The Boys in the Boat

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[1]

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
Theboysintheboat.jpg
The front cover art of The Boys in the Boat
AuthorDaniel James Brown
Original titleThe Boys in the Boat
LanguageEnglish
GenreNarrative nonfiction
PublisherPenguin Books
Publication date
June 4, 2013
Media typePrint
Pages404
ISBN978-0670025817

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics is a non-fiction novel written by Daniel James Brown and published on June 4, 2013.

Background[]

Daniel James Brown grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in English at the University of California,Berkeley.[2]  

The Boys in the Boat is a true story based on the struggles and sacrifices made by the University of Washington rowing team to compete at the highest possible level, the 1936 Berlin Olympics.[3]  Joseph Sutton-Holcomb from The Seattle Times mentions that Brown got the idea to write this book when his neighbor Judy Williams walked into his home in Redmond,Washington. She said that her grandfather on hospice, Joe Rantz, was a fan of his works and wanted to have a conversation with the author.[4] That encounter with Judy ignited a conversation with Joe Rantz about life during the Great Depression, which led to an in-depth chat about his time as a rower at the University of Washington.[4] Growing up, Joe felt ostracized by his father and stepmother and was seen as disposable, which correlates to how many people during that time felt.[4] The Depression brought about so much uncertainty, and people felt as if they did not have any control over their own lives.[3]

In an interview with Joseph Sutton-Holcomb from The Seattle Times, Brown emphasized that the reason he spent so much time on the build up to this important race is because he thought “it's much more meaningful if you know the nine guys involved on some kind of personal level, and if you knew what the German boys wearing swastikas on their chests represented, that they weren't just another bunch of kids in a boat.”[4]

Plot[]

The Boys in the Boat is about the University of Washington eight-oared crew that represented the United States in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, and narrowly beat out Italy and Germany to win the gold medal. The main character is Joe Rantz.

There are two backstories. One illustrates how all nine members of the Washington team came from lower-middle-class families and had to struggle to earn their way through school during the depths of the Depression. Along with the chronicle of their victories and defeats in domestic competition, the reader learns the importance of synchronization of the eight rowers as they respond to the commands of the coxswain and his communications with the stroke, consistent pacing, and sprint to the finish.

The second backstory begins with a depiction of Hitler decreeing construction of the spectacular German venues at which the Games would take place. Along the way, the book also claims that the Nazis successfully covered up the evidence of their harsh and inhumane treatment of the Jews so as to win worldwide applause for the Games, duping the United States Olympic Committee among others.

All comes together with a description of the final race. During the 1930s, rowing was a popular sport with millions following the action on the radio. The victorious Olympians became national heroes. In accordance with the strictures of amateur athletics, the boys sank into relative obscurity after their victory but were still better off than their parents, and for the rest of their lives proud of their accomplishment. After their win, they would come together every few years to row again.

Reception[]

The Delhi Press asserts that The Boys in the Boat, published by Penguin Books, was one of the best selling books after it was released.[5] Timothy Egan of The New York Times writes, "Against all odds, Brown’s book has become a global phenomenon. “The Boys in the Boat” is about who we used to be. And who we still could be. Like the best history, it’s then and now wow factor is both embarrassing (to the present) and inspiring (to the future)."[6] Laurence Raw, from The Journal of American Culture, addressed this book as being researched beautifully and highlights the woes and triumphs experienced during the Great Depression.[7] Along with the book’s praise, the book received many rewards including the 2014 Washington State Book Award.[8]

Overall, the book received positive reactions. The Guardian states, "The US rowing team's victory at Hitler's 1936 Olympics is charted in a dramatic Depression-era account destined for Hollywood."[1] The News Journal (Wilmington) includes a positive review from John Schoonver, a coxswain at St. Andrews School in 1959, who claimed that "It [the book] shows a remarkable story about the perseverance of young rowers.”[9] In July 2014, The Delhi Press addressed that “One of the protagonists is Joe Rantz, a poor boy, whose determination to overcome odds makes him an ideal hero. The author learned the details of Rantz's brilliant rowing career from the athlete himself.”[5] According to The Delhi Press, the author worked hard to create a book to inspire many generations.[5] The Smithsonian Magazine has highlighted how it's not a surprise that this novel has been brought to cinematic development.[10] The figurative language and imagery Brown utilizes allows the audience to feel what the rowers are experiencing.[10]  Joseph Sutton-Holcomb from The Seattle Times claims that this book  is more than a heartfelt coming-of-age sports saga because it exemplifies what can be accomplished when people come together.[4]

