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

The #1 New York Times–bestselling story about the American Olympic rowing triumph in Nazi Germany—from the author of Facing the Mountain. 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.

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404 pages

Average rating: 8.1

516 RATINGS

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16 REVIEWS

Community Reviews

Liesa
Nov 08, 2024
Love this book. One of my absolute favorites
MaryKay
Aug 16, 2024
Hosted by Leslie
SarahJay
Jun 24, 2024
“So is life: the very problems you must overcome also support you and make you stronger in overcoming them.” -George Pocock A book with a great story and also full of wisdom applicable to all of us.
Minic00
Jun 13, 2024
8/10 stars
I wanted to read this book ahead of the movie coming out to streaming platforms. This book was made even better by Mark Bramhall's narration. The story of how these boys, who came from simple working families, pushed through all skepticism and doubts pushing their way to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. At a time when many rowing teams were sons of lawyers, doctors and senators, these boys were not the ones with the training facilities and high caliber schools at their disposal. They rose above and worked extra jobs during summers to afford to enroll in school each year to be able to get another shot at being part of something even bigger than they even realized at the time. Please be sure to read through the epilogue as well. It gives you a deeper understanding of the time period and how poignant this particular Olympics was.
MN/OK Book Club
May 16, 2024
Picked by Michelle 4/2024

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