"Girls in the Boat was inspired by the true stories of the U.S. womens Olympic rowing team. A group of smart, fiery young women fight discrimination and prejudice to compete in the male-dominated sport of rowing, finding an unlikely ally in a taciturn mens coach. Together, they confront ridicule and overcome obstacles. The women refuse to sit on a bus and wait their turn in a battle for gender equality in a sport that makes national news and takes them all the way to the world championships. Against the rhythm of their oars, these women forge bonds and overcome disagreements in their search for greatness. Despite their diverse backgrounds and politics, they literally pull together to reach their goals in a fast-paced drama that reminds us of what we can all do if we have a common purpose.

As our heroines break barriers of race and gender, their newly minted U.S. womens rowing team goes on to become the most winning sports team in American history."--Back cover.