Last Great Book I Read

The Boys in the Boat - have you read it? Perhaps I'm partial being a University of Washington alum myself (the setting for this true story).  Also, I did have a brief stint on the UW Women's Novice Crew team, so I can literally picture where much of their rowing occurs.  The author weaves much of the story through the lens of one of the oarsmen from the epic boat, Joe Rantz.  Joe's difficult childhood and upbringing cast a light onto what life looked like for some in the early 1930's in rural Washington.  The author also does an exceptional job of depicting a pre-depression Seattle (fun to read as a Seattleite).  

He goes on to describe the other eight oarsmen and coxswain, and describe the genuine trust and camaraderie these boys were able to harness together to fulfill their dreams.  I love a good sports story, and this book captures the heart and spirit of these athletic, strong-willed, and lion-hearted individuals in their quest for success.  Cons: there is a lot of crew jargon, which at times is tedious, however, the overall book is a solid read.  One of those books I wanted to make time to finish, always a good sign, right?

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