Best Boating
For readers of Unbroken , out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant. In doing so, he offers a vivid picture of the socioeconomic landscape of 1930s America (brutal), the relentlessly demanding effort required of an Olympic-level rower, the exquisite brainpower and materials that go into making a first-rate boat, and the wiles of a coach who somehow found a way to, first, beat archrival University of California, then conquer a national field of qualifiers, and finally, defeat the best rowing teams in the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"But by taking every sliver of hope, and mixing in superb craftsmanship (from George Pocock), excellent coaching (Al Ulbrickson), and these nine perfectly attuned young men learning together........the result was perfection. It is nice to learn something you never knew, but is common knowledge to an entire set of other people. Concepts from Daniel Brown to consider that are mixed into the story to teach all of us: 1) One of the fundamental challenges in rowing is that when any one member of a crew goes into a slump the entire crew goes with him. The speed of a racing shell is determined primarily by two factors: the power produced by the combined strokes of the oars, and the stroke rate, the number of strokes the crew takes each minute. There are other great ideas to ponder in this epic almost 400 page, could-not-put-down story."
"Astonishing tales of Joe's upbringing and resilience; the unbelievable drive of every member of the rowing teams, their coach Al Ulrickson and boat builder George Pocock; the rivalry between West Coast universities; and then the astonishment of the East Coast clubs and schools confronting the Seattle crew."
"held local discussions, and had an opportunity to meet the author locally.If you like learning about history through a good story, this is the book for you."
"I enjoyed reading the book, although inn places it seemed a little long, or to put it another way; more information than we needed."
The #1 New York Times –bestselling story about American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany and now the inspiration for the PBS documentary “The Boys of ‘36” For readers of Unbroken , out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant. In doing so, he offers a vivid picture of the socioeconomic landscape of 1930s America (brutal), the relentlessly demanding effort required of an Olympic-level rower, the exquisite brainpower and materials that go into making a first-rate boat, and the wiles of a coach who somehow found a way to, first, beat archrival University of California, then conquer a national field of qualifiers, and finally, defeat the best rowing teams in the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"But by taking every sliver of hope, and mixing in superb craftsmanship (from George Pocock), excellent coaching (Al Ulbrickson), and these nine perfectly attuned young men learning together........the result was perfection. It is nice to learn something you never knew, but is common knowledge to an entire set of other people. Concepts from Daniel Brown to consider that are mixed into the story to teach all of us: 1) One of the fundamental challenges in rowing is that when any one member of a crew goes into a slump the entire crew goes with him. The speed of a racing shell is determined primarily by two factors: the power produced by the combined strokes of the oars, and the stroke rate, the number of strokes the crew takes each minute. There are other great ideas to ponder in this epic almost 400 page, could-not-put-down story."
"Astonishing tales of Joe's upbringing and resilience; the unbelievable drive of every member of the rowing teams, their coach Al Ulrickson and boat builder George Pocock; the rivalry between West Coast universities; and then the astonishment of the East Coast clubs and schools confronting the Seattle crew."
"held local discussions, and had an opportunity to meet the author locally.If you like learning about history through a good story, this is the book for you."
"I enjoyed reading the book, although inn places it seemed a little long, or to put it another way; more information than we needed."
The #1 New York Times –bestselling story about American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany and now the inspiration for the PBS documentary “The Boys of ‘36” For readers of Unbroken , out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant. It encompasses the convergence of transcendent British boatmaker George Pocock; the quiet yet deadly effective UW men’s varsity coach, Al Ulbrickson; and an unlikely gaggle of young rowers who would shine as freshmen, then grow up together, a rough-and-tumble bunch, writes Brown, not very worldly, but earnest and used to hard work. In doing so, he offers a vivid picture of the socioeconomic landscape of 1930s America (brutal), the relentlessly demanding effort required of an Olympic-level rower, the exquisite brainpower and materials that go into making a first-rate boat, and the wiles of a coach who somehow found a way to, first, beat archrival University of California, then conquer a national field of qualifiers, and finally, defeat the best rowing teams in the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"But by taking every sliver of hope, and mixing in superb craftsmanship (from George Pocock), excellent coaching (Al Ulbrickson), and these nine perfectly attuned young men learning together........the result was perfection. It is nice to learn something you never knew, but is common knowledge to an entire set of other people. Concepts from Daniel Brown to consider that are mixed into the story to teach all of us: 1) One of the fundamental challenges in rowing is that when any one member of a crew goes into a slump the entire crew goes with him. The speed of a racing shell is determined primarily by two factors: the power produced by the combined strokes of the oars, and the stroke rate, the number of strokes the crew takes each minute. There are other great ideas to ponder in this epic almost 400 page, could-not-put-down story."
