The #1 New York Times–bestselling story about American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany and now the inspiration for the PBS documentary “The Boys of ‘36â€For readers of Unbroken; out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable; intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West 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 real place for himself in the world. Drawing on the boys’ own journals and vivid memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream; 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.
#66216 in Books Neil MacGregor 2013-09-24 2013-09-24Format: Deckle EdgeOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.73 x 1.90 x 5.15l; 2.20 #File Name: 0143124153736 pagesA History of the World in 100 Objects
Review
36 of 36 people found the following review helpful. As promised; a beautiful bookBy Daniel B. SlocumI'm afraid I must respectfully disagree with other customers in the review section. For the price; this is a FIVE-STAR book. It is illustrated beautifully with full color photographs. I have the hard-copy and not the Kindle version (though I do own a Kindle). My guess is that the pages would present stunningly on the Kindle for iPad or Kindle for Mac. I also have a Kindle E-ink reader. I doubt it would show well on that last device. I noticed one of the reviewers criticized the photo quality. I must disagree. I find it to be top notch. It is presented in a matte format rather than glossy print.. so my guess is the reviewer would have preferred the glossy versions. I; on the other hand; love the matte finishes on all the photographs which are nicely crisp and detailed.EXCELLENT book for the price. A perfect gift for a history buff. I love it and I bought it here on .3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Leisurely Cruise through History of MankindBy FCRichelieuThis is an excellent read. As usual; BBC does not disappoint. The book is compiled from transcripts of a 100-episode series on BBC Radio. One hundred objects are thoughtfully picked from exhibits at the British Museum to chronicle the history of mankind; from its earliest beginnings up to the 21st century. The 100 chapters are short; but solid; each corresponding to an episode on radio. The book is great for leisurely; but very informative reading. A definite advantage that the book has over the radio episodes is that it shows each of the 100 objects in full colour.The book is highly recommended for any reader who is interested in understanding the development of mankind. It provides clear and useful background for reflecting on how we have come to where we are -- when and how we have progressed; as well as when and how often we have regressed.I read a Kindle version; which allows me to magnify photographs to look closely at the 100 objects. My only complaint is that; with Kindle; it has been rather more cumbersome for me to refer back to the page with the photographs in each chapter while I was cruising through.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Clear Some Space In Your MindBy MinnesotaMindI believe I learned more per page reading this book than any I've ever read. A tour through all of history using objects collected (stolen?) by the British Museum; this book is a bravura execution of material culture and archaeological studies. In fact; I used several entries with my Advanced Placement Literature class in order to expose them to effective and interesting "close reading." MacGregor does with objects what literary critics do with a passage of poetry: he describes the object (lovely pictures ARE included); he gives a fascinating context of the period in which this object was used; and finally; provides an analysis of what the object "says" about the people; nation; and region that used or owned it. I find this method of historical explication incredibly engaging. Rather than begin with abstract concepts like democracy; Federalism; or ethnic cleansing; MacGregor begins with the concrete--a vase; a coin; a flower pot-- and says here's what this culture produced; here's what that says about them. This also dovetails nicely with what I teach in class regarding advertising; that we can come to understand the ideals of a nation by studying its advertisements. Interestingly; the objects MacGregor chooses also function as "advertisements" for their respective milieus. A testament to how well this book is written and constructed is that I read it incredibly quickly. Before I knew it; I was on object 56 at the 300 something page mark and I had no mental fatigue. The fact that the book is organized in 100 3 to 4 pages "chapters" helps a lot because I found myself reading a few objects here and there whenever I had some spare time. I recommend this book highly to anyone who has even a fleeting interest in archaeology or cultural materialism; your efforts; and the rather hefty price of the book will be worth it.
