From the Bookshelf of Topeka & Shawnee Co. Public Library…

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

Daniel James Brown

Start date: October 22, 2013

Finish date: October 22, 2013

Discussion: Staff Book Reviews

Why we're reading this: I'm usually a sucker for books with a sports theme, and also love to read anything with a great story. I …more
[close] I'm usually a sucker for books with a sports theme, and also love to read anything with a great story. I must say that this book propels into the world of pre-world war 2 America, using as a backdrop an incredible story of Olympic champion Washington University rowing team. Though the book starts off kind of slowly it soon propels you into the lives of some boys who became men as they strove to represent our nation in the 1936 Olympics. The book is set against the historical backdrop of the Great Depression, as well as the dawning of World War II. Remember that these were to be the Olympics that Hitler was to show to the world his breed of Aryan Super Men. If you read this book you will fall in love with the Boys in the Boat.

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What Members Thought

Apr 04, 2017 Deb rated it really liked it

Shelves: biography, history

This profile of the nine young men who represented the US in rowing at the 1936 Olympics is so much more than just a sports story. As it digs into the lives of these young men, especially Joe Rantz, the reader gets a vivid picture of life in the Seattle area during the 1930's. Events like the building of the Grand Coulee dam - where Joe works during the summer to earn tuition for college -- become memorable parts of the story, which is of course mostly about rowing. Yet even a non-rowing fan lik ...more

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May 24, 2019 Melanie rated it it was amazing

I have a copy of this book and misplaced it. Other books came into my life and I wanted to clear out my reading section, so I finished on audio. I love this book. I have rowed and learned so much more about the sport. The personal stories add so much more to this true story. Very scary to look at Hitler’s rise to power and the propaganda used during the 1936 Olympics. We must remember the past so we don’t repeat. Even with Germany’s best efforts the Americans won!

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Sep 16, 2013 Nathan rated it it was amazing

I've always enjoyed watching rowing in the Olympics, even though I had no real knowledge of the sport. After reading "The Boys in the Boat", I'm going to really enjoy watching the rowing the next time the Olympics come around, because now I understand so much more about what's actually going on and the strategies invovled. The book focuses on the Washington University eight man crew team in the mid '30s that ended up winning the gold medal at the 1936 Olympics. You really get to know and like th ...more

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Dec 17, 2018 Miranda rated it really liked it

Shelves: talk-discussion, nonfiction

I didn't expect to enjoy this much, honestly, but I really, really did. I admit to doing some skimming in the moment-to-moment descriptions of the races, but I found this book hard to put down, and the human story was wonderful and inspiring, especially juxtaposed against the larger picture of national and international trends as the world headed closer to the horror of WWII. Powerful and a real joy to read. ...more

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Mar 06, 2017 Lissa rated it it was amazing

I read this for book group. I struggled with the portrayals of Hitler's rise to power particularly with censorship/propaganda issues. I enjoyed the character development of the men who rowed and the excellent writing. ...more

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Jul 09, 2013 Dave rated it it was amazing

It was an amazing book. Readers who have an intererst in sports will enjoy it. People who have an intererst in pre World War 2 politics will enjoy the way the author goes back from the competition of the sport of rowing, and climate of pre war Germany.

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Jan 21, 2018 Shirley rated it really liked it

Shelves: book-club

This one has been on my to-read list for awhile. I was glad the book club chose it. We had a great discussion. Very inspiring story. I got the young readers version for my kids to read too. Will try to catch the documentary Boys of 36 of it.

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