Daniel James Brown, author of “The Boys in the Boat,” will speak in Chimacum later this month.

Daniel James Brown, author of “The Boys in the Boat,” will speak in Chimacum later this month.

Author of ‘Boys in the Boat’ to speak in Chimacum

The book celebrates the 1936 U.S. men’s Olympic eight-oar rowing team and their triumph at Hitler’s Olympics.

CHIMACUM — Daniel James Brown, the author of “The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics,” will present the Jefferson County Library’s 2016 Huntingford Humanities Lecture at Chimacum High School on Oct. 27.

The lecture, which will be free and open to the public, will be at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at the school at 91 West Valley Road in Chimacum.

Written with a compelling and beautifully written narrative, “The Boys in the Boat” is a portrait of an era, a celebration of a historic achievement and a chronicle of one extraordinary young man’s personal quest — Joe Rantz, who left his hometown of Sequim in his teens.

The book celebrates the 1936 U.S. men’s Olympic eight-oar rowing team and their triumph at Hitler’s Olympics.

Along with Rantz, Gordon Adam, Chuck Day, Don Hume, George “Shorty” Hunt, Jim “Stub” McMillin, Bob Moch, Roger Morris and John White Jr. were the boys in the boat, the University of Washington’s 1936 crew, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans in the depths of the Depression.

In writing the story, Brown drew from the boys’ own diaries and journals, their photos and memories.

The sons of loggers, shipyard workers and farmers, the boys defeated rivals from eastern and British universities and, finally, the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic Games in Berlin.

On the New York Times bestseller list for over two years, Brown’s book remains tops on the list for paperback nonfiction.

Rights to the book were purchased by The Weinstein Co. in 2011 for development as a feature film.

Brown said he fell in love with the written word when he was 5 and his mother first read “Danny and the Dinosaur” to him.

Since then, he has earned a bachelor’s in English from the University of California at Berkeley and a master’s in English from the University of California at Los Angeles.

He taught writing at San Jose State University and Stanford University, and has written two previous books: “Under a Flaming Sky: The Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894,” published in 2006, and “The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Sage of a Donner Party Bride,” published in 2009.

He lives near Seattle with his wife and an assortment of cats, dogs, chickens and honeybees.

The Huntingford Humanities Lecture was established in 2001 in memory of Sara L. Huntingford, a longtime supporter of the Jefferson County Library at 620 Cedar Ave. in Port Hadlock. The library district was formed in 1978 due in part to her efforts.

For more information, see www.jclibrary.info or call 360-385-6544.

More in Life

A GROWING CONCERN: Deck the halls by trimming the trees

A GREAT WAY to enhance your yard and entrance-way is to incorporate… Continue reading

Photo by Karen Griffiths
When Ukrainian musical group Kommuna Lux played at the Palindrome recently they met up with Paradigm Sporthorse Trainer Rebecca Cushman to see her two Ukrainian Warmblood imports Tux (shown) and Artist. From left Sergei Zhuravel, Volodymyr Gitin, Bagrat Tsurkan, Oleg Vasianovych, Sergei Poltorak and Yaroslav Besh. They’re currently touring the U.S. and Cananda to raise money to aid their fellow citizens affected by Russian’s military attacks.
HORSEPLAY: From inhuman to humane

THIS FEBRUARY WILL mark the third anniversary of Putin’s large-scale war on… Continue reading

ISSUES OF FAITH: In trying times, hold fast to values

THIS WEEK, JEWS turn their attention to the Torah portion of Vayeira… Continue reading

Sunday program set for OUUF

Candace Brower will present “Empiricist Mind, Humanist Heart” at… Continue reading

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith.
Unity in Port Townsend planning for Sunday services

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith will present “Blessed and Blessing”… Continue reading

Rev. Asha Burson-Johnson
Unity speaker scheduled in Port Angeles

The Rev. Asha Burson-Johnson will present “The Journey” at… Continue reading

A GROWING CONCERN: Be the brightest bulb in the box with holiday lighting

NOW THAT IT is the beginning of November and darkness has truly… Continue reading

A bellwether is traditionally the leading sheep of a flock, which has a bell to lead the others.
BACK WHEN: Is Olympic Peninsula the bellwether?

HERE WE ARE. Just days away from another Presidential election. There is… Continue reading

ISSUES OF FAITH: The invitation to feast belongs to everyone

WHILE YOU MIGHT be reading this today, I needed to write it… Continue reading

Prayer gathering scheduled Tuesday

There will be a Election Day prayer gathering at… Continue reading

Prayer vigil set for Sequim election eve

An Election Eve prayer vigil is set for 5 p.m.… Continue reading

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith.
Unity in Port Townsend planning for Sunday services

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith will present “Grace and Gratitude”… Continue reading