My yearly goal to read 30 new (to me) books has gotten a bit too easy. So this year, (inspired by Melissa Luck’s Twitter), I’m going for one book each week. Yes. 52 books in one year. 22 more than I read last year. I’m pretty sure I can do it. And hopefully books will take away a chunk of the time I spend mindlessly scrolling through Facebook posts I’ve already seen.
Anyway, without further ado, here is the first book of 2018.
I put this book on hold at the library after my grandpa recommended I read it. It took me about one chapter before I realized I’d gotten the “young readers” adaptation. No bother. It’s still a book. And a darn good one at that.
“The Boys in the Boat” is the true story of the University of Washington’s crew that represented the United States in the 1936 Olympics. You know, the games in Berlin where Hitler wanted to prove his thoughts about racial supremacy and other garbage by beating all the other countries.
Daniel James Brown starts the story long before the Berlin games, though. He follows the life of Joe Rantz, a poor boy from Washington who came of age during the Great Depression. Joe’s life is almost unimaginable for anyone who grew up in modern America. Nowadays, a 10-year-old walking to school alone can prompt calls to Child Protective Services. When Joe was 10, his dad made him live at the schoolhouse because Joe’s stepmother didn’t like him.
Anyway, when Joe makes it to the University of Washington, he joins the crew team. And that’s where the story really takes off. The rag tag group of guys from Washington (which I guess back then was the American equivalent of a hick state. Go figure) alternate between being outstanding oarsman and catastrophic failures on the water. I felt their coach’s frustration watching them seesaw between excellence and embarrassment. And, even though I knew how the story ended, I felt nervous as they set off for Berlin.
“The Boy’s in the Boat” truly captures the American spirit; the can-do attitude that built a nation. It’s also a beautiful story of friendship, perseverance, and love.
We could all use a little more of that this year.
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