I loved that the characters in this true story
were able to accomplish something that no one ever expected of them. This book
follows the crew team of nine working-class American boys from the University of
Washington who, against all odds, ended up competing in the 1936 Olympics.
The main character in the story is Joe Rantz who comes from an incredibly harsh background with no family, no money, little food,
and few clothes. He arrives on campus, discovers a love of rowing, and develops
a great proficiency in the sport, ultimately helping his team achieve their
dream.
You’d think that after reading one account of
a crew race you’d get the picture, but this book manages to make each race vivid
and suspenseful. I really enjoyed this book!
The #1 New York Times-bestselling story about the American Olympic rowing triumph in Nazi Germany-from the author of Facing the Mountain.
Soon to be a major motion picture directed by George Clooney
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…
If
you love to write, then this book will open up your thinking to different
approaches in constructing a story of fiction.
The
book was written by George Saunders, who is an accomplished author and a
professor of writing at Syracuse University. He selected seven short stories
from Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol and takes us through these
narratives, asking questions about life, truth, and character.
As you are
reading the stories, Mr. Saunders peppers you with questions that are aimed at
eliciting what the story means to you, as well as shining a light on the technical
aspects of storytelling.
I
came away from this book being more reflective of any story or book I’m reading
and learning some lessons about creating compelling fiction that I can apply to
my own writing.
Reading this book was like getting a master class in fiction
writing.
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
PICKED BY THE SUNDAY TIMES, GUARDIAN, INDEPENDENT, IRISH TIMES, SPECTATOR, TLS, NEW STATESMAN AND EVENING STANDARD AS A BOOK OF 2021
'A masterclass from a warm and engagingly enthusiastic companion' Guardian Summer Reading Picks 2021
'This book is a delight, and it's about delight too. How necessary, at our particular moment' Tessa Hadley
________________
From the New York Times-bestselling, Booker Prize-winning author of Lincoln in the Bardo and Tenth of December comes a literary master class on what makes great stories work and what they can tell us about ourselves - and our world today.…
Have you ever wondered what is going on inside the
mind of an octopus? If so, this book delivers the perspective of an octopus
beautifully.
The novel incorporates the POVs of two characters:
Tova Sullivan, an elderly woman who has a cleaning job at the local aquarium in
the Pacific Northwest. The other character is Marcellus, a giant Pacific
octopus whose home is in the aquarium and whose days in captivity are numbered.
Remarkably, these two characters, Tova and Marcellus,
strike up a friendship and help each other solve a problem that has been
looming over each of their lives.
The book also deals with some powerful
emotions as well as highlighting what each character is yearning for. It’s a charming,
sweet work of fiction that really draws you in and offers a meaningful
perspective on love, loss, and friendship.
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK
'Full of heart and humour . . . I loved it.' Ruth Hogan
'Will stay with you for a long time.' Anstey Harris
'I defy you to put it down once you've started' Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night cleaner shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Ever since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat over thirty years ago keeping busy has helped her cope. One night she meets Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium who…
Vivien Lee has spent her consulting career
helping CEOs look good, so when she finally has the chance to go after her
dream of running a business, she grabs it. A lifelong athlete, Vivien arrives
at the Smart Sports campus in Portland, Oregon, and is introduced as the first
female president. It’s one of the highest-profile jobs in an industry
inhospitable to women.
Principled but slightly naïve, Vivien believes her male peers will give her a
fair shot. Stumbling early, Vivien makes a series of rookie mistakes. The
Ceiling Smashers, a secret society of professional women, help Vivien navigate
the treacherous business terrain.
The challenge is all too clear: will Vivien
triumph against impossible odds?
