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

Perfect

This book definitely goes on my best books ever list. I was drawn into the story from the first page, and that enjoyment continued through to the very end.

Awesome.

Essential reading for anyone that ever pulled a blade! The description of the last race is enough reason to listen to it again.

Slow start, but stick with it!

Loved the book. Listened to it on a 24-hour car ride and it kept my son and me very engaged. The first several chapters set things up and seem a little tedious, but then we didn't want to turn it off. Loved that it was a true story. Gained a new perspective on Hitlers war. We're amazed with the personal stories of the men associated with the boat. Highly recommend!

Phenomenal listening experience

Alone, the story is well written, thoughtful and describes a new aspect of the years between WWI and WWII. Paired with a phenomenal narrator, it was one of my best audible experiences yet. I found myself yearning to hear more of the journey of the crew members. The story is so well told, with such excellent narration I experienced every emotion possible. I frequently recommend this audio book to family and friends.

loved the story!

I knew nothing of rowing nor the Berlin Olympics so the book was informative as well as entertaining

Excellent Performance

I quite enjoyed Edward Hermann's narration.

As a former cox, the joy of the book was discovering the history of rowing. Commands that I learned in the 1970's were the same ones used in the 20's and 30's. I wish I had read this book while crewing.

The story itself lacks details about many member of the Olympic crew and almost everything about their lives after college, which is while I awarded only 4 stars. For anyone with a rowing background, however, this is a 5 star must read.

Great story, that may have been overlooked.

Exceeded expectations, I loved the narration. But my kids thought he sounded boring. I thought it was a great story.

never before have a been so inspired!

from the beginning I was there. I walked beside them, I laughed beside them, i paddled beside them, I struggled be them , and I won beside them. Such a beautifully written novel.

Well told

Enjoyed the story very much from start to finish. It was inspiring and moving. A perfect story for an audiobook.

Stunning story and a brilliant performance

If you could sum up The Boys in the Boat in three words, what would they be?

Mr Brown you have put together a master piece, nothing short of brilliant. I was glued to this story. They way you wove the lives of so many well developed characters into a single thread was incredible. I think you found your swing. This book is the american classic of the underdogs making good. Really makes good on the american spirit.

What did you like best about this story?

The character development is superb.

What does Edward Herrmann bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Mr Hermann is a good voice that makes you believe that he telling this story from a first hand account.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Going for gold against all odds.

Any additional comments?

I truly hope there is a film from this book and Mr. Brown carefully advises.