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Explanation and Analysis:
The Boys in the Boat is narrative nonfiction. As Brown details in the prologue, he set out to write The Boys in the Boat after hearing the story of Joe Rantz's life and Olympic victory from a dying Rantz, whom he lived near. Brown’s extensive research is evident throughout the book, as he slyly references primary sources and brings new facts about the 1936 Olympic men's eight race to light, much to the delight of the reader.
While the lead-up to World War II is a heavily written about time period, Brown deftly tackles the geopolitical context of the 1936 Olympics while maintaining a primary focus on Rantz and his teammates, making The Boys in the Boat different from other works centered around the same era. Similarly, Brown weaves numerous historical events into the book, such as the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. While he doesn’t dwell too long on either, Brown makes sure to touch on the relevant contexts within which his story takes place.
Although The Boys in the Boat was adapted into a movie of the same name, the movie veers into historical fiction, fabricating elements of the story as it condenses the novel into a screenplay. PBS did, however, make a documentary titled The Boys of '36, which stays true to history.
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