A review by nataliealane
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown

emotional informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

Read this for book club, and sports/sports nonfiction is definitely not my normal wheelhouse…but this was so good! 
An engaging, emotional, and inspiring account of resilience and brotherhood

Daniel James Brown masterfully wrote the racing scenes, making them easy to imagine and thrilling the reader almost as much as watching the actual race might. 
Told largely from the experience of Joe Rantz, the story is very personable and not the kind of nonfiction that keeps it reader at a distance. Although I wish I learned more about the other “boys in the boat,” I quickly grew up to admire and root for him. Brown continually ties the story back to Joe’s character growth and how bring in crew makes him into the man he is later. Brown’s books are also unique because each chapter begins with a quote from a character—-in this case, George Yeoman Pocock, who made the boats and advised the team—-which gives the reader additional insight into an oarsman’s mind. If you like stories of survival or overcoming obstacles, underdogs, or coming of age, I think you will like The Boys in the Boat even if you aren’t a sports fan!
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