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10 young adult books worthy of adult readers

Grownups will also find that these nonfiction books aimed at young adults are worth a serious look.

3. ‘The Boys in the Boat,’ by Daniel James Brown

  • By Ross Atkin

One of the publishing sensations of the past few years, “The Boys in the Boat,” has now been adapted for young readers – and for those who perhaps are eager to catch up to this former No. 1 New York Times bestseller in an abridged edition. The original story of the working-class rowers at the University of Washington who make there mark as the US eight-man crew at the 1936 Berlin Olympics ran 416 pages in hard and soft cover. This version is pared down to 214 pages with well spaced lines and a goodly number of photos. The crew’s story is inspiring both because the Washington boys overcame the traditional dominance of East Coast teams to reach the Olympics, but also because of its shocking last-to-first triumph over a boat expected to bring glory to Nazi Germany. 

Here’s an excerpt from The Boys in the Boat:

“Nobody knew who had won. 

“The American boat drifted on down the lake, beyond the grandstands, into a quieter world. The boys leaned over their oars, gasping for breath, their faces still shattered by pain.

“Finally the loudspeakers crackled back to life with the official results. The bow of the American boat had touched the line six-tenths of a second ahead of the Italian boat and exactly a second ahead of the Germans. The chanting of the crowd faded suddenly.

“On the balcony of Haus West, Hitler turned and strode back into the building, unspeaking. His henchmen scurried in behind him. The American boys did not understand the announcement at first. But when they did, their grimaces of pain turned suddenly into broad smiles.”

(Viking, 228 pp.)

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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