I didn’t know the first thing about competitive rowing. I
never have rowed and never will. But that didn’t stop me from loving
this book. I heard Alistair Begg mention the book in a sermon and I spotted it
at a library sale for $1 – so I took a chance and am glad I did. In fact, my
heart was racing with the thrill of the race when reading about Joe Rantz and
the University of Washington crew as they overcame seemingly insurmountable odds.
I teared up reading of their physical, personal, and emotional trials. As I was
reading one section on my lunch break, I sat the book down because I
anticipated what was about to happen and couldn’t bear to read on if what I
thought was about to happen did. A few minutes later I picked it back up, and
sure enough, another tragedy.
This was a really well told story. Daniel James Brown gratifyingly
weaves the story of these men and their struggles with the struggle that the
United States faced in the great depression, and with the struggle the world
was about to face with Nazi Germany. He also did great job describing the ins
and outs of the sport of rowing for the novice, like me, who comes to the book
having only rowed a joh boat and canoe looking for bluegill. The art and skill
of the master craftsmen, George Pocock as he meticulously crafted the best
racing shells in the world was fascinating to me.
This was good book and a wonderful story about an amazing
time in history.
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