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

This took me over a year to finally finish reading, and of course it was a book club read. With the 2016 Summer Olympics having just happened I figured it'd be a great time to finish it. I particularly enjoyed the story and the writing style, which is what kept me going once I sat down to read. I think knowing I'd enjoy the book once I sat down to read it is what hindered me. Knowing that I'd need a few hours of uninterrupted time kept from reading it. So I finally decided tonight that I'd keep reading until I was done and 2 hours later here I am writing my review and I don't feel guilty about staying up too late.

In all, Brown's writing style made me feel like I was one of the young men who grew up poor, and then I felt like I was right there on the water vying for a spot on the varsity boat, and eventually as if I were a member of the crew team that won the Olympics.

This is an amazingly written book based on a true story of underdogs. It's an inspiration to every reader and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good, hardy story about overcoming the odds. One does not need to have an interest in sports, let alone crew. This story is so much more than crew. Like any great team sport, the story is so much more than the sport. It's about individuals coming together to form a team, a bond, a family, and a connection that is beyond breaking. It's about working through the obstacles together, only to make celebrating the successes that much sweeter. The Boys in the Boat is all of that, and so much more. It's about the small town underdogs with little to no experience on a national level, let alone an international level, giving their home country hope, excitement, and pride during a difficult time during our nation's, and world's, history.

A tear-jerker of happiness for sure, The Boys in the Boat, left me feeling proud of these boys, and proud of my country, for working their asses off and representing us in an amazing way on the international stage.

**
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
by Daniel James Brown
Paperback
My rating: 5 of 5 stars