See the review for the original unabridged work.

This was a very well done adaptation. It left out some of the less relevant details of Rantz's family relationships, the history of the era including the Depression and Hitler's actions in Germany, the boat-buildern's philosophy and personal history, and the training sessions, while keeping everything necessary to the story.

Included are a who's who list of people, a timeline of events, a 2-page primer on the art of rowing as taught by Coach Al Ulbrickson, and a short Q&A with the author D. J. Brown. I wish the appendices had been in the unabridged work when I read it. ( )

-- A few yrs. ago my sister mentioned this book in a birthday card to me. Last mo. I looked for it in my public library. The true story (adapted for young readers) was available. Sons of farmers, loggers, & fishermen compete for a seat on the University of Washington rowing team. They train & beat teams on both coasts before a team of nine rowers travel to Germany in 1936 to compete in the Olympics. Coaches & team members are profiled, strategies are revealed. The 214-pg. adaptation for young readers contains photos. -- ( )

This is the story of Joe Rantz and the University of Washington rowing team. Joe defied odds to make the rowing team and the team defied all odds to beat East Coast schools and become the US Olympic rowing team. At the Olympics, they again face off against tough foes, including Hitler's German team. This is a story of determination, hard work, and perseverance. It is written in a narrative non-fiction format. ( )

This book was very inspirational for me, it made me believe I could do anything. Joe Rantz was only a poor Seattle boy, never experienced rowing, going to University on the little money he had and he won a gold medal. I loved how in the book, one chapter would include the story of Joe in the present rowing, but the next would include Joe’s backstory, what led him to the moment he was in. When I first picked up this book I believed it was just going to be another sports story about a team going to the Olympics but it’s so much more than that. It’s about how you have to be determined to reach your goals, it’s about how sometimes you have to work hard to achieve dreams, how you have to work and be apart of a team, how anything is possible even when times seem tough. Joe Rantz had a hard time but he stayed determined and got himself to university and then to the Olympics. I loved that the book also included all the events that were occurring in the time period because they influenced the history. The great depression was the reasoning for Joe’s poor family, Hitler was building an army and he needed to prove to everyone that Germany was superior. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about the past, and be inspired by someone. I rate this book 5/5 because I never got bored of it and made me believe I could do anything. ( )

The Boys in the Boat is an amazing story. It is about a young boy who grows up to belong in a rowing team. The boys soon learn that they are better than they think, they win the Berlin Olympics in rowing, surprising Hitler and his own team.