Boys in the Boat

[Heatherg21]

Boys in the Boat. I loved the book.

Admittedly I am one of those who cries when the colors pass. And my best friends and I host Olympic themed parties. We have actually walked our neighborhood bearing a flame and we have toasts and Olympic themed food and cocktails.

Lifetimes ago I was a nanny on a dude ranch. The father of three adorable littles that I was responsible for kept saying he wanted to write screenplays. I chalked it up to a dream.

Then came the Revenant. Many since, and now, Boys in the Boat. And he and the fourth kiddo, who came to be after my time as nanny, have now co-written the marsh King’s Daughter.

DS made me happy and accompanied me to see the Boys in the Boat. Both of us left impacted in the best way.

Oddest part was the main character is a dead ringer in all ways for DS plebe year roomie. Uncanny. Who also crews. Crazy. I couldn’t stop seeing that great young man in that character’s place.

 

[VelveteenR]

The Boys in the Boat was required reading at our son's high school. He joined the crew team in 9th grade, out of shape, having never participated in a sport in his life (chess was his idea of sport). By senior year, he was top of the roster and went on to row at the academy. West Point usually rows eights, but seat races showed the coach she had a very fast "swinging" four with our son and three other varsity HS rowers. They won gold at the New York State Championships his Yuk year. He hung up his oar after that to focus on the Cyber Team, but the pain, glory, and bonds of crew have shaped who he is and will never leave him. Here are the boys in his boat:



He is coming home for the first time in four years with his new wife next week. I asked him if he could hold off seeing the movie until he gets here, and he agreed. We can't wait to see it with him. What a treat!

 

[MidCakePa]

I can’t watch the movie for the simple reason that the book was so, so, so, so good. No matter how good the movie may be, I fear I’ll be disappointed.

The book fully reinforces that those who are given the least and struggle the most are usually the ones who persevere the greatest, emerging triumphant on the other side. It’s an incredible story, and should be required reading for all teens and young adults. (Alas, teens and young adults no longer read books. But that’s a topic for another day.)

 

[NavyHoops]

Great book! I really enjoyed it. I listened to it in December and then went and saw the movie. Movie was great as well. If you enjoyed the movie, and haven’t read the book, I recommend reading the book.

 

[NavyHoops]

I can’t watch the movie for the simple reason that the book was so, so, so, so good. No matter how good the movie may be, I fear I’ll be disappointed.

The book fully reinforces that those who are given the least and struggle the most are usually the ones who persevere the greatest, emerging triumphant on the other side. It’s an incredible story, and should be required reading for all teens and young adults. (Alas, teens and young adults no longer read books. But that’s a topic for another day.)

I am usually disappointed by movies, but was not on this one. The book covers a longer time span than the movie. The movie really just focuses on the one major year.

 

[Devil Doc]

The school I teach in has a name with a geographic reference to the Potomac River. It has a deep rowing culture. A few years ago I had a Biotechnology student who was born with hypoplastic right heart syndrome. He had the series of surgeries and grew up without playing sports or doing other physical activities typical of developing children. He got to high school however and discovered crew. He couldn't row of course but made a hellofa coxswain. He was smaller than kids his age but dang he was smart. Kids like him, and I have so many with different stories, motivate me tremendously. I hardly ever hear from my students after graduation but he's surely a doctor of something at this point, saving patients or saving the world in a lab somewhere.

 

[OldRetSWO]

Great book! I really enjoyed it. I listened to it in December and then went and saw the movie. Movie was great as well. If you enjoyed the movie, and haven’t read the book, I recommend reading the book.

We listened to it during one of our trips to/from Florida and really liked it. No plan to go and see it so far, we'll probably catch
it when it is streamed.