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Matthew's Reviews > The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
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by
Matthew's review
bookshelves: 2018, audio, library, non-fiction, history, sports, favorites
Sep 15, 2017
bookshelves: 2018, audio, library, non-fiction, history, sports, favorites
I love books and movies that get you interested in sports you never cared about before. Also, I love how the Olympics does the same thing. You turn on the TV and suddenly life itself depends on the outcome of some not quite mainstream sport like biathlon, cycling, diving, curling, etc. - and, while watching, you become an expert at all the finer points of the sport. The Boys in the Boat is the perfect example of this type of story. And, with the Winter Olympics coming up, the perfect way to whet my appetite for the competition.
In this case, the sport is rowing. The underdogs are the working class Western US college boys competing against the upper class Ivy Leaguers of the East. The true story of their progress to success and Olympic glory is enthralling. The writing is superb. You will find yourself falling in love with rowing even if you have never seen an oar slice through the water before.
History buffs, sports fans, and people who love a good story about the disrespected underdog finding ultimate success in the end - this book is for you!
Side note - this book also does a great job capturing the development of the Nazi regime as they rose to power while preparing for the 1936 Olympics. The stories of whitewashing the towns to cover up poverty and the newly established oppression of Jews and other minorities is heart-wrenching. Tales of the propaganda machine and the wool pulled over the eyes of the world is amazing. At one point, the author goes through a list of the things the athletes did "not see", and I was wondering if this was an intentional play on "Nazi".
A 5+ star book! I am sad that it is over!
In this case, the sport is rowing. The underdogs are the working class Western US college boys competing against the upper class Ivy Leaguers of the East. The true story of their progress to success and Olympic glory is enthralling. The writing is superb. You will find yourself falling in love with rowing even if you have never seen an oar slice through the water before.
History buffs, sports fans, and people who love a good story about the disrespected underdog finding ultimate success in the end - this book is for you!
Side note - this book also does a great job capturing the development of the Nazi regime as they rose to power while preparing for the 1936 Olympics. The stories of whitewashing the towns to cover up poverty and the newly established oppression of Jews and other minorities is heart-wrenching. Tales of the propaganda machine and the wool pulled over the eyes of the world is amazing. At one point, the author goes through a list of the things the athletes did "not see", and I was wondering if this was an intentional play on "Nazi".
A 5+ star book! I am sad that it is over!
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Reading Progress
September 15, 2017
– Shelved as:
to-read
September 15, 2017
– Shelved
December 31, 2017
– Shelved as:
2018
December 31, 2017
– Shelved as:
audio
December 31, 2017
– Shelved as:
library
December 31, 2017
– Shelved as:
non-fiction
January 1, 2018
–
Started Reading
January 7, 2018
– Shelved as:
history
January 7, 2018
– Shelved as:
sports
January 7, 2018
– Shelved as:
favorites
January 7, 2018
–
Finished Reading
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Stephen
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rated it 4 stars
Sep 16, 2017 05:50PM
You'll like this one!
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I always ending up liking this sort fo book too, but convincing myself to begin is hard! Nice review.
Kandice wrote: "I always ending up liking this sort fo book too, but convincing myself to begin is hard! Nice review."Thanks, Kandice! You should give this one a go!
Stephen wrote: "You'll like this one!"I did! 😃
glad u liked it!!! right after I read it I met some rowing athletes, and was able to rap rowing with them, kinda funny.
Dave wrote: "glad u liked it!!! right after I read it I met some rowing athletes, and was able to rap rowing with them, kinda funny."Very cool!
Matthew I loved this book as well and happened to be reading it while on a trip to Croatia with an excursion to Lake Bled and the Olympic Rowing Training Center! It really had an impact!
I loved this book and there is a PBS special on it as well that was also excellent. One of those rare books that I wouldn't mind rereading.
Nice review! My teenage son had to read this for his summer reading. He is so not a reader, but he enjoyed this one so much he read a lot of the book out loud to me. I enjoyed all that he shared.
Great review, Matthew !!! I so loved this book !!!
Lorna wrote: "Matthew I loved this book as well and happened to be reading it while on a trip to Croatia with an excursion to Lake Bled and the Olympic Rowing Training Center! It really had an impact!"That is very cool! Always nice to see something up close and personal that relates to a book you are reading/ have read.
Brina wrote: "I loved this book and there is a PBS special on it as well that was also excellent. One of those rare books that I wouldn't mind rereading."I need to hunt that down. I have already been looking for the locations on Google maps and watching YouTube videos.
Tracey wrote: "Nice review! My teenage son had to read this for his summer reading. He is so not a reader, but he enjoyed this one so much he read a lot of the book out loud to me. I enjoyed all that he shared."Thanks! I think this would be a great summer reading selection - it would really engage someone who may not be much of a reader.
Megan wrote: "Great review, Matthew !!! I so loved this book !!!"Thanks, Megan!
Loved your review and hope it brings in lots of new readers. I just couldn’t stop recommending this book to people - it was a great surprise hit for me.
Selena wrote: "Great review!"Thank you, Selena!
Renata wrote: "Loved your review and hope it brings in lots of new readers. I just couldn’t stop recommending this book to people - it was a great surprise hit for me."Thank you, Renata! I have already started talking this one up to people - in real life and on Goodreads.
I felt it was a nice read too. I like your review.
