sjhastoomanybooks's review against another edition
4.0
This was a book I would pick up and put down over the course of the last several months - reading several books in between. For me, it was a slow start - and I got a little bored about hearing the 1,000 different boat seat combinations the coach tried. That said, I enjoy narrative nonfiction and appreciated the alternating viewpoints of a scrappy Washington crew mixed with the tenacious deception of the Nazi regime to fool the world during the Olympics. The book really picked up for me when the boys made it to Berlin and that was the point when I didn't want to put it down.
ghost_rider's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
4.25
An inspiring and informative story about the men’s 8 that took gold in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. There is a lot of detail about the sport of rowing, which might be boring to those who have no interest in the sport, but I really appreciated it. If you don’t want to hear about stroke rates, this is probably not the book for you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism
Minor: Car accident
rebeccahenion's review against another edition
5.0
Liked this more than I thought I would! Highly recommend
jenbsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I'd heard a lot of recommendations for this book, and put it on hold at my library. The timing was good ... I'd just reviewed the 1920s, Great Depression/Dust Bowl and some preWWII history (I've been going over what my son is learning in his online history class) and so I was making a lot of connections with what had been studied.
I listened to the audiobook, but I downloaded a sample of the kindle copy, just to see what the print presentation was like (there were some pictures). The narrator was good. He had also narrated "Unbroken" which I had listened to a while back ... I was surprised that was the only other book I've listened to with him before. He felt so familiar!
The story (this is classified as non-fiction) was a bit disjointed as we follow the author, then Joe, then focus in on a few other boys along the way as well, then peeks at activity in Germany. Sometimes I wished I had the full print copy (I actually ordered a paperback copy, but it hasn't arrived yet) just to double check WHO we were talking about at certain times when he strayed from just Joe. I have no particular interest in rowing, but still enjoyed learning about it and the olympic experience, as well as the history of the time. It's just a different approach than a textbook, easier to absorb and remember as it's more personal in the presentation.
I listened to the audiobook, but I downloaded a sample of the kindle copy, just to see what the print presentation was like (there were some pictures). The narrator was good. He had also narrated "Unbroken" which I had listened to a while back ... I was surprised that was the only other book I've listened to with him before. He felt so familiar!
The story (this is classified as non-fiction) was a bit disjointed as we follow the author, then Joe, then focus in on a few other boys along the way as well, then peeks at activity in Germany. Sometimes I wished I had the full print copy (I actually ordered a paperback copy, but it hasn't arrived yet) just to double check WHO we were talking about at certain times when he strayed from just Joe. I have no particular interest in rowing, but still enjoyed learning about it and the olympic experience, as well as the history of the time. It's just a different approach than a textbook, easier to absorb and remember as it's more personal in the presentation.
producepat's review against another edition
5.0
I did not think that I would love a book about a sport I knew so little about. I have a newfound respect for rowing that I would most likely have never gained if it was not for this book. I'll be thinking of Joe and the boys when I eventually see my first rowing competition in person.
hillarya's review against another edition
3.0
I wish I could say I liked it more. The story was great, the motivation behind it was wonderful. I just wanted more. I felt like I would start to get in to Joe's character especially when the author would switch it over to something less interesting. The last 60 or so pages were the best.
heathergir7's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so well written that even though I knew how it all ended, it still gave me chills to read about the races. Loved everything about this book.