Book Description:
The #1 New York Times–bestselling story about American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany, now in a premium mass market edition. Available just in time for The 80th anniversary of the boys’ gold medal win as well as the 8/2 broadcast of the PBS /American Experience documentary, The Boys of ’36. and the start of the 2016 Summer Olympics.
For readers 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.
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My Thoughts:
A friend recommended this book to me and although I didn't think I would be terribly interested (not a sports fan) it got good reviews and I was into watching the Olympics this year.... and I needed something to listen to on my drive home to the Florida Keys from NC. (Note: I love Audible.com) I immediately got so pulled in to this story that when I finally got home I sat in my car and continued to listen. Learning what these boys went through to compete in the 1936 Olympics was inspiring. Daniel James Brown did such an excellent job of making you feel the heartache and enthusiasm of these boys at a time when families were experiencing the hardships of the Depression and Germany was doing its best to influence the world under the leadership of Hitler. Wow! I heartily recommend reading this book!
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