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 shattered self-regard and to find a place he can call home. The crew is assembled by an enigmatic coach and mentored by a visionary, eccentric British boat builder, but it is their trust in each other that makes them a victorious team. They remind the country of what can be done when everyone quite literally pulls together—a perfect melding of commitment, determination, and optimism.
Drawing on the boys’ own diaries and journals, their photos and memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, The Boys in the Boat is an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate story of nine working-class boys from the American west who, in the depths of the Great Depression, showed the world what true grit really meant. It will appeal to readers of Erik Larson, Timothy Egan, James Bradley, and David Halberstam’s The Amateurs.
A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #16: Hour of the Olympics 
As a young child Eric Liddell lived in the exotic climate of China. His parents worked there as missionaries, teaching the good news of Jesus. Eric?’s life from then on brought him to boarding school in England, university in Edinburgh and the fame of Olympic Stardom in Paris. But with that fame came trouble as he struggled to stand up for his Christian faith. Eric?’s strong belief in keeping the Lord?’s Day as a day of worship was challenged when his 100 metres race was scheduled for the Sunday. Eric?’s strength of conviction and his subsequent win in the 400 metres have made him a hero and a role model for many young men and women. But his life was so much more than winning tapes and starters orders his whole life was a race for God. This race took him back to the country of his birth China. This country became the country of his death in a Prisoner of War camp. The man who became known affectionately as the Flying Scotsman in the end lived and died in China thousands of miles from his native land and his athletic conquests.
‘On your marks, get set, Go!’ The race begins and Eric Liddell thunders down the track. The crowd cheers him on. Eric Liddell has spent months preparing himself for the Olympics. But he has also spent years getting ready to serve God. Which is more important – winning a gold medal or honouring Jesus Christ? Can Eric do both?
“Christian Heroes: Then & Now have set a new standard of quality in Christian biography. These thrilling true adventures are the best-written biographies for ages 10 and up! Missionary to China and Olympic runner who inspired the movie “Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddell ran the race of faith (1902-1945).
Gabrielle is six years old when her swimming instructor realizes that she has a natural talent and arranges for her to have extra swimming coaching. But then something goes terribly wrong!
Jack and Annie are off on another adventure! This time they are sent to
Fourteen-year-old DJ Randall wants nothing more than to compete as a show jumper in the Olympics. The challenges that stand in her way only spur her to work harder toward her dream. Whether it’s mucking out stalls and hosting pony parties to earn money to buy her first horse or navigating the changing family dynamics at home, DJ relies on her faith in God to see her through the most daunting obstacles. Collection Two includes “Close Quarters, Moving Up, Letting Go, Raising the Bar, “and” Class Act.”
Fourteen-year-old DJ Randall wants nothing more than to compete as a show jumper in the Olympics. The challenges that stand in her way only spur her to work harder toward her dream. Whether it’s mucking out stalls and hosting pony parties to earn money to buy her first horse or navigating the changing family dynamics at home, DJ relies on her faith in God to see her through the most daunting obstacles. Collection One includes Olympic Dreams, DJ’s Challenge, Setting the Pace, Out of the Blue, and Storm Clouds.
A sharecropper’s son becomes a four-time Olympic gold medalist.