"Astonishing tales of Joe's upbringing and resilience; the unbelievable drive of every member of the rowing teams, their coach Al Ulrickson and boat builder George Pocock; the rivalry between West Coast universities; and then the astonishment of the East Coast clubs and schools confronting the Seattle crew."
"held local discussions, and had an opportunity to meet the author locally.If you like learning about history through a good story, this is the book for you."
"I enjoyed reading the book, although inn places it seemed a little long, or to put it another way; more information than we needed."
Best Instructional Sailing
Evaluate the condition of your boat or one you’re about to purchase Repair structural damage to your fiberglass sailboat Improve or repair your sailboat’s electrical system Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair your boat’s diesel engine Put a professional-looking finish on your boat’s hull, deck, spars, wood, and trim Make and repair sails, sail covers, dodgers, awnings, sailbags, and bimini tops. Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual combines six core volumes into a single, utterly dependable resource that answers every frequent question, explains every major system, and helps you keep your boat and its components shipshape. Evaluate the condition of your boat or one you’re about to purchase Repair structural damage to your fiberglass sailboat Improve or repair your sailboat’s electrical system Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair your boat’s diesel engine Put a professional-looking finish on your boat’s hull, deck, spars, wood, and trim Make and repair sails, sail covers, dodgers, awnings, sailbags, and bimini tops.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Casey certainly explains and shows through copious illustrations, how fiberglass repairs - even "major" ones - can be done by the DIYer with some degree of aptitude."
"This is a very good book on how to maintain, repair and assess the various systems on a sailboat."
"Oh I love this book, so many different project ideas it gives me and ways I can check on stuff, currently having a problem with the tach and this at least shows me how one works which I never quite paid attention to so hopefully I'll be able to fix it."
"Excellent and has a great amount of variety and much needed information."
"Fantastic book for anyone, in this case my son, who has a sailboat and is doing the maintenance himself."
"This book is a reference book and doesn't spend a lot of time on any one subject. Update (2 weeks later): I've had a chance to look closer at this book and I just reduced my opinion of this book from 5 Stars to 4 Stars. But if you need to know exact numbers on how much electricity that you are pulling and how much you need (And you have been out of school as long as I have been), I would suggest ordering an additional book on boat electronics."
"Please this before you buy a used sailboat."
"I can see how you can use these articles to fix things that Don points out that you may have missed previously, but I wish I would have read this book before I bought my boat, not after."
Best Water Sports
For readers of Unbroken , out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant. In doing so, he offers a vivid picture of the socioeconomic landscape of 1930s America (brutal), the relentlessly demanding effort required of an Olympic-level rower, the exquisite brainpower and materials that go into making a first-rate boat, and the wiles of a coach who somehow found a way to, first, beat archrival University of California, then conquer a national field of qualifiers, and finally, defeat the best rowing teams in the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"But by taking every sliver of hope, and mixing in superb craftsmanship (from George Pocock), excellent coaching (Al Ulbrickson), and these nine perfectly attuned young men learning together........the result was perfection. It is nice to learn something you never knew, but is common knowledge to an entire set of other people. Concepts from Daniel Brown to consider that are mixed into the story to teach all of us: 1) One of the fundamental challenges in rowing is that when any one member of a crew goes into a slump the entire crew goes with him. The speed of a racing shell is determined primarily by two factors: the power produced by the combined strokes of the oars, and the stroke rate, the number of strokes the crew takes each minute. There are other great ideas to ponder in this epic almost 400 page, could-not-put-down story."
"Astonishing tales of Joe's upbringing and resilience; the unbelievable drive of every member of the rowing teams, their coach Al Ulrickson and boat builder George Pocock; the rivalry between West Coast universities; and then the astonishment of the East Coast clubs and schools confronting the Seattle crew."
