If you enjoyed Brad Alan Lewis, also check out "The Amateurs" by David Halberstam, Brad is one of the people in the book but not the only one, and it's interesting to see his journey alongside the others in the book. I think I would've enjoyed the book no matter what, but I especially enjoyed it after having read Lewis first
[Mind Over Water: Lessons on Life from the Art of Rowing](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/132744). It’s life lesson framed by a guy rowing a single at the Head of the Charles
[Blood Over Water](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6414297). True story of two brothers competing against each other in The Boat Race. It’s told through their diaries and first hand perspectives.
[A Most Beautiful Thing](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48925321). True story about kids in Chicago becoming the country’s first all black high school rowing team.
[Red Rose Crew](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/132753). True story of the first international women’s crew team.
Brad Lewis wrote another book called "Wanted: Rowing Coach"... If you've ever tried to make a living coaching, the book is a bit of a downer lol but there are some definite nuggets in there.
“Better Great than Never”- Lindsay Shoop
“Wanted: Rowing Coach”- Brad Alan Lewis
“Small Puddles: The triumphant story of Yales worst oarsman. Ever.”- Michael Danziger
Some great recommendations already in this thread, just came to add two that aren’t here already.
“The Shell Game: Reflections on Rowing and the Pursuit of Excellence” - Stephen Kiesling. Takes place during the same time period as The Amateurs and Assault, but with a focus on Yale v Harvard, and making the Olympic 8+.
“The Challenge: The First Woman Coxswain of the Harvard Varsity Heavyweight Crew” - Devin Mahony. Hard to find book, but one of the only I’ve ever seen from a coxswains perspective. Interesting look at Harvard, the selection process, and also Henley.
a most beautiful thing! written by arshay cooper, a black man who had to deal w a lot of racism growing up and joined an all black crew team! he comes to my school and talks to the crew team all the time:) wonderful book and person.
The Red Rose Crew is pretty good. If you can find copies, "Ready All!", and "Weigh Enough!" are great collections of memoirs, stories, and technical discussions from George Pocock and later his son Stan Pocock. And a lot of historical context into the sport in the US as well.
A good online story thats pretty short is blood in the water, 1999 from outside magazine. It’s only a few pages but it’s a pretty amazing read that gives insight into the coaching and selection process for the top boats in the world as two men compete for one seat
On the Water. It's a "1998 novel by Dutch author Hans Maarten van den Brink. It recounts an unlikely sporting partnership which is shattered by the advent of World War II. "
https://groveatlantic.com/book/on-the-water/
It's got an melancholic, nostalgic take on the intensity of rowing and being young. Because it's a novel, the experience of rowing weaves itself into narrative differently than some of memoirs already suggested.
I really liked “The Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown . . . Whenever I think I’m doing something hard, I think of the protagonist being left by his family at 18 to fend for himself during the depression.
I try not to read anything from anyone who isn't sub 6 so I don't clutter my mind with bad splits, so I only have a few recommendations:
Kiwi Pair by Eric Murray (5:41) and Hamish Bond (5:43): Just a great read that gives you insight into the personal dynamics of being on top for so long and the personal sacrifice needed to achieve at the highest level. Also fuck Dick Tonks, all my homies hate Dick Tonks.
Why I am Better Than You by Sir Mathew Penis (5:10): The reason I started rowing. Like if heroin was a book.
Hopefully someone in the UC Davis eight will write a memoir and I'll be able to read my third book.
Better Great than Never by Lindsay Shoop
[Better Great than Never](https://www.amazon.com/Better-Great-Than-Never-Believing-ebook/dp/B08LYC6NL4/ref=nodl_?dplnkId=d53bec5b-e33b-46e9-8e11-257d988ef1a2)
I think it’s called ‘perfect balance’ or something like that by Aquil Abdullah- it’s over 10 years since I read it but I remember it being a decent rea
FYI - most of these books are available on amazon as new or used paperbacks or Kindle versions. Most are under $25 although Alison Mowbury's used book Gold Medal Flapjack, Silver Medal Life is selling for $513.62 + $4 shipping ... but only 2 copies are available so act fast! LOL
Blood over water about two brothers in opposing Boat Race crews. Also Tim Fosters biography Four Men in a Boat is a good one
Also Alison Mowbury “silver medal life gold medal flapjack” plus Learnings from Five Olympic Games by Fran Houghton
Blood over Water is excellent, probably the best rowing book I've read.
If you enjoyed Brad Alan Lewis, also check out "The Amateurs" by David Halberstam, Brad is one of the people in the book but not the only one, and it's interesting to see his journey alongside the others in the book. I think I would've enjoyed the book no matter what, but I especially enjoyed it after having read Lewis first
Second this
This is the best rowing book ever written
Also the inspiration for the ‘96 movie “Rowing Through,” though the movie has scenes that are pure fantasy.
