Daniel James Brown, "The Boys in the Boat"

This event was recorded at Politics & Prose Bookstore in Washington, DC, on June 6, 2013. More information is available at www.politics-prose.com/event/b...
To sports legends like Jessie Owens and John Beresford, add the University of Washington eight-oar crew that rowed to victory in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Brown's third book draws on the young athletes' diaries and letters, giving a vivid sense of their camaraderie, dedication, and the long odds they faced in going for the gold.

[@davidotness6199]

I truly loved reading this book. It brought out so much history of the Pacific Northwest at the time and all of the challenges many of these young men had to overcome in their lives already, but then their shell being given the worst positioning in the race for the Olympic Gold and winning in spite of its very significant challenges, was nothing short of sublime.

[@TheBootstrapBoutique]

I just finished this book in tears. So moving, Joe and the boys have a beautiful story, thank you for telling it.

[@MrBlutarskyZeroPointZero]

I have read this fabulous book 4 times! Each time, I dont want it to end... I will read it again...

[@keepinonkeepinon60]

One of my favorite books of all time. Love this.

[@georgecollins9388]

Wonderful book, Daniel. So well said! A good friend of mine from Seattle used to go to the same church as George Pocock and they became friends. So I read the book flat-out non-stop and enjoyed every minute of it. I'm sure that you even more than me would love to see the movie come to pass, and that it would somehow maintain or match the incredible spirituality and power that you somehow gave us from your book, that it would serve as a tribute to these incredible boys and men who fought for each other and purely with each other to represent America and to totally win the race despite everything going against them. Maximum spirit and make it go right determinism. But the movie can never attain or match. the detail and quality of the book.

[@getdusty1]

I'm 66 and I (used to) hate reading ... WITH A PASSION. There is not one book I've ever read in my entire life. I've struggled through some verbal books and then lost interest. But I can now honestly say, that "The Boy's In The Boat" is a "can't put it down" book. My grand-daughter is a 15 year old rower and this book was suggested to me by a retired school teacher in his seventies. I balked at it at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought, "If I don't like it, I can give it to my grand-daughter", who loves to read. I found myself coming down the stairs after eating a meal, looking forward to my reading time, something that has NEVER happened in my life. Now that I'm through that book, I'm wondering what the next book will be that I can read. There are two things I love about Daniel's writing in this book. His details about the atrocities in Germany were minor in graphic detail and his use of foul language, even when he had the chance to use it, he fell short, still leaving the reader in no uncertain terms what was said, as in, when they fell way behind in the gold medal race, one of the rowers was heard to use (and Daniel says it this way) "the F-word". Daniel's integrity is to such a high standard that he wouldn't let himself use that word even if it WAS used in a practical place. That means a lot to a great many people. I would like to get his permission some day to use parts of pages 213 to 215 in a sermon some day and tie it in with First Corinthians 12:12 to 27, which compares the church to the body. Those three pages would tie in perfectly with a sermon like that. When one triumphs, we all cheer ... when one hurts, we are all made sad. An amazing read!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jockellis]

If you think this book is a page turner, you ought to read The Cross and The Switchblade. I loved TBITB but TCATSb had me wondering what God would do on the next page. Check it out.

[@dakers2052]

I found out about this book from a review in a history magazine. Being a UW rowing fan for over 40 years, it was a great historical and human interest story. I have given this book to several people and donated it to the library of the two ships I work on. It's a story you can read over and over and enjoy each time! My hats off to Mr. Brown!

[@davidrichardson2330]

Excellent book. Highly recommended. Ex-rower in four boat myself 1971 to 79. My boss for two years was the nephew of the great British Olympic oarsman, Jack Beresford (Los Angeles 1932). The book has so many great highlights and the crew's journey to the Olympics was a huge challenge with competitors from the elite crews in the East and West.

[@abpabpabp6153]

Perhaps the most inspiring, heart-warming book I've ever read. And beautifully written.

[@karinamironets9124]

So true

[@Reussclub]

I can agree to every word the author said. Excellent description of a rowers mind and what he feels during and after a race. I have been a competitive oarsman and still row at age 66. Interestingly my dad was at the Olympic regatta in Berlin in 1936! He was a spectator, but rowed already then as a junior. In 1939 one month before the beginning of WW 2 his now elite 8 from the rowing club Reuss Lucerne was sent to Liege/Luettich in Belgium to compete against Europes top teams. The big favorites were the Germans, Grossdeutscher Achter, the young Swiss boys from Lucerne won the race and the Nazi eight came in second, one length behind! One of that team is still alive, he was born in 1916. My dad born in 1914 passed in 2002! After their victory the team was qualified for the European Championships to be held 4 weeks later in Amsterdam. The sent the boat to Amsterdam and went back to Lucerne to train for this event. In September Hitler started the war, the European Championships were cancelled as well as the Olympic Games in 1940 (Tokyo).