"held local discussions, and had an opportunity to meet the author locally.If you like learning about history through a good story, this is the book for you."
"I enjoyed reading the book, although inn places it seemed a little long, or to put it another way; more information than we needed."
Best Sailing Excursion Guides
"Simply put, every local boater should have a dog-eared, well-thumbed copy [of this guide] as a permanent feature in the nautical library. A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands has earned an outstanding reputation for the accuracy of its piloting instructions, the clarity of its writing, and the high quality of its information. Approaches and anchorages for hundreds of bays, harbors, and inlets―many with annotated charts Weather, tides, currents, and commercial traffic patterns Local history and attractions 240 full-color photos 75 color chartlets Larger size and lay-flat binding for ease of use. For even those few boaters who think they know all Puget Sound has to offer, this invaluable reference guide will introduce them to hundreds of new places yet to explore. "An encyclopedic sailing guide to area waters, written with exhaustive first-hand research to almost every cove and inlet, and complemented with a remarkable series of maps, charts, and pictures. "A monumental book that gives minute details on every bay, waterway, and stretch of navigable salt water from Olympia to Port Angeles, including the San Juan Islands. A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands has earned an outstanding reputation for the accuracy of its piloting instructions, the clarity of its writing, and the high quality of its information. Approaches and anchorages for hundreds of bays, harbors, and inlets―many with annotated charts Weather, tides, currents, and commercial traffic patterns Local history and attractions 240 full-color photos 75 color chartlets Larger size and lay-flat binding for ease of use. For even those few boaters who think they know all Puget Sound has to offer, this invaluable reference guide will introduce them to hundreds of new places yet to explore. "An encyclopedic sailing guide to area waters, written with exhaustive first-hand research to almost every cove and inlet, and complemented with a remarkable series of maps, charts, and pictures.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Cruising up there can be very complex....considering ship traffic, reefs that are close to the water surface, floating logs that can separate an outdrive from the boat in a nanosecond, and private or shallow areas that it is a good idea to stay away from."
"A must have for cruising down sound or in the San Juan Islands."
"We constantly use this book for boating in the puget sound."
"the wire coil back is a pain to deal with."
"We've been sailing in the San Juans for over 30 years and still found this book helpful."
"The spiral binding is very nice which allows the pages to lay flat and the heavy cover tucks acound them when the book is closed to protect the page edges - a great touch. I expect this will be a book we will really use this season."
"Great book for cruising the Sound."
"The Waggoner book that was in our charter boat was much better but our favorite was San Juan Islands Cruise Guide: A Boaters Handbook for Camping the San Juan's and Surrounding Area by Cummins."
Best Outdoor Recreation
The #1 New York Times –bestselling story about American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany and now the inspiration for the PBS documentary “The Boys of ‘36” For readers of Unbroken , out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant. In doing so, he offers a vivid picture of the socioeconomic landscape of 1930s America (brutal), the relentlessly demanding effort required of an Olympic-level rower, the exquisite brainpower and materials that go into making a first-rate boat, and the wiles of a coach who somehow found a way to, first, beat archrival University of California, then conquer a national field of qualifiers, and finally, defeat the best rowing teams in the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"But by taking every sliver of hope, and mixing in superb craftsmanship (from George Pocock), excellent coaching (Al Ulbrickson), and these nine perfectly attuned young men learning together........the result was perfection. It is nice to learn something you never knew, but is common knowledge to an entire set of other people. Concepts from Daniel Brown to consider that are mixed into the story to teach all of us: 1) One of the fundamental challenges in rowing is that when any one member of a crew goes into a slump the entire crew goes with him. The speed of a racing shell is determined primarily by two factors: the power produced by the combined strokes of the oars, and the stroke rate, the number of strokes the crew takes each minute. There are other great ideas to ponder in this epic almost 400 page, could-not-put-down story."
"held local discussions, and had an opportunity to meet the author locally.If you like learning about history through a good story, this is the book for you."
"But I had never read this book because I didn't think I would be interested in an athletic story, especially one about rowing (a sport I never follow)."
"Every college student should read this and stop complaining, this guy worked very hard to obtain his education, something that most young people take for granted these days."
