The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown

One of my reading goals this year is to read some non-fiction.  This book made this goal easy - this was one of the best books I've read in quite some time.

Part of the appeal for me is easy to see - all three of my kids have been rowers, so I could connect with much of the narrative that captured the world of competitive rowing.  And although I was not a rower, the descriptions of the rowing and of the bonds between the athletes totally captivated me.

But it was much more than that.  This is the story of 9 working class boys who started rowing together at the University of Washington and they clicked almost immediately - as athletes, as a team, and as friends. Their synergy was unique and electric, and they rowed their way (past Hitler, literally) to a gold medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The author not only brings the lives of these young men to life, but he captures the pre-WWII America that they were growing up in - through the dustbowl, the depression, and hints of what is transpiring in Germany with Hitler's rise to power.

By the time I reached the epilogue, I was fully invested in the oarsmen, their coach, and their journey together. The book is poignant and inspiring.