The Boys in the Boat

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

By: Daniel James Brown

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann

Length: 14 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

The number one New York Times best-selling story about American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany, the inspiration for the PBS documentary The Boys of '36, broadcast to coincide with the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 80th anniversary of the boys' gold medal race.

For readers/listeners 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 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.

©2013 Daniel James Brown (P)2013 Penguin Audio

Amazing!

Wide appeal- amazing story--- you can't go wrong listening to this great story and account.

Inspiring Story of Some True American Heros

This is an epic story; well worth the read. Strongly recommend this book.
Inspirational. How ordinary young men achieve the extraordinary.

A story that needed to be told

The story about this rowing team must be told. Mr. Brown starting with their childhoods and the economic pressures of the time and moved right thru to the Olympics and beyond.

A must read and should be on any summer reading list.

Love, love, love!

Beautiful story and lovely narration! This is my second time listening and I highly recommend.

Inspiring and heartwarming

The writing is so descriptive that the reader feels as though they are in the boat pulling alongside the nine young men depicted in this true story.

Stellar!

A truly inspirational book about the value of teamwork and focus. This book should be required reading in every middle school or high school curriculum.

Tremendous book.

This was an outstanding true story. Very inspirational. I loved the way the author introduced us to each character.

What it means to persevere.

This was more than an uphill struggle, it was a battle for survival. The lessons learned by the main character as a boy helped him to overcome several obstacles he would face in college. The mentoring of older men helped him where his father failed him. He had no time for hate or bitterness, it would have taken away the energy he needed to succeed. Narrator was very good at communicating emotion.

One of the best books I've read

Touching. A well written account of being able to succeed against all odds. Highly recommend

Phenomenal, epic story!

It took me a while to get into it, but I am glad I persevered. In this story of grit and determination, nine ordinary Americans persevered against often seemingly insurmountable obstacles to become the greatest rowing crew. It moved me to tears.
While Edward Hermann's narrating style was pleasant, it was little flatter than I would have liked. There wasn't enough dynamic variation between the exposition and the exciting or heartbreaking parts of the story, which is why I had trouble getting into it.