Winning on the water-a book review of Boys in the Boat

We like sports, even if we don’t do sports, we like watching others compete. And we like books, television shows, and movies about sports. Have you noticed how many sports stories there are?

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Some sports stories are about fictional characters and situations-

• Rocky
• Field of Dreams
• Bleachers
• Friday Night Lights
• Million Dollar Baby

But the ones that most catch our attention and our hearts are those about real people.

• Seabiscuit
• Chariots of Fire
• A League of Their Own
• The Blind Side

Rowing- athletes in a boat

Most of us know something about major sports, like football, basketball, and baseball. We probably know less about horse racing, boxing, track, and ice skating. But we know little about rowing since it is rarely if ever on the sports pages or television broadcasts.

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

by Daniel James Brown.

In Boys in the Boat, the United States Olympic Rowing team of 1936 beat incredible odds to win the gold medal. But the meat of the book explores in detail how each man came to be in that boat, especially Joe Rantz.

Based on interviews with him by the author, we learn about Joe’s painful early family life, struggle to pay for college, and the grueling physical challenges of preparing for competitive rowing.

At that time the sport of rowing was dominated by the sons of wealthy families and the Ivy League colleges they attended. By contrast, the University of Washington athletes who made up the 1936 Olympic rowing team came from working-class families and had to work their way through college. That they did so during a depression makes their achievement even more remarkable.

You may be surprised to learn how much the sport of rowing physically and mentally challenges the human body. To be competitive, the crew’s eight rowers must work synchronously as the leader, known as the coxswain, calls out commands to set a pace that is fast enough to win but sustainable for the length of the race.

Germany’s Olympic games

Interspersed in the boys’ stories, Daniel Brown outlines the events unfolding in Germany, as Hitler and the Nazi party rose to power. As part of their plan to dominate Europe and eventually the world, they plan to make the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin a showcase of German wealth, knowledge, power, and athletic ability.

Specifically, Hitler hoped the German rowing team would beat England and Italy, the teams historically likely to win. The story of his reaction to an American team that not only challenged but upset the status quo completes a book worth reading.

What I learned from Boys in the Boat

From reading this book, I gained an appreciation for a sport that I previously knew nothing about. My husband and I listened to the audiobook while on a 12-hour car trip and it kept us interested and entertained. We were inspired by a story where perseverance, courage, loyalty, and commitment were celebrated and rewarded.

This story proves history lessons aren’t dull, boring, or outdated, but can offer us information and inspiration to help us explore the HEART of health

the BOYS OF ’36 documentary

A PBS video documentary American Experience: The BOYS OF ’36 is available on Amazon Video, free with Prime or available to rent.

exploring the HEART of health

I’d love to have you join me for my next post where I share more information and inspiration to help you turn health challenges into health opportunities.

Add your name to the subscribe box and I’ll send you an email when I publish a new post. Click the link in the email to go straight to the post. You won’t get anything else. You can easily unsubscribe anytime but I hope you won’t.

I’d love to have you join me for my next post where I share more information and inspiration to help you turn health challenges into health opportunities.

Add your name to the subscribe box and I’ll send you an email when I publish a new post. Click the link in the email to go straight to the post. You won’t get anything else. You can easily unsubscribe anytime but I hope you won’t.

Dr. Aletha