This novel by Daniel James Brown is one that I had heard about for months. Friends and family around me kept asking, “Have you read The Boys in the Boat yet?”

Well, it finally came up in my Libby account (a free ebook and audiobook service provided by most libraries. If you have a library card, you can usually access it.) and I listened to the audiobook. Before the book was even halfway read, I had the hardcover sitting in my Amazon cart.

If you love true, inspirational stories about underdogs coming out on top, this should be your next read. It was truly inspiring and makes you think about how the concept of “swing” could work in your life.

Before we dive in to the review on the book, here is a reminder of how I rate what I read (these will be on a scale of 1-10, 1 being low, 10 being high):

• Plot Structure: How well the story was put together.
• Language: Level of swearing, innuendos, verbal abuse, and other triggers.
• Violence: Level of fight scenes and gore.
• Sexual Content: Level of physical intimacy.

Disclaimer: The more I write, the more I critique books harder on plot structure and how the various elements work together. Thus my reviews reflect this. However, if you see a book appear on the blog, it’s because I enjoyed reading and thought you, as a fellow bookie, would enjoy it as well. As always, reading is subjective and what resonates with me may not resonate with you. And that’s OK! We’re in this to discover new books that are family appropriate and worth taking the time to read.

Book Description:

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.

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.

My Review:

Set during the Great Depression, The Boys in the Boat takes us through the life of Joe Rantz, an oarsman on the Washington rowing team. It touches on the lives of his teammates as well, but Joe is the primary lens we view the story from. 

The story follows Joe through his less than ideal childhood. After the death of his mother, Joe’s father remarries and everything goes south for Joe. His stepmother hates him and his dad is too passive to go against his new wife. So just upon entering his teenage years, Joe finds himself abandoned in their half-finished home in Sequim, Washington.

To hear about the neglect and outright disdain he received from his stepmother breaks my heart. To be a mother myself and know how important that relationship is to a child, I felt nothing but pity for Joe.

Yet, like so many kids who have endured similar experiences, Joe rose above and beyond who his past said he should be. He went from an abandoned orphan to an entrepreneur and never shied away from hard labor. Whether it was having a home, food, friends, or work, Joe found a way to survive.

And we haven’t even started talking about his rowing experience with the University of Washington, which is what the movie focuses.

It is at the university that the story really hits its heart and message. Because of his turbulent upbringing, Joe had learned that he couldn’t trust anyone. Every time he got close to someone, they either left him or were taken away. But in order to achieve “swing,” when every person in the boat is perfectly in sync with each other, Joe had to learn how to surrender his limiting beliefs and trust the young men in the boat with him.

I found so many applications in my own life to the concept of “swing.” When everyone in the house is helping and contributing to the wellbeing of all, life (and chores) feels effortless.

While this story is told from a narrative stand-point, it can also be used as a template on how to achieve better balance and rhythm in your life.

How I rated this book:

• Plot Structure: 10/10; This is the only 10 I have given this year. Brown did an incredible job of piecing together the lives of all nine boys and weaving it into such a beautiful narrative.
• Language: 3/10; There is mild usage of swear words.
• Violence: 1/10; No violence issues with this book.
• Sexual Content: 3/10; We learn of some of the more shady things Hitler and his associates did during the time leading up to World War II and the 1936 Olympics.

Conclusion:

I have come across very few inspirational books that have truly inspired me like this one did. I hope you choose to pick up The Boys in the Boat and give it a try.

Learn more about the Brown and his upcoming books here.

Have you read this book? Let me know in the comments below.