• 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 (42,054 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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Outstanding

The book is a beautiful and moving tribute to human spirit

The epilogue is perhaps Best part of the book so I urge all to listen fully to the end

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Wonderful story beautifully read!!

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this fantastic story. Edward Herrmann was the BEST narrator of both this book and Unbroken. He'll be missed.

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Inspiring and riveting

What a story! It doesn't matter that you know the ending; it's the story of the boys and the beautiful way it's narrated that will stay with you. A timeless story of friendship, perseverance, grit, hard work, and courage.

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Exceptional listening!

This was a great story from beginning to end. So well presented. I love when learning history is so entrancing. Never before had such an appreciation for crewing.

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  • 09-25-15

Beautiful

Absolutely captivating story, brought tears, laughs, and goose bumps, capturing the life changing dynamic of athletic endeavors and the power of teamwork layered with lessons in humanity....brilliant

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Beautiful!

Such a touching & fascinating book about the inspirational stories of the young men, coaches, all those who supported them on the way to gold! I especially enjoyed listening to the audio read of the races as it made me feel like I was sitting by the radio in the 1930s! I had no idea about rowing before this book, & the historical references painted such a complete vivid picture of that time. Of course I cried through the epilogue but liked to hear about all the boys beyond the boat too.

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Love the challenges sports provide? You'll really enjoy this book!

Did wonderful job from relating background historical events and conditions with well done descriptions of character development. For the many sports fans who appreciate how the endeavors of sports participation can pay personal dividends on and off the fields of competition, this story will hit home.
Pleasant, easy to follow narration with just a few (understandable for a non-Washington state resident) mispronunciations (example "Anacortes" is "AN-ah-core-tess").
If nothing else, you'll learn a great deal about the sport of rowing!

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Must Read

This book was so good I did not want it to end!!! The characters were so well described you felt as if they were family members. The narrator was great and made the story come alive!

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Excellent & moving

It reminded me of the book Broken. I will await the movie as it will be suspenseful and education al.

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Epic

A classic and at once extraordinary tale of American grit and greatness. The reader is fabulous.

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