Several patrons recommended this book to me and I have finally
gotten around to reading it. I am glad I did. I am not typically a
non-fiction reader, but every now and then one ends up in my lap that I really
enjoy.
This is about 9 boys from the University
of Washington who row their way to an Olympic medal, despite all the odds
against them. These 9 young men, most of them poor, sons of loggers,
farmers and shipyard workers, melded together as a team and beat the elite
rowers from the Ivy Schools in the east, their greatest rival, the University
of California at Berkley, and Great Britain. In particular, it is the
story of Joe Rantz, who despite being abandoned by his family at age 10,
overcame adversity, worked hard and succeeded in life. Even if you are
not a big fan of rowing, (and there is a lot of detail about the sport), this
book will make you want to stand up and cheer.
It is also a history lesson about the
world at that time: The Great Depression, Hitler coming to power, and the Dust
Bowl.
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