The Boys in the Boat

 

Over the weekend hubby and I saw the movie The Boys in the Boat. I probably would not have paid this movie's release any attention, but my oldest son read the book it's based on several months ago, and he's still talks about what a great book it was. Needless to say, we had to see it and it did not disappoint! 

A book is always better than the movie it inspires, so the book is now on my to read list. If you haven't seen the movie or read the book, I highly recommend the movie, and based on my son's passion for the book, I will highly recommend it also!

Here's some information about the book, courtesy of Wikipedia:

The Boys in the Boat is about the University of Washington eight-oared rowing crew that represented the United States in rowing at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's eight in Berlin, and narrowly beat out Italy and Germany to win the gold medal. The main character is Joe Rantz. Rantz had a tough time growing up and was abandoned by his family for several years to fend for himself.

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 the 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 describes how the Nazis successfully covered up the evidence of their harsh and inhumane treatment of the Jews and other minorities 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. 

As you can imagine, the movie couldn't include all of this detail, but it includes enough to make a compelling story for the screen!

Have you seen The Boys in the Boat? Thanks for visiting and have a great week!