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The Boys in the Boat: The True Story of an American Team's Epic Journey to Win Gold at the 1936 Olympics
The #1 New York Times bestseller about the Greatest Generation freshly adapted for the next generation.
For readers of Unbroken, out of the depths of the Great Depression comes the astonishing tale of nine working-class boys from the American West who at the 1936 Olympics showed the world what true grit really meant. With rowers who were the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew was never expected to defeat the elite East Coast teams, yet they did, going on to shock the world by challenging the German boat rowing for Adolf Hitler.
At the center of the tale is Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, whose personal quest captures the spirit of his generation—the generation that would prove in the coming years that the Nazis could not prevail over American determination and optimism.
This deeply emotional yet easily accessible young readers adaptation of the award-winning #1 New York Times bestseller features never-before-seen photographs, highly visual back matter, and an exclusive new introduction.
For readers of Unbroken, out of the depths of the Great Depression comes the astonishing tale of nine working-class boys from the American West who at the 1936 Olympics showed the world what true grit really meant. With rowers who were the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew was never expected to defeat the elite East Coast teams, yet they did, going on to shock the world by challenging the German boat rowing for Adolf Hitler.
At the center of the tale is Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, whose personal quest captures the spirit of his generation—the generation that would prove in the coming years that the Nazis could not prevail over American determination and optimism.
This deeply emotional yet easily accessible young readers adaptation of the award-winning #1 New York Times bestseller features never-before-seen photographs, highly visual back matter, and an exclusive new introduction.
227 pages, Hardcover
First published September 8, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,216 reviews
January 5, 2022
Good informative NF book about the rowers in the 1936 olympics in Berlin just as Germany was on the brink of war. The book spoke of a couple men as they grew up to compete. Their stories.
July 20, 2017
5.0
Brilliant!!! This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. The fact that my heart started pumping during the description of numerous races I already knew the outcome to speaks volumes about the skills of the author. As amazing as the story of the competitions may have been it was the lessons in life threaded throughout the book that will stay with me the most. I love the messages of perseverance against all odds, hardwork, overcoming heartbreak, the power of teamwork, selflessness, the love of two soul mates, the lessons of history, the spirit at the heart of America, setting and attaining goals and ultimately good overcoming evil that are found after every turn of a page. I think this young adult adaptation is phenomenal and I will most definitely be reading the adult version at some point because I didn't want this book to end and I think it gives a more thorough account of some of the major historical events. This young adult version has the right mixture of history, excitement, and inspiration for my students. I can't wait to see what they think.
Brilliant!!! This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. The fact that my heart started pumping during the description of numerous races I already knew the outcome to speaks volumes about the skills of the author. As amazing as the story of the competitions may have been it was the lessons in life threaded throughout the book that will stay with me the most. I love the messages of perseverance against all odds, hardwork, overcoming heartbreak, the power of teamwork, selflessness, the love of two soul mates, the lessons of history, the spirit at the heart of America, setting and attaining goals and ultimately good overcoming evil that are found after every turn of a page. I think this young adult adaptation is phenomenal and I will most definitely be reading the adult version at some point because I didn't want this book to end and I think it gives a more thorough account of some of the major historical events. This young adult version has the right mixture of history, excitement, and inspiration for my students. I can't wait to see what they think.
September 10, 2016
I accidentally checked out this version, the "young readers" adaption by mistake but I'm glad I did. :) I didn't know much about rowing before reading this - so fun to learn about it. I really, really enjoyed reading the story of these guys - about hard work, perseverance and overcoming when the odds are stacked against them. I couldn't help but get teary-eyed at the end. This book is a great read for all ages!
September 1, 2021
I had no interest in reading this. It's about sports. Enough said. So this was assigned reading, really. It's a Battle of the Books pick, so I was stuck with it. I listened to the audiobook, and OH MY GOD. I gripped the steering wheel in my car in suspense during descriptions of races, I cried multiple times, I cheered out loud, and I had feelings, feelings, feelings about a sport. What a story, and what a writer to make me care about the boys in the boat. I give it 4 stars just for the brilliance of someone who can elicit that from me with this topic, but I give it an extra star because I had a change of perspective.
