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 American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany, the inspiration for the PBS documentary The Boys of '36, broadcast to coincide with the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 80th anniversary of the boys' gold medal race.

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.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Viking
Published: 06/04/2013
ISBN: 9780670025817
Pages: 404
Weight: 1.40lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.30w x 1.20d
Award: ALA Notable Books - Winner
Award: Saroyan Writing Prize - Finalist
Award: Nautilus Award - Winner
Award: Indies Choice Book Awards - Winner
Award: Washington State Book Award - Winner

Review Citations: Library Journal Prepub Alert 01/01/2013 pg. 62
Kirkus Reviews 04/01/2013
Library Journal 04/15/2013 pg. 90
Publishers Weekly 04/15/2013
Booklist 05/01/2013 pg. 58
Shelf Awareness 06/04/2013
Shelf Awareness 12/13/2013
BookPage 06/01/2013
Library Journal 01/01/2013

Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 167221 / Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
Reading Level: 8.4 / Interest Level: Upper Grade / Point Value: 27