Originally published on my blog at therelentlessreader.blogspot.comWhen Daniel James Brown publishes a new book I don't have to think twice about whether or not to read it. I've been enamored of everything of his that I've read and this book was no exception. Part of Brown's brilliance lies in his ability to make you care about subjects you thought you had no interest in. This book is about the University of Washington's eight-oar rowing crew from the mid 1930's. Rowing? Yes, rowing. That's a subject I never thought I'd be hankering to read about. By the end of the book I wanted to buy an oar and move to Seattle.Brown always gets me by focusing on the human side of the story. It doesn't matter that these boys were oarsmen. They could have been making cheese or painting houses. Brown's depiction of their friendship and dedication to one another are what made this book a winner.These boys were a fantastic group of young men from underprivileged backgrounds working their tails off to be successful. Who wouldn't sign up to read about them?You definitely should.