Tomorrow I'm going to pick up my copy from the post-office! You review feels like a good omen :D
Fred wrote: "I felt it was a nice read too. I like your review."Thank you! And, I am glad you liked it, too!
WhatIReallyRead wrote: "Tomorrow I'm going to pick up my copy from the post-office! You review feels like a good omen :D"I think you are going to love it! :)
I'm so glad you loved it Matthew! I felt the same on this book. It was just so good and I came to admire rowing and the sport behind it.It was a favorite of mine the year I read it and it still is!
Great review Matthew! I loved this book also.
Ginger wrote: "I'm so glad you loved it Matthew! I felt the same on this book. It was just so good and I came to admire rowing and the sport behind it.It was a favorite of mine the year I read it and it still is!"
I appreciated your encouragement for me to read it! You are good at recommending books! :)
Sue wrote: "Great review Matthew! I loved this book also."Thank you, Sue!
Matthew wrote: "Ginger wrote: "I'm so glad you loved it Matthew! I felt the same on this book. It was just so good and I came to admire rowing and the sport behind it.It was a favorite of mine the year I read it ..."
Awesome! As are you Matthew "Pendergast" McLean! :D
Ginger wrote: "Matthew wrote: "Ginger wrote: "I'm so glad you loved it Matthew! I felt the same on this book. It was just so good and I came to admire rowing and the sport behind it.It was a favorite of mine the..."
Ha! More Pendergast very soon! :) New release coming up . . . I wish I was all the way caught up!
Fantastic review! I look forward to reading this!
Matthew wrote: "Ginger wrote: "Matthew wrote: "Ginger wrote: "I'm so glad you loved it Matthew! I felt the same on this book. It was just so good and I came to admire rowing and the sport behind it.It was a favor..."
It's going to take Terry and I a few years to get caught up! What number are you on now? We're going to be done with #7 soon. Wow! I'm loving it!
Ginger wrote: "It's going to take Terry and I a few years to get caught up! What number are you on now? We're going to be done with #7 soon. Wow! I'm loving it!"No way - you will finish much faster than that!! Less than a year ago you commented on my review that these books sounded interesting (April 2017) and you are already up to 7!
I just finished 12 (going to have to get the short story Extraction next - shows as 12.5) I am also trying to catch up on Gideon Crew so I can read the Ice Limit Sequel.
The book releasing next week is number 17. Maybe we will all get through the series so that when they release 18 we can go a big buddy read where I am on the same page as you guys!
Lindsay wrote: "Fantastic review! I look forward to reading this!"Thanks, Lindsey! Enjoy! :)
Good review Matthew! I read this book in part because of the legacy of this rowing team being from my hometown and it was a great read.
Matthew wrote: "Ginger wrote: "It's going to take Terry and I a few years to get caught up! What number are you on now? We're going to be done with #7 soon. Wow! I'm loving it!"No way - you will finish much fast..."
That's true! We have read almost 7 Pendergast books in less then a year. I think we're averaging one a month. We might catch up to you after all! :D
I guess I need to move this one up further on my TBR list Matthew. I loved your review.
Cody wrote: "Good review Matthew! I read this book in part because of the legacy of this rowing team being from my hometown and it was a great read."Thanks, Cody - that's cool to be able to read something so close to home!
Sarah wrote: "I guess I need to move this one up further on my TBR list Matthew. I loved your review."Thanks, Sarah! Definitely move it up - you will not be disappointed!
I'm glad you loved this book. I rowed my first year in college and when I read this last year, it really took me back to those times in the boat. FYI, if you're looking for a good low impact full body workout, hit the rowing machine at the gym!
Madeleine wrote: "I'm glad you loved this book. I rowed my first year in college and when I read this last year, it really took me back to those times in the boat. FYI, if you're looking for a good low impact full b..."Oh, man, I did the rowing machine a few times. I am thinking - 100 yards! That's just a football field, no big deal! If I do 1000 it will be fine. WHEW! Was I wrong!
You said you watch Olympics and learn a new sport...this winter we learned curling and they won :) Was the best!!!!!
Julie wrote: "You said you watch Olympics and learn a new sport...this winter we learned curling and they won :) Was the best!!!!!"Oh, yeah! I often become a biathlon/cross-country skiing fanatic during the Winter Olympics!
I agree. I never about or knew much about crew. I now would relish the opportunity to stand on the shore and watch one of these major races.
Carol wrote: "I agree. I never about or knew much about crew. I now would relish the opportunity to stand on the shore and watch one of these major races."Yes! I might be paying a bit more attention during the next Olympics
Thanks for your review. I am a total sports movie fanatic which is hilarious because my husband and I both didn't grow up watching sports. I loved this book and I'm commenting on your review with the hope that you may have recommendations for any others like it.
Eliza wrote: "Thanks for your review. I am a total sports movie fanatic which is hilarious because my husband and I both didn't grow up watching sports. I loved this book and I'm commenting on your review with t..."No problem, Eliza!
Hmmm . . . other suggestions like this one . . . I will have to think . . .
*Goes to look at book list*
Here are a couple - looks like I need to find more like this, too!:
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
Seabiscuit: An American Legend
Matthew, I saw the movie today. I enjoyed it but I think the book is better. I hope you get to see the film.
Julie, so glad you discovered curling. I love watching it; I also loved playing it. I still have my broom thirty years later.
