Battle of the Books, Book 7: The Boys in the Boat

 Nonfiction and I have a bit of a rocky relationship. I want to love it—I really do—but more often than not, I find myself zoning out as I read. But Daniel James Brown surprised me—The Boys in the Boat didn’t just tell the story of the 1936 Olympic rowing team. It weaves together the story of the Olympics, the Great Depression, an impending World War and Joe Rantz. Brown moves fluidly between the high-stakes races and Joe's childhood, which was equal parts perseverance and abandonment. Rather than bogging down the pacing, the shifts between past and present actually deepened the emotional impact. Joe’s grit on the water makes so much more sense when you understand what he survived on land.

It’s not flashy. It’s not fast. But it is incredibly human—and that’s what pulled me in. Brown’s writing doesn’t just report facts; it builds a story with tension, warmth, and a quiet reverence for the young men at its center. You find yourself cheering for them long before the Olympic boat even touches the water.

 The Boys in the Boat didn’t just hold my attention; it earned my admiration. It’s a powerful reminder that the best true stories often read like fiction… you just can’t make this stuff up.