now the inspiration for the PBS documentary “The Boys of ‘36’.”For readers of Unbroken, out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American … working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant.
It was an unlikely quest from the start. With a team composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew team was never expected to defeat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did, going on to shock the world by defeating the German team rowing for Adolf Hitler. The emotional heart of the tale lies with Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not only to regain his shattered self-regard but also to find a real place for himself in the world. Drawing on the boys’ own journals and vivid memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, Brown has created an unforgettable portrait of an era, a celebration of a remarkable achievement, and a chronicle of one extraordinary young man’s personal quest.
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One of my all time favorite books. It is hard to imagine how difficult life was for these young men, yet they managed to overcome adversity and accomplish amazing things.
One of the best books I’ve ever read. Although it was based around rowing, you wouldn’t have to know anything at all about rowing to enjoy the book.
An excellent book about a young man, who despite so much rejection in his life, was able to rise above it. This is a heartfelt story that was excellently researched and presented in a unique way. Well worth the read!
An excellent account of American athletes in Hitler’s olympics.
True Olympic Spirit evidenced by a group of “normal” young men shooting for their dream. The unfolding of this story of the crew from Washington, which outshone Ivy League and worldwide rivals, makes you believe that anything is possible – even when no one expects that it can happen. Laudable in every way.
I could not put it down until I turned to the last page.
What an uplifting book about real people. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
This is a great audiobook! I highly recommend it to everyone. Well-written with a great story and people you definitely want to know about. (I can’t believe the family of the main guy – it’s CRAZY how he was treated).
Great view of a winning team and the physical and economic struggles and sacrifices of those who made up the team.
Individual commitment, grit, learning to live a quality life and a never-give-up attitude in the face of adversities are the hallmark of this biographical, history-making story of the USA rowing team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
A remarkable and engaging account of the young men who rowed to Olympic gold to the dismay of Adolph Hitler. A most enjoyable read!
Well researched and compelling to read.
A very well written biography of a young man in his quest to find himself via the sport of rowing.
This was a most satisfying read and very inspiring.
real, gritty, and makes you think what an easy time we all have hqad compared to the boat crew and the fellows who worked their way through college with little fmaily support.
Excellent
Most people in the book club liked it. I found it repetitive–row like crazy, win, and go to the next race. I thought the preparations in Germany were an interesting event and then I cried at the end when I read how connected the team still was. At least I remember it and that is more than I can say for some books.
I never knew I’d ever want to know so much about rowing crew, but this was so much more than that, and I found I was fascinated about all the aspects of the sport, and specifically about this group of men, their coaches, their boat-builder, and the 1936 Olympics. Highly recommended.
It shows what a dedicated person, in this case a coach can do to inspire young people to pull together as a team defeating all the odds against them
I did not think I would like this book when my book club picked it. When I got into the story, it was very captivating and interesting. Great character descriptions and dialogue.