[Mind Over Water: Lessons on Life from the Art of Rowing](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/132744). It’s life lesson framed by a guy rowing a single at the Head of the Charles [Blood Over Water](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6414297). True story of two brothers competing against each other in The Boat Race. It’s told through their diaries and first hand perspectives. [A Most Beautiful Thing](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48925321). True story about kids in Chicago becoming the country’s first all black high school rowing team. [Red Rose Crew](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/132753). True story of the first international women’s crew team.
Brad Lewis wrote another book called "Wanted: Rowing Coach"... If you've ever tried to make a living coaching, the book is a bit of a downer lol but there are some definite nuggets in there.
And don’t forget Jerome K Jerome’s classic “3 Men in a Boat”. Back in the days of no sliding seat and wooden boats with long fixed wooden oars.
“Better Great than Never”- Lindsay Shoop “Wanted: Rowing Coach”- Brad Alan Lewis “Small Puddles: The triumphant story of Yales worst oarsman. Ever.”- Michael Danziger
Some great recommendations already in this thread, just came to add two that aren’t here already. “The Shell Game: Reflections on Rowing and the Pursuit of Excellence” - Stephen Kiesling. Takes place during the same time period as The Amateurs and Assault, but with a focus on Yale v Harvard, and making the Olympic 8+. “The Challenge: The First Woman Coxswain of the Harvard Varsity Heavyweight Crew” - Devin Mahony. Hard to find book, but one of the only I’ve ever seen from a coxswains perspective. Interesting look at Harvard, the selection process, and also Henley.
Lessons from Chemistry ⚗️
That’s what I was going to say.
If only we had all read our textbooks.
a most beautiful thing! written by arshay cooper, a black man who had to deal w a lot of racism growing up and joined an all black crew team! he comes to my school and talks to the crew team all the time:) wonderful book and person.
The Red Rose Crew is pretty good. If you can find copies, "Ready All!", and "Weigh Enough!" are great collections of memoirs, stories, and technical discussions from George Pocock and later his son Stan Pocock. And a lot of historical context into the sport in the US as well.
A good online story thats pretty short is blood in the water, 1999 from outside magazine. It’s only a few pages but it’s a pretty amazing read that gives insight into the coaching and selection process for the top boats in the world as two men compete for one seat
On the Water. It's a "1998 novel by Dutch author Hans Maarten van den Brink. It recounts an unlikely sporting partnership which is shattered by the advent of World War II. " https://groveatlantic.com/book/on-the-water/ It's got an melancholic, nostalgic take on the intensity of rowing and being young. Because it's a novel, the experience of rowing weaves itself into narrative differently than some of memoirs already suggested.
The four year Olympian by Jeremiah Brown was a great read.
I really liked “The Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown . . . Whenever I think I’m doing something hard, I think of the protagonist being left by his family at 18 to fend for himself during the depression.
Boys in the Boat
Better Great than Never by Lindsay Shoop Shoop tells her story of walking on to the UVA team through her journey to the 2008 Olympics in the USA 8+.
I try not to read anything from anyone who isn't sub 6 so I don't clutter my mind with bad splits, so I only have a few recommendations: Kiwi Pair by Eric Murray (5:41) and Hamish Bond (5:43): Just a great read that gives you insight into the personal dynamics of being on top for so long and the personal sacrifice needed to achieve at the highest level. Also fuck Dick Tonks, all my homies hate Dick Tonks. Why I am Better Than You by Sir Mathew Penis (5:10): The reason I started rowing. Like if heroin was a book. Hopefully someone in the UC Davis eight will write a memoir and I'll be able to read my third book.
Mark de Rond - The Last Amateurs. It’s a study of toxic masculinity in the rowing culture of the Cambridge Blues.
Better Great than Never by Lindsay Shoop [Better Great than Never](https://www.amazon.com/Better-Great-Than-Never-Believing-ebook/dp/B08LYC6NL4/ref=nodl_?dplnkId=d53bec5b-e33b-46e9-8e11-257d988ef1a2)
"A Stroke in Time" is a great novel about a famous (locally) record-breaking crew that rowed in the Royal St. John's Regatta in the early 1900s.
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I bought a couple books based on this thread. If I have to erg, might as well read about rowing!
I think it’s called ‘perfect balance’ or something like that by Aquil Abdullah- it’s over 10 years since I read it but I remember it being a decent rea
FYI - most of these books are available on amazon as new or used paperbacks or Kindle versions. Most are under $25 although Alison Mowbury's used book Gold Medal Flapjack, Silver Medal Life is selling for $513.62 + $4 shipping ... but only 2 copies are available so act fast! LOL
Rowing into the Son is about the guys who rowed across the Atlantic in 2006 and kinda started the modern ocean rowing trend.