Nonfiction Navigators discussion

The Heart and Soul of a Champion: The Rise of the Underdog

Rooting for the underdog is as “American” as apple pie, baseball, and Chevy pick-ups. Perhaps dating back to our own fight for independence, when we were considered “lesser” in the eyes of the British, we Americans tend to carry a soft spot for the down-trodden, least likely victor. I even find this innate American tendency to be true in my own life—I always ask to cuddle the runt of any puppy litter, I pick the wonkiest-looking pumpkin for Halloween, and I can’t help but cheer for the Chicago Cubs (no matter how many years they’ve dashed my hopes of a World Championship). The rise of an underdog speaks to the very fiber of what it means to be American. For this reason, The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Daniel James Brown’s poignant novel chronicling the collegiate oarsmen and their journeys leading up to the 1936 Olympic Games, forces readers to don their giant foam fingers and cheer along with spectators as Team USA attempts the impossible—defeat the formidable German Crew Team, Hitler, and his Nazi-way of life.
Brown introduces Joe Rantz, a tough-as-nails University of Washington rower, and readers follow his unlikely journey from abandoned child to university student-athlete. Similarly, Brown showcases the lives of the other young men who make up the team, as well as their determined coach Al Ulbrickson, and immigrant boat-maker extraordinaire George Pocock.
Brown wastes no time mincing his words—readers know from the first page that Team USA victoriously ends their German Olympic journey. Revealing this fact early on is a risky move on Brown’s part. Why should I continue reading when I know the final outcome? Brown accepts this challenge brilliantly and engages readers not only with the race for gold, but with his beautifully interwoven tales of the underdogs--the men who sacrificed everything they knew in order to achieve greatness (and a place in history). Told narratively, rather than as a structured series of facts, Brown’s rendition of the improbable road to Olympic glory will have you cheering “U-S-A!” through the final seconds of the gold medal race.
Disclaimer: You do NOT need to be able to swim to like this book. You do NOT need to know anything about rowing to enjoy this book. If you routinely root for the underdog, you just might love this book!