This year one of my friends started a book club for couples.  It has been a real novelty having both men and women in my book club – my other two book clubs are all female.  The great thing about it is that we all come to the books with different perspectives.

One of the men in our book club chose The Boys in the Boat for our most recent book.  It is based on the true story of the unlikely rowing crew from the University of Washington who became the US representatives at the controversial 1936 Berlin Olympics.

The book weaves between different times and perspectives.  There is the back story of Joe Rantz and various other people training in and with the crew.  They have all suffered in various ways from the deprivations of the Great Depression.  Then there is the competition trail which will ultimately lead them to Berlin and the political story surrounding the Olympics being held in Nazi Germany.

The early part of the book dragged a little and would have benefited from some tighter editing.  I think even the most dedicated rowing enthusiast would balk at such detailed descriptions of each race and training session.  However, the inspirational nature of the story make persevering with it worthwhile.

I never realised the subtleties of rowing as a sport and it made me regret not taking the opportunity to row when I lived on campus at Uni.  Added to the skill and endurance required, there is a long standing class division with rowing.  It is a sport usually restricted to the wealthy.

It was amazing enough to think  of a child being abandoned at the age of 10 and managing to feed and educate himself to the stage where he could attend University at all.  For him to also make the Olympic rowing team was extraordinary.

This book is a slow burn but it will appeal if you are in need of a little inspiring feel good story to prepare you for New Years Resolutions.