The inspiration for the Major Motion Picture Directed by George Clooney—exclusively in theaters December 25, 2023! This #1 New York Times bestseller tells the true story of how nine working-class boys on the American rowing team showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant. It was an unlikely quest from the start. With a team composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew team was never expected to defeat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did, going on to shock the world by defeating the German team rowing for Adolf Hitler. The emotional heart of the tale lies with Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not only to regain his shattered self-regard but also to find a place for himself in the world. Drawing on the boys’ own journals and vivid memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, author Daniel James Brown has created an unforgettable portrait of an era, a celebration of a remarkable achievement, and a chronicle of one extraordinary young man’s personal quest. Paperback, 432 pages.