"Even knowing the outcome did not diminish the excitement of the quest, and weaving the story of Hitler's rise to power during the 1936 Olympics captured the irony of his policies."
"The men in my life had been trying for years to get me to read this book."
"Boys racing boats?"
Best Miscellaneous
The #1 New York Times –bestselling story about American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany and now the inspiration for the PBS documentary “The Boys of ‘36” For readers of Unbroken , out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant. In doing so, he offers a vivid picture of the socioeconomic landscape of 1930s America (brutal), the relentlessly demanding effort required of an Olympic-level rower, the exquisite brainpower and materials that go into making a first-rate boat, and the wiles of a coach who somehow found a way to, first, beat archrival University of California, then conquer a national field of qualifiers, and finally, defeat the best rowing teams in the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"But by taking every sliver of hope, and mixing in superb craftsmanship (from George Pocock), excellent coaching (Al Ulbrickson), and these nine perfectly attuned young men learning together........the result was perfection. It is nice to learn something you never knew, but is common knowledge to an entire set of other people. Concepts from Daniel Brown to consider that are mixed into the story to teach all of us: 1) One of the fundamental challenges in rowing is that when any one member of a crew goes into a slump the entire crew goes with him. The speed of a racing shell is determined primarily by two factors: the power produced by the combined strokes of the oars, and the stroke rate, the number of strokes the crew takes each minute. There are other great ideas to ponder in this epic almost 400 page, could-not-put-down story."
"held local discussions, and had an opportunity to meet the author locally.If you like learning about history through a good story, this is the book for you."
"But I had never read this book because I didn't think I would be interested in an athletic story, especially one about rowing (a sport I never follow)."
"Every college student should read this and stop complaining, this guy worked very hard to obtain his education, something that most young people take for granted these days."
"Even knowing the outcome did not diminish the excitement of the quest, and weaving the story of Hitler's rise to power during the 1936 Olympics captured the irony of his policies."
"The men in my life had been trying for years to get me to read this book."
"Boys racing boats?"
Best Casualty Insurance
If you are preparing for a career in property and casualty insurance, you need to pick up a copy of Property and Casualty Insurance License Exam Cram . In addition to authoring 17 insurance training texts and editing 8 others, he has written newsletters and magazine articles, and he has developed materials for audio cassette/workbook, videotape, computer disk and the Web. Jennifer has also developed interactive web-based courses and written state insurance law digests, computer documentation, newsletters, online help, and corporate disaster recovery plans.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I originally signed up for Testeachers online, and I will be quite honest in that I thought the Testeachers books were a huge waste of money and time."
"However, it is a massive amount of information that will take months and months to get through and learn."
"Packaged good and delivered on time."
"Definitely helped a lot with the prep for the test."
"EXTREMELY HELPFUL!"
"The book is as good only if one reads them."
"Wish I had read this before taking the AZ test!"
"Loads of great info."
Best Solo Travel Guides
Robyn Davidson's opens the memoir of her perilous journey across 1,700 miles of hostile Australian desert to the sea with only four camels and a dog for company with the following words: “I experienced that sinking feeling you get when you know you have conned yourself into doing something difficult and there's no going back." Why does Robyn Davidson walk 1,700 miles across the Australian desert accompanied by four camels?
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"pooled ink Reviews: If you have any interest in Australia, journeys to unfamiliar places with trials and daunting challenges, or camels, then I suggest you pick up a copy of this book or hunt down the movie and experience it for yourself."
"This was a lot more about this young woman politics an pol philosophy then it was about her trip in the desert with the camels."
"This truly enjoyable and fascinating story has been brought to my attention through the waves of promotion generated by the film--upcoming or already available, I am not sure."
"She chose to chart a course across the Australian desert in the early 80's solo with her camels and dog."
"The first half of the trip was also less enjoyable because a great deal of it was complaining about how she had sacrificed the real meaning of the trip by obtaining sponsorship."
"As the story unwinds one can almost feel they have joined the author on her quest."
"A true journey with the author!"
"A large fraction of the book deals with the challenges she faced in Alice Springs, learning to train camels and developing the equipment and skills she would need."
