CBR 16 Bingo – Rings: Olympics
“He saw the power of trust, the strength of the affection that sometimes grew between a pair of young men. Or among a boatload of them striving honestly to do their best.”
My family has a history of rowing. Both my parents participated in the sport, and now they indoctrinated me and my brother with it as well. Because of this, my interpretation of this book might be different than someone who read it without understanding the sport, since I am so involved with it.
This book is a true story that follows 9 working-class boys from the west coast at the time of the great depression who form the novice 8+ at the University of Washington. They never expected to beat the East Coast schools, or even make it to the Berlin Olympics, let alone prevail over the German crew racing for Hitler. The book primarily follows Joe Rantz, one of the boys in the boat, who had no opportunity, family, or prospects.
This book is amazing. It tells an an incredible story, while capturing some of the essence of the sport. The race scenes had my heart pumping, even though I already knew the outcomes, and it was so well written. The story itself was just remarkable and, even though I know it’s a true story, I’m still amazed that these boys managed to defy such odds.
Even for people who aren’t fans of rowing, or sports in general, this is still an amazing book that tells a great story of teamwork, dedication, triumph, and hope. Honestly astounding. 5 stars.