If you had asked me about whether or not we should have boycotted the Olympic Games in Nazi Germany, 1936, I would have adamantly said, "Absolutely." However, after the vicarious experience of all of those races and finding out that Joe's team was going to make it to the Olympics after all, the thought of boycotting was as absurd as I had previously thought NOT boycotting had been. How could we not let those boys go, just because of politics? But it wasn't just politics; it was like 11 million lives....so I had to really think, and seeing different perspectives helps me grow a little.
I have a new respect for the Olympics, rowing, and, to be honest, writers. If you could make me like this book, I realize that anyone can sell me anything, given enough talent.
LOVED THIS BOOK, and I hope my students will give it a try as well.
Update: I just read this book aloud to my (nonreader) husband over the course of a week while he was in a hospital and then home recuperating. A PERFECT bonding-over-books experience. His only complaint is that I had to stop and cry way too many times. He didn't cry once, but I've heard him talk about the book to all of his family members when they call. He's not fooling me. I loved it as much the second time as the first.
If you had asked me about whether or not we should have boycotted the Olympic Games in Nazi Germany, 1936, I would have adamantly said, "Absolutely." However, after the vicarious experience of all of those races and finding out that Joe's team was going to make it to the Olympics after all, the thought of boycotting was as absurd as I had previously thought NOT boycotting had been. How could we not let those boys go, just because of politics? But it wasn't just politics; it was like 11 million lives....so I had to really think, and seeing different perspectives helps me grow a little.
I have a new respect for the Olympics, rowing, and, to be honest, writers. If you could make me like this book, I realize that anyone can sell me anything, given enough talent.
LOVED THIS BOOK, and I hope my students will give it a try as well.
Update: I just read this book aloud to my (nonreader) husband over the course of a week while he was in a hospital and then home recuperating. A PERFECT bonding-over-books experience. His only complaint is that I had to stop and cry way too many times. He didn't cry once, but I've heard him talk about the book to all of his family members when they call. He's not fooling me. I loved it as much the second time as the first.
January 28, 2022
I’ve been hearing about this story and wanting to read it for some time, so when my mom decided to get the adapted for young readers version, I jumped at the chance to see if it was any good. While I haven’t read the other version, I can say that this one was really good. It grabbed my attention and I just wanted to keep reading.
This book focuses mostly on the life of one of the boys, Joe Rantz, instead of following all or most of the boys in the boat. It also mentioned in the back that this version didn’t go into details about the crash on Wall Street that started the Great Depression or the agriculture issues that led to the Dust Bowl. And, while it did take you into the pre-war Germany and let you see what Hitler was doing, it didn’t spend a lot of time on it in this version.
Before I read this book, I knew zero about the rowing teams and what they are like. Very interesting.
I wouldn’t hesitate to hand this version of the book to my nephews as it’s a powerful story of courage, determination, grit, and what it means to be a part of something bigger than just yourself.
Recommended for those not wanting to read the full version.
This book focuses mostly on the life of one of the boys, Joe Rantz, instead of following all or most of the boys in the boat. It also mentioned in the back that this version didn’t go into details about the crash on Wall Street that started the Great Depression or the agriculture issues that led to the Dust Bowl. And, while it did take you into the pre-war Germany and let you see what Hitler was doing, it didn’t spend a lot of time on it in this version.
Before I read this book, I knew zero about the rowing teams and what they are like. Very interesting.
I wouldn’t hesitate to hand this version of the book to my nephews as it’s a powerful story of courage, determination, grit, and what it means to be a part of something bigger than just yourself.
Recommended for those not wanting to read the full version.
