Brown tells the story of the Washington crew team while also devoting narrative space to Hitler and the actions of the Nazi government before, during, and after the 1936 Olympics. Why do you think he chose to tell both stories? What kind of context or deeper understanding does it provide the reader?

Each boy in the boat thought of himself as the weakest member of the team. Who would you categorize as the weakest, and who do you consider the strongest? Why?

Consider Brown’s extensive use of detail. What kinds of things does he describe in detail? What role do these details play in the text?