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History. Juvenile Nonfiction. Sports & Recreations. HTML:The #1 New York Times bestseller about the Greatest Generation freshly adapted for the next generation. For readers of Unbroken, out of the depths of the Great Depression comes the astonishing tale of nine working-class boys from the American West who at the 1936 Olympics showed the world what true grit really meant. With rowers who were the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington�s eight-oar crew was never expected to defeat the elite East Coast teams, yet they did, going on to shock the world by challenging the German boat rowing for Adolf Hitler. At the center of the tale is Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, whose personal quest captures the spirit of his generation�the generation that would prove in the coming years that the Nazis could not prevail over American determination and optimism. This deeply emotional yet easily accessible young readers adaptation of the award-winning #1 New York Times bestseller features never-before-seen photographs, highly visual back matter, and an exclusive new introduction.… (more)
DDC/MDS
| 797.12 |
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The story revolves about Joe Rantz, who overcame many challenges to be an Olympic athlete. In the early 1900s life was quite different, so people didn’t train for
Joe becomes strong, both emotionally and physically. He has to find food, make money, try to go to school, and date his girlfriend. Obviously, Joe will have trust issues, but he always trusts and relies on Joyce, who stands by his side his entire life. The jobs that Joe has are dangerous and difficult, but he doesn’t have a choice. Eventually, he graduates with good grades and is accepted into the University of Washington. He tries out for the shell crew and learns to row. It’s still not easy. How will he afford tuition each year? Where can he live? Can he trust these strangers to form a bond in order to win as a team?
I so enjoyed learning about these amazing men! Life was difficult--nothing was given to them. They worked hard--physically hard to survive, making rowing an addition to their lives. Of course, times were different. In this time period, his parents would have been arrested and Joe would have gone into the foster system. Instead, he was on his own. Some would argue that this life is what made him successful, but I think foster life can be just as difficult and challenging to thrive and be successful. In addition, I learned about the 1936 Olympics. Hitler didn’t like the idea of people of all races attending. He manipulated lots of things in the Olympics that is really unethical; you won’t be shocked. There is a little editorial bias--the author refers to Hitler’s leadership as his “henchmen.” Most would agree, but I prefer bias be removed in nonfiction; the author could have just referred to them as his leadership, leaving you to draw your own opinions. Above all, I highly recommend learning about these amazing men and their tenacity. Read it!