Best Sports & Outdoors
Talk about a bucket list: here are natural wonders—the dazzling glowworm caves in New Zealand, or a baobob tree in South Africa that's so large it has a pub inside where 15 people can drink comfortably. Not to mention the Great Stalacpipe Organ in Virginia, Turkmenistan's 40-year hole of fire called the Gates of Hell, a graveyard for decommissioned ships on the coast of Bangladesh, eccentric bone museums in Italy, or a weather-forecasting invention that was powered by leeches, still on display in Devon, England. “Fair warning: It's addictive.” — NPR, “Cosmos & Culture” “In this gorgeous collection, the celebrated Atlas Obscura website is condensed into 480 pages of awe-inspiring destinations. “Odds are you won’t get past three pages without being amazed at something truly strange that you didn’t know existed.” — San Francisco Chronicle. “Richly illustrated, delightfully strange, this compendium of off-beat destinations should spark many adventures, both terrestrial and imaginary.” — Boston Globe. “Whether describing a Canadian museum that showcases world history through shoes, a pet-casket company that will also sell you a unit for your severed limb, a Greek snake festival, or a place in the Canary Islands where inhabitants communicate through whistling, the authors have compiled an enthralling range of oddities. Featuring full-color illustrations, this hefty and gorgeously produced tome will be eagerly pored over by readers of many ages and fans of the original website.”— Booklist (Starred Review). a wonderful browse [for] armchair travelers who enjoyed Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York and Frank Warren’s PostSecret .” — Library Journal. It's the kind of book that makes you want to pack in your workaday life and head out to places you'd never have dreamed of going, to see things you could not even have imagined. “ Atlas Obscura is a joyful antidote to the creeping suspicion that travel these days is little more than a homogenized corporate shopping opportunity. Here are hundreds of surprising, perplexing, mind-blowing, inspiring reasons to travel a day longer and farther off the path. Never start a trip without knowing where a haunted hotel or a mouth of hell is!”. —GUILLERMO DEL TORO, filmmaker, Pan’s Labyrinth “ What a strange and wonderful book! Each page reveals some hidden realm—a realm that is frightening, or funny, or magical, or simply mad, but that always leaves the reader in wonder.”. —DAVID GRANN, author of The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Be grateful when visiting the Karni Mata Rat Temple if one of the 20,000 venerated rodents runs across your bare foot—it is considered good luck.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Revel in the places that you've seen!"
"I read a short description of the book in the travel section of the SF Chronicle a few weeks ago, and made the purchase based on that. That said, there are items about things I have no interest in seeing, e.g., “Lake Monsters of the USA,” but there don’t seem to be many of that sort of thing included. As with "Lake Monsters," even if you (or a recipient) aren't likely to visit many of the places described, I think for many curious people this would make for an interesting read even without the travel element. It's not a perfect book, and I don't think any one book can be perfect for all readers, but I do think it's very good and I can easily recommend it for anyone who might be potentially interested."
"This book exceeded my already higher-than-average expectations."
"We purchased it for our 19 year old grandson."
"Such a fascinating book!"
"Super fun and entertaini g read if the off beat and curious is your thing."
"Purchased as a gift and spent much of one night pouring through it before giving it away."
"This book is great to have around to pick up while you're waiting for your son to put his socks on, when your eyes need a screen break, during a boring conference call, when you just want to escape your little world for a few minutes."
Best Miami Florida Travel Books
This travel guide includes: · Dozens of full-color maps. · Hundreds of hotel and restaurant recommendations, with Fodor's Choice designating our top picks. · In-depth breakout features on Art Deco Miami, Snorkeling & Scuba Diving, Everglades Ecosystems · Multiple itineraries to explore the top attractions and what's off the beaten path. · Coverage of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Palm Beach, the Treasure Coast, Key West and the Florida Keys, and the Everglades. “Fodor’s is pitched a few notches higher….aimed at a fairly discerning traveler with an appetite for background and the occasional surprise.” – New York Times.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you're interested only in the east side of south Florida, the Everglades, and the Keys, this book will work nicely for you. My plan now is to use this along with at least one or two other guides plus various websites to plan my road trip itinerary and take notes, then leave the book home. If your need for a guide to south Florida is very specific to just the few south Florida places that are covered here, and your eyesight is much better than mine, you will probably find this book a reasonable source of info."