April 16, 2015
This is one of those books I just couldn't put down. I am quite interested in WWII, and to have a true success story, with Nazi Germany as a back ground, well, this was a double dip of happiness for me. In addition, the author weaves together the unrelenting depression, when so many lost so much, including Joe Rantz's family. There is just so much in this book. The dust bowl. Weather statistics that have yet to be broken. Child abandonment. The Olympics of 1936, in Nazi Germany. And the deliberate deception perpetrated by Hitler and his SS to hide and deceive the rest of the world. Page 359...."Within days of the closing ceremony of the 1936 Olympics, the Nazis renewed their persecution of German Jews and others to whom they believed they were superior.....the brutality, the terror resumed..."
April 14, 2023
Read out loud. This was the best pick for our road trip to Seattle. The whole family loved it, I cried so much haha, and we got to see The Husky Clipper in real life.
November 14, 2018
I read this with my 13 year old son and we both really enjoyed it. Having read both the 'regular' and 'young reader's edition', I think I would probably stick with the full version. Unless you're reading to really young readers (maybe under 10), I think you miss parts of the story that bring it more color & life. There isn't content that I would worry about for older kids & I missed some of the detail from the original. That being said, this story is still fantastic. Really glad we read this together.
March 10, 2024
Rip I did not mean to read the young readers version so now I may need to go back and read the real one. I am so upset😂😂😂 perhaps I will watch the movie and then read it
March 12, 2017
Very well done and interesting.
September 24, 2023
Despite the book’s title, 90 percent of the book is about just one rower, Joe Rantz. He had a rough childhood — his mom died when he was young, and his stepmother kicked him out when he was a young teen. (The exact same thing happened to my great-grandfather at 14.) He took on jobs that were physically grueling, which gave him the fortitude for rowing. The wealthy boys all dropped out of the program while the farmers and fishermen went on to the Olympics, despite rowing being considered a “gentleman’s sport.”
Many rowing races are described in the book, each with nail-biting depictions. Even knowing ahead of time the boys win gold, each race got my heart racing. It’s a great inspiring American story that should be known by everyone. You don’t have to care about rowing or know anything about it to enjoy the book.
I read this “junior adaptation” because it was shorter and I have lots of books to read. I skimmed through the “adult” version to compare. The adult version contains much more of the geopolitics surrounding the 1936 Olympics, particularly Germany. The junior version is an abridgement that stays focused on Joe and his team. The original prose is preserved. It is very accessible and engaging.
Language: Clean
Sexual Content: None
Violence/Gore: None
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
Many rowing races are described in the book, each with nail-biting depictions. Even knowing ahead of time the boys win gold, each race got my heart racing. It’s a great inspiring American story that should be known by everyone. You don’t have to care about rowing or know anything about it to enjoy the book.
I read this “junior adaptation” because it was shorter and I have lots of books to read. I skimmed through the “adult” version to compare. The adult version contains much more of the geopolitics surrounding the 1936 Olympics, particularly Germany. The junior version is an abridgement that stays focused on Joe and his team. The original prose is preserved. It is very accessible and engaging.
Language: Clean
Sexual Content: None
Violence/Gore: None
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
July 22, 2017
I'm not a runner, so the one time I stood at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, I was shocked when I found myself crying. Watching people push themselves to do something against the limits of human athleticism moved me in a way I couldn't expect. Reading this book must have been a similar experience because I found myself choking up the entire time. I don't even like sports. Why is my face so wet?!?
April 28, 2022
This is such a great story! I've read the regular edition and now this young reader's edition and each time I tear up with this story! You do not need to be a fan of rowing, sports, or the Olympics to thoroughly appreciate it.
My 7th graders have LOVED it and have really gotten into the "tense" parts of the book (racing, etc).
My 7th graders have LOVED it and have really gotten into the "tense" parts of the book (racing, etc).
August 3, 2023
Fantastic! I loved the author’s point of view. Although it wasn’t a story about him, it felt like he was there, really there, with all of the personal details.
“This is a story about growing up, about wrestling with hope and doubt, about dreaming big, about going for the gold.”
