The Boys in the Boat
by Daniel James Brown · first published 2013
5mentions
4recommended by
4HN commenters
2017–2025first – last mentioned
100% recommend
Daniel James Brown’s robust book tells the story of the University of Washington’s 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936. The emotional heart of the story lies with one rower, Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not for glory, but to regain his
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The Boys in the Boat: The True Story of an American Team's Epic Journey to Win Gold at the 1936 Olympics > https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24611866-the-boys-in-the... Truly a remarkable story, well told.
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2017?” ↗The boys in the boat https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16158542-the-boys-in-the...
on “Ask HN: What are some of the great books that you have read?” ↗…indefinitely 7. A Short History of Nearly Everything A fast pace, well written science book by Bill Bryson that covers what we know about the creation of the world thus far. You'll enjoy it. 8. The Boys in the Boat Very inspiring story about the men's 1936 olympic gold metal rowing team 9. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight Very inspiring story by the creator of Nike. One of the best memoirs I've ever read. 10. Lessons of…
on “Audible and audiobooks, the fastest growing part of publishing” ↗…multiple people. Think of a lovely choir or orchestra. Or a basketball team where every team member just seems to be reading other team members' minds. The book (and presumably the upcoming movie) "The Boys in the Boat" really emphasizes this and crystallizes this. As the linked article mentions, the author and his father butted heads for three hours because they were not listening to each other and pairing very effectively!…
on “Reality has a surprising amount of detail (2017)” ↗…together they achieve a lovely unity. Or a sports team where all of the players are locked in, seemingly reading each others' minds, and getting to some amazing transcendent place together. The book "The Boys in the Boat" describes this phenomenon beautifully. When all nine members of the team achieve this sort of locked-in unity, the boat just flies across the water. In software, there are times when ideas seem to…
on “The Beauty of Programming (2001)” ↗