"Used this on a trip, all the recommendations from food to places to see were accurate."
"FODOR'S SOUTH FLORIDA is a 344 page guidebook printed on glossy paper. The authors are Lynne Helm, Jill Martin, Galena Mosovich, and Paul Rubio. Attached just inside of the rear cover is a map that can be easily torn out of the book, because of perforations. One side of the map shows all of Florida, together with the southern coastline of Mississippi and Alabama. On the Orlando map, one can see main streets shuch as Beline Expressway and Turkey Lake Road. The book has six chapters, and these include: (1) Experience South Florida, (2) Miami and Miami Beach, (3) The Everglades, (4) Florida Keys, and (5) Fort Lauderdale, and (6) Palm Beach. Mr. Clyde Butcher (born 1941) is in my opinion equal to Ansel Adams, in terms of the artistic merit and compelling beauty of his photography. The main reason I like to read and review travel guidebooks, is because of the photography, but this book is more about hotels and restaurants. The text explains that this sandwich has ham, pork, Swiss cheese, and pickles. The text explains that there are many murals in the City of Wynwood and that this city has a "Wynwood Art District" and an exhibition hall of photography and art called, "Margulies Collection at the Warehouse." Page 156 shows a bronze statue of "Christ of the Deep" which was installed underwater, near Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. the price tags skew high, yet represent brands known for innovation and edge. Alaia, Givenchy, Moschino, jewelry on an artistic level including Cristina Ortiz, Lydia Courteille, and Stephen Webster." Regarding part of Everglades National Park (page 118-119), we read that, "Route 9336 travels 38 miles from the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center southwest to the Floriday Bay at Flamingo. and a wealth of wading birds at Mrazek and Coot Bay ponds . Although I am a genuine expert on sightseeing and vacationing in northern California, southern California, western Oregon, and the low country of South Carolina (but have never been in Florida), my impression is that this guidebook is reliable, appears not to speculate, and it appears that the authors based the text on their own first-hand experiences."
"An old friend moved from Baltimore to the Gulf Coast, and all her talk of the fabulous birds there, as well as her recollections of a fabulous trip to the Everglades made me think 'Hmmmm. I'm hard-pressed to understand why they did not change the title to make it immediately clear that this was NOT a comprehensive guidebook to South Florida, or......expand their coverage to include all of South Florida. I will need an additional guidebook."
Best U.S. State & Local History
The #1 New York Times –bestselling story about American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany and now the inspiration for the PBS documentary “The Boys of ‘36” For readers of Unbroken , out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant. In doing so, he offers a vivid picture of the socioeconomic landscape of 1930s America (brutal), the relentlessly demanding effort required of an Olympic-level rower, the exquisite brainpower and materials that go into making a first-rate boat, and the wiles of a coach who somehow found a way to, first, beat archrival University of California, then conquer a national field of qualifiers, and finally, defeat the best rowing teams in the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"But by taking every sliver of hope, and mixing in superb craftsmanship (from George Pocock), excellent coaching (Al Ulbrickson), and these nine perfectly attuned young men learning together........the result was perfection. It is nice to learn something you never knew, but is common knowledge to an entire set of other people. Concepts from Daniel Brown to consider that are mixed into the story to teach all of us: 1) One of the fundamental challenges in rowing is that when any one member of a crew goes into a slump the entire crew goes with him. The speed of a racing shell is determined primarily by two factors: the power produced by the combined strokes of the oars, and the stroke rate, the number of strokes the crew takes each minute. There are other great ideas to ponder in this epic almost 400 page, could-not-put-down story."
"held local discussions, and had an opportunity to meet the author locally.If you like learning about history through a good story, this is the book for you."
"But I had never read this book because I didn't think I would be interested in an athletic story, especially one about rowing (a sport I never follow)."
"Every college student should read this and stop complaining, this guy worked very hard to obtain his education, something that most young people take for granted these days."
"Even knowing the outcome did not diminish the excitement of the quest, and weaving the story of Hitler's rise to power during the 1936 Olympics captured the irony of his policies."
"The men in my life had been trying for years to get me to read this book."
"Boys racing boats?"