Cannot wait to talk with 8th graders about ^^ all of these things in just a few short weeks!
“This is a story about growing up, about wrestling with hope and doubt, about dreaming big, about going for the gold.”
Cannot wait to talk with 8th graders about ^^ all of these things in just a few short weeks!
August 5, 2021
I really enjoyed this book—adapted for younger readers. I thought it was such an inspiring story!
April 8, 2023
I was already familiar with this inspiring story but wanted to check out the young readers edition. Definitely a worthwhile story to share with my younger students!
January 4, 2024
Another memoir option my students will read. I really loved this one; a very historical and personal account of the boys who won Olympic gold for rowing in Berlin in 1936. It’s an underdog story with a sweet redemptive ending, and I found it both interesting and moving. Will be watching the movie soon.
Listened via audiobook.
Listened via audiobook.
January 17, 2024
I liked the length and the photos in this adapted version of story which is now a major motion picture. I was disappointed with the way the motion picture did not follow the narrative well at all. However, the story of Joe Rantz and his epic journey of self improvement to become a true olympian was inspiring. Joe was truly abandoned by his family as a young man. His natural reaction was to swear off ever relying on anyone for anything again. But in the sport of rowing, it's all about teamwork. He learned the sport of rowing and was really strong but his strength was not enough. He had to trust his teammates completely and he was challenged to do so because of his past injuries. I liked this quote, "Joe seemed to think he was the only one in the boat. He rowed as if it was up to him to row the boat across the finish line all by himself. When a man rowed like that, Pocock said, he was bound to attack the water rather than to work with it. Worse, he would not be able to let his crew help him row....What mattered more than how hard a man rowed was how well everything he did in the boat harmonized with what the other fellows were doing. And a man couldn't harmonize with his crewmates unless he opened his heart to them...."Joe, when you really start trusting those other boys," Pocock said, "you will feel the power at work within you that is far beyond anything you've ever imagined. Sometimes you will feel as if you have rowed right off the planet and are rowing among the stars."
I really liked the idea that true greatness comes from unified effort not individual effort. I think in many ways, it is lack of unity that stops us from achieving greatness. And lack of unity comes from wanting to trust only ourselves and not learning to like the people we work together with. Imagine being in a boat with someone and yet both of you are rowing in different directions. This book will show you how even rowing in the same direction is not enough if you aren't perfectly in sync. This is a real life lesson that can be applied to many different aspects of life. I want to better in my personal life on unifying my efforts with others.
I really liked the idea that true greatness comes from unified effort not individual effort. I think in many ways, it is lack of unity that stops us from achieving greatness. And lack of unity comes from wanting to trust only ourselves and not learning to like the people we work together with. Imagine being in a boat with someone and yet both of you are rowing in different directions. This book will show you how even rowing in the same direction is not enough if you aren't perfectly in sync. This is a real life lesson that can be applied to many different aspects of life. I want to better in my personal life on unifying my efforts with others.
January 8, 2024
I‘ve been hearing about this book for a decade now and meaning to read it. If anyone had told me that the true story in this book was about one boy overcoming hardships caused by a family situation no child or teenager should have to endure, I would have read it sooner. Yes, it is about the time a bunch of athletes showed up Hitler’s olympic team in German waters in the midst of a turbulent time for Germany, but even that remarkable win isn’t Joe Rantz’s greatest accomplishment. I admire people with enough grit to endure what life unfairly throws at them and rise above it to do great things.
Now I want to hear the stories of all of the other boys in the boat. This book captures what I love about learning about historical events: the stories of the individual humans that experienced them.
*This is the version adapted for young readers, and now I’m curious what the original version includes that this one didn’t, so I will read it too when I can get it from the library.
Now I want to hear the stories of all of the other boys in the boat. This book captures what I love about learning about historical events: the stories of the individual humans that experienced them.
*This is the version adapted for young readers, and now I’m curious what the original version includes that this one didn’t, so I will read it too when I can get it from the library.
