"A great stroke is mostly a fighter and racer; someone who loves going into battle and always thinks that he can win. Attributes: Unshakable confidence in himself. Always tries to win no matter what the circumstances or the activity. An iron will." John Pescatore

This weekend we welcomed November into our lives with a cold, brisk shout. As snow blanketed the North Carolina mountains, areas further south, and many cities to our north, here in Durham we clung to our sweaters in hopes of at least a little bit more warm weather before the winter chill sneaks in. At least my sweaters will seem like new clothes to me since I haven't worn them in such a long time. Wherever you are today, I hope that at least the sun is shining and you can find a warm spot.

Before I discuss the book that I'm currently reading, I'd like to share the next five books in my card catalog. Again, note that these are some of the books that I've read since 1984 when I started keeping a record of them. Here are the next five:

Paris to the Past by Caro
An Hour Before Daylight by Jimmy Carter
Christmas in Plains by J. Carter
Living Faith by J. Carter
A Remarkable Mother by J. Carter

As you can see, I've read these four books by Jimmy Carter as well as one other. I tried reading his only novel, The Hornet's Nest, but I found it exhausting and uninspiring. So, I stick to his nonfiction works that reveal much about what makes him tick and where he gets his inner strength and inspiration. As I mentioned in an earlier entry, one of the highlights of my life in the past 20 years was when I had the opportunity to meet Jimmy Carter here in Durham while I got his autograph.

Books can clearly be inspiring and a source of joy. I remember many books from my childhood, and I'm so thankful for a mother who read to us and still reads many books herself. My dad is also a reader, so their quiet influences helped me to find the enjoyment in books. I remember books such as Robinson Crusoe, Alice in Wonderland, and Charlotte's Web, to name a few. These books are still being read by children all over the world.




Now to the book that I'm reading, The Boys in the Boat. When my aunt in Kentucky mentioned that she had this book in her pile to read soon, I thought that it sounded like something that I would enjoy. The book is about young men at the University of Washington who were boat rowers on the school team. The main character, Joe Rantz, overcame many personal obstacles such as poverty, family absence, and feelings of inadequacy to become one of the strongest rowers on the team. These men were on the team in the 1930s and set their hopes on competing in the Berlin Olympics with all of its controversies. I learned a lot about what goes into rowing. Unimaginable strength and perseverance is required, as well a rhythm and teamwork. These men rowed through snowstorms, rain, sleet, and wind. Many of them didn't have enough to eat and were always hungry, yet they loved to row. Joe Rantz was probably one of the poorest students on the team, so he worked hard with his back whenever he could in order to pay for just one more year of college. One year he was the night janitor at the local YMCA in exchange for a place to sleep. He cut down trees and did other physically challenging work just to survive. Most of his team members didn't know what he was going through, yet it all somehow seemed to help him to appreciate the opportunity to row on a strong team and to get an education. I'm eager to finish this book and to read about the outcome of the Berlin Olympics. I'm a little over halfway finished with the book but I still don't know if Joe Rantz gets to go to Berlin. This is clearly an inspiring true story, one which many of us have probably not heard about, but it is worthy of being read. So if you enjoy stories about unlikely heroes or people who overcame adversity, you will like this book.

Stay tuned for more thoughts about books and The Boys in the Boat. The boys were ordinary boys, but they did incredible things out on the water. Have a great week,
Melissa