Adaptation[]

On March 3, 2011, The Weinstein Company acquired the film rights to The Boys in the Boat with Kenneth Branagh directing and Donna Gigliotti producing.[11][12] In October 2018, Lantern Entertainment (the successor of The Weinstein Company) contracted with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to distribute the film worldwide.[13] In March 2020, it was announced that actor George Clooney would direct the film.[14]

In November 2021, it was announced that Callum Turner was cast in an unspecified role.[15]

The story of the gold medal-winning crew also inspired a 2016 PBS American Experience documentary The Boys of ’36.[16]

Awards and honors[]

Other works by this author[]

  • Under a Flaming Sky: The Great Hinkley Firestorm of 1894. May 1, 2006.
  • The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride. April 28, 2009.
  • Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II. May 11, 2021.

See also[]

  • ASUW Shell House
  • Daniel James Brown Shares the Back Story of "The Boys in the Boat" [20]
  • The Husky Clipper and Boys in the Boat artifacts are on display at the University of Washington's Conibear Shellhouse: WashingtonRowing.com

References[]

  1. ^ a b "The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown – review". TheGuardian.com. July 13, 2013.
  2. ^ Kelleher, Antonia (November 16, 2015). "Daniel James Brown's The Boys in the Boat is published on June 4, 2013".
  3. ^ a b Almond, Elliott, and Mark Emmons. "IN DESPERATE TIMES, A TALE OF TRIUMPH: BITTER RIVALRY THAT CULMINATED WITH GLORY IN THE 1936 OLYMPICS RESUMES." San Jose Mercury News, Apr 22, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e Sutton-Holcomb, Joseph. "Based on a Crew Story: Daniel James Brown Discusses 'Boys in the Boat'." Sunday Gazette - Mail, Jun 16, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "The Boys in the Boat." Alive, Delhi,  no. 381, 07, 2014, pp. 88.  
  6. ^ Egan, Timothy (April 17, 2015). "Opinion | the Boat to Lift All Tides". The New York Times.
  7. ^ Raw, Laurence. "The Boys in the Boat: An Epic Journey to the Heart of Hitler's Berlin." The Journal of American Culture, vol. 39, no. 1, 2016, pp. 115-116.
  8. ^ Kelleher, Antonia (November 16, 2015). "Daniel James Brown's The Boys in the Boat is published on June 4, 2013".
  9. ^ "'The Boys in the Boat'." The News Journal, Wilmington, DE, Apr 19, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Schama, Chloë. "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics." Smithsonian, vol. 44, no. 3, 06, 2013, pp. 102.
  11. ^ "Weinstein Company Captures Book Proposal On 1936 U.S. Olympics Crew Team". deadline.com. March 3, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  12. ^ "Weinsteins acquire Olympic rowing tale". Variety. March 3, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  13. ^ McNary, Dave (October 30, 2018). "Weinstein Film 'Boys in the Boat' Saved by MGM, Lantern Entertainment".
  14. ^ "Clooney set to direct Berlin Olympics true life drama". March 9, 2020 – via www.rte.ie. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  15. ^ Kroll, Justin (November 1, 2021). "Callum Turner To Star In George Clooney And Grant Heslov's 'Boys In The Boat' Adaptation For MGM". Deadline.
  16. ^ "The Boys of '36". American Experience. PBS. 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  17. ^ "New York Times Best Sellers Paperback Nonfiction - nytimes.com". The New York Times. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  18. ^ "ABA Announces 2014 Indies Choice and E.B. White Read-Aloud Award Winners - bookweb.org". April 15, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  19. ^ "Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction Awards & Grants". February 6, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  20. ^ "Daniel James Brown Shares the Backstory of the Boys in the Boat". June 29, 2017.
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