February 26, 2017
Apparently, I listened to the YA version on audiobook without realizing it. I didn't even know there was more than one version. Come to find out that authors are currently releasing versions of non-fiction books for young readers that have graphic scenes edited out. I think that's wonderful! From what I found out, the original version of this particular book was not really graphic, so much as, it contains more detailed descriptions of rowing that might be difficult for younger readers to understand. So, I feel like I got the meat and potatoes of the story and was able to read it more quickly. Very enjoyable and inspiring story. Highly recommended!
December 1, 2016
My nine year old and I read the Young Reader's version of this book together and we both loved it! We were hooked from the very beginning and didn't want to put it down each night. Who knew that rowing could be so intense and exciting? I love that this was such an inspiring, memorable read for us to share together. I would highly recommend this and I'm picking up the adult book to read again.
January 11, 2022
Our first read-aloud of the year and we tore through it in just a few days. We read this YA-adapted version, though I am quite curious what the original version includes. The kids loved the suspenseful regatta scenes, but also cared about the main character's upbringing (warning: abusive) and the dynamics of the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany.
December 14, 2017
I read this out loud to my 9-, 10-, and 12-year old sons. They were more and more entertained as the story progressed. The longer book will get a higher rating from me. Reading this to my children did stimulate some good conversations about what a good parent is.
April 26, 2020
Read this young readers version of this book as a read-aloud to my daughter and son (8 and 11). We all loved it! Such a great story of how adversity can make us strong and determined, and how learning to depend on others can deepen our connections and bring us hope and joy.
Read
May 18, 2022I thought it was truly amazing! The excitement was enormous.
February 17, 2024
So. I am a little bummed that I apparently got the easy reader’s version instead of the full book 😂 but it was still great! And now I have previewed it for my kids, so win win?
August 31, 2018
The boys rowing team at Washington University made it to the Olympics for the first time ever. Follow their journey to the olympics in the book The Boys in The Boat by Daniel James Brown. The book follows the perspective of Joe Rantz and his rowing team on their way to the 1936 Olympic Games. Joe and his team were in college during the time of the Great Depression in the 1930s. Joe’s crew were mostly lumberjacks and farm boys that didn't know what rowing was before college. Despite their lack of knowledge about the sport they were dedicated to it. They rowed most every day during the season to improve their skill. By the end of freshman year Joe and his team were one of the best freshman teams in America. Their sophomore year they were so good that they were one of the options for a Varsity boat. Eventually they did become the Varsity team but not before multiple changes to the boat during Joe’s rowing slump. They then raced the other best college teams in the country to see who would be going to the Olympics. It was a rough start for the Washington team but they won and were going to Berlin for the Olympics. When they got to Berlin they were not rowing their best, right before the first day of the games however they found their rhythm again receiving fast times in their trials. To find out how the college team from Washington University came home with olympic gold, I recommend reading this book. To anyone simply looking for a good book to read I would pick this book up. The Boys in The Boat is an exhilarating book which includes a lot of information on rowing. You do not need to be in to sports to like this book and it's not a book that takes forever to read. Therefore, if you get a chance to read this book I really recommend reading it.
April 9, 2019
Excellent read about a sport I had never heard of and an event that was so important in pre-WWII history. But no one really talks about it either.
You should definitely read this book! I got so emotionally involved and this was only the adapted version for young readers. Still really good.
This adapted version was the first I had heard of this book and now I want the original.
Boys. Teamwork. Struggle. Pain. Loss and hardship. Close calls and endurance. This book has it all.
You should definitely read this book! I got so emotionally involved and this was only the adapted version for young readers. Still really good.
This adapted version was the first I had heard of this book and now I want the original.
Boys. Teamwork. Struggle. Pain. Loss and hardship. Close calls and endurance. This book has it all.
October 20, 2019
Our family listened to this book at the recommendation of my oldest son who read it in school. It was a great family audiobook. The story is compelling. We plan to watch the races described in the book on YouTube this week.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,216 reviews