[@ricksindars4810]

Thanks for sharing that is interesting story of your dad and you. My cousin Joyce Simdars was married to Joe Rantz many years my senior. I have a close relationship with my cousin Judy Willman who is Joe Rantz daughter. Here is a photo below that may interest you. facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=805957612752934&set=t.100000161082518&type=3&theater

[@willmpet]

I read this and then gave it to my daughter. We both loved it! It's one of the things that binds us.

[@willmpet]

I am impressed that Mr.Rantz wanted a story written that described the rowers not him.

[@sabinahavkins5933]

I listend to this book on CD and one of the best I have read/heard. A fascinating story and soo well written

[@NancyMcGuiremsls]

Excellent story! Inspirational, educational, and definitely worth reading and discussing.

[@AbbaJoy1]

Outstanding book.

[@jeffreyc.mcandrew8911]

Reading for our local book club "The On Track Readers" in North Fond du Lac. Promises to be great. Wonderful writing!

[@rogerphillips2063]

Great book and wonderful true story! I will see the movie asap.those young men were amazing. This summer I was in the Sequim area of Washington and the summer before saw the Hudson River making me feel a tiny connection in two places in this exciting Happening in this truly great country with great Americans.

[@jameskavanaugh7052]

I have purchased three copies and passed them on. They don't come back. People what to keep this book forever.

[@nantinee9]

Thank you Daniel James Brown for writing this book. I recently finished reading it and I have been so touched and inspired. I found myself cheering for Joe Rantz and the boys of Washington and wanting them to succeed. I love their humility and grace during a difficult time in life, and as they rowed together as one. There were parts in the book where I was brought to tears, including the excerpt you read. That has never happened to me before in reading a book. This story, I believe, will live in my heart for a very long time.

[@lh570]

Enjoyed the book. Joe Rantz had interesting life, and will be a hero to you, after reading this story.

[@ricksindars4810]

Joe Rantz was married to my cousin Joyce Simdars many years my senior. I have a close relationship to my cousin Judy Willman who is Joe Rantz daughter. Here is a link below to a photo that may interest you. facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=805957612752934&set=t.100000161082518&type=3&theater

[@maureenhodder1226]

just read the book ,,what a fine read

[@treason3382]

Maureen Hodder I read the young readers version.

[@Easts101]

I just finished reading this book and it was a great read. Whilst it is a bit too detailed in the technique of rowing in some parts, and I am married to a mad rower, it is in my view a story about young people growing up in a particular part of USA.

[@fishingtitans5031]

Spoiler alert. LOL .. had to pause at 4min 25sec as I am at the point in the book where Joe and the boys are en route to Berlin... great book so far.. will come back to this vid when I'm done.

[@smilborrow]

Who would have thought that 10 years later George Clooney would make a film based on the book!

[@mitchellweiner4990]

An absolutely wonderful book which needs no prior knowledge of rowing!

[@crpond3699]

Nice....we look forward to your next book. Perhaps now is a good time to write about The Girls In The Boat.

[@jockellis]

My question would have been: How many of the German team ended up on the Russian front?

[@angusloughor-clarke386]

I may be mistaken but I believe that one of Jesse Owens competitors from Germany ended being conscripted into the army in the early years of the war. I also believe that he was Killed In Action.

[@SilverQuillTV]

I’m so amazed at professionalism of Daniel James Brown’s descriptive analysis and his thoughtful approach. Brown is a hallmark of exceptional journalists. I hope to have an autographed version for my self and my son (both my kids rowed and now I have started!

[@profd65]

Jesse Owens said that it wasn't Hitler who refused to shake his hand, it was FDR. You have to remember than the US was a deeply and brutally racist society in the 1930s, even though books like this try to distract from that.

[@georgecollins9388]

I didn't know that! I don't get involved in race situations such as what our country is being pushed into now. But I will tell you that black people are in fact my best friends and I truly hope that all racism of any kind will become a thing of the past, that all men will see each other as brothers, as well as the full certainty that we are all just spiritual beings.

[@SilverQuillTV]

😮well now I can’t wait to read it! I did not feel this from the movie!