By Everett L., Grade 8
The Boys In The Boat is an irresistible piece of nonfiction writing that brings us along the journey of the Washington College varsity crew team and their journey to the Berlin Olympics. It is a story of grit and determination, one of desperate struggles and unfair events. Most of all, it is a story of how 9 country boys from the middle of nowhere managed to defeat some of the elite athletes of Europe and the East Coast.
The story zooms in on Joe Rantz, a Washington country boy living in the midst of the Great Depression. His early life was very much a roller coaster of fortune, from tragic fires, to life in a mining camp, and finally to abandonment. Left to die in the world at age 15, Joe displayed his determination by managing to survive - he raised chickens, harvested firewood, foraged for food, and caught fish. By doing these things, he survived his childhood alone, and eventually, with the help of his older brother, attended the University of Washington.
The book is able to connect the reader with many characters facing problems similar to those of current day working class Americans. Rantz was barely able to make his way through college, having to work multiple low wage jobs. These shared struggles create a sense of empathy that allows the reader to “row a mile in their boat.”
This underdog story serves as a reminder to many people today that anything can be accomplished with true grit.
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