Synopsis:
For readers/listeners of Unbroken, out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times – the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant. It was an unlikely quest from the start. With a team composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew team was never expected to defeat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did, going on to shock the world by defeating the German team rowing for Adolf Hitler. The emotional heart of the tale lies with Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not only to regain his shattered self-regard but also to find a real place for himself in the world. Drawing on the boys’ own journals and vivid memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, Brown has created an unforgettable portrait of an era, a celebration of a remarkable achievement, and a chronicle of one extraordinary young man’s personal quest.
What To Expect:
The Boys in the Boat is the inspiring true story of the 1936 men’s Olympic crew team. Along with the story of many of the crew members and coaches, Brown describes the climate of the world and the complex history beginning in the 1920s through the beginning of WWII.
Content Warnings:
Language: Mild – Includes damn, hell
Sexual Content: Closed door – One scene describes the men having entered a strip club, with “working women.” This is a brief scene and no descriptions are provided.
Violence: None
Substance Use: Mild – Drinking is mentioned. Some crew members are described as drunk on one occasion.
Prejudices: Moderate – As this is set during the rise of Hitler and the Olympics are set in Berlin, antisemitism is a theme. Mistreatment of Jews in Germany is described. No graphic descriptions of the Holocaust.
Religious Themes: None
Other Topics: Difficult family relationships, particularly between a father and son.
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