Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown – 2/3 stars

Hello again FYRE Committee,

Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown – 2/3 stars

I’ve finished reading Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown. Personally, I loved the book and would give it 5 stars but based on our First Year Reading criteria, I give it 2-3 stars:

•  Positives:
  • The book is historically accurate and includes historical content from the 1920’s and 1930s.
  • The book is about a college crew team (Washington) – the age range of the main characters could appeal to our students.
  • The book also includes historical aspects of Berlin under Hitler (with reference to the setup for the 1936 Olympics)
  • I think there is a lot of content that is easily adaptable across all disciplines for LSEM.
• Negatives:
  • The book is lengthy (350 pages)
  • I feel the writing is above the reading level for an incoming first year student
  • There are portions of the book that drag on and could easily lose our students

So, overall excellent book but I don’t think its the best First Year reading choice.

-Jen

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