• 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
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (41,884 ratings)

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The Boys in the Boat  By  cover art

The Boys in the Boat

By: Daniel James Brown
Narrated by: Edward Herrmann
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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
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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What listeners say about The Boys in the Boat

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  • Overall
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    4 out of 5 stars

Well told account, good personal depth of characte

I, personally may not have been able to read this as a physical book, but read as an audio book, it was very good. I learned a lot about depth of character, rowing, perseverance, and some interesting g perspective on Hitler's Germany.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful story

I learned so much about rowing I think I could do it!
It always looks so peaceful and easy to see rowers in a lake
I had no idea of the physical strength it took to accomplish that scene
Only got 4stars because it was a little long (for me)

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Exciting

What an exciting, well-crafted, perfectly narrated, true story! I was so entranced by the Olympic competition that I was glued to my device as if I was listening to a live broadcast of the grueling, but sweet victory of the boys in the boat!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Incredible story, captivating

Incredibly story that keeps you wanting to know more and more. Highly recommend - the book, the narrator, the story were amazing

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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One of the best

As an avid reader, this book has made it into my top five. Loved it all.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Listened to it twice

This was so good that I restarted it after almost finishing it so my husband could hear it too. I was moved to tears and pride. And we are planning to purchase several hard copies as gifts.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Epic

I loved this audiobook. The author did a wonderful job of pacing the story, while still offering enough backdrop to add depth to the characters themselves. My son does crew in college and this story gave me a new appreciation for the sport, but that appreciation was not necessary to enjoy this book. It's not a sports book as much as a story about people coming together for a common goal, and the love and bond that they shared while they overcame seemingly insurmountable odds. It was beautiful and offered flawlessly by the narrator. If you are a fan of audiobooks this one is a must.

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Superb

A true story that reads and listens as well as the best fiction, this superbly narrated story of effort, struggle and eventual triumph made me pull the You Tube video and watch the actual Olympic Final. The best non fiction teaches as well as entertains. This book does that as well as any I have read.

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Courage

A story of young men who continue to fight against the odds. They find strength in something bigger than themselves. The body is greater than any of its parts. Easy listen and historical.

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Wow!

A truly engaging book about a forgotten episode in our history. Well written and well read. I cried.

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