Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics

The accomplishments of Jesse Owens in the 1936 Summer Olympics is still revered and celebrated now, eighty years later. Not just for the athletic achievement of earning four gold medals, but also for dispelling the myth of Adolf Hitler’s notion of Aryan superiority is this feat remembered. In this excellent book by Jeremy Schapp, the reader will learn more about what made a humble black man from Ohio turn into the fastest man on Earth.There are many aspects about Owen’s story that Schapp writes about beyond the wins on the track. From the coaching of Larry Snyder at Ohio State to the story about how Owens became one of the members of the 4 x 100-yard relay team to the alleged “snub” by Hitler after Owns won his first medal, there are many different subplots that are recalled in great detail. The story of the “snub” is very interesting in that the myth is dispelled by Owens himself by recalling that Hitler waved at him after his first medal. It was only later during the lecture circuit did the story of the snub become well known.Not everything written is about Owens, either. Schapp wrote very good pieces about filmmaker Leni Reifenstahl, the American boycott of the games that almost happened and the controversy about leaving the two American Jewish runners off of the relay team in which Owens replaced one of them and won his fourth medal. Avery Brundage is also prominently portrayed in the book. These and other aspects of the 1936 Olympics make the book complete and an excellent source of information on this topic.The only thing that could have made this better would have been a little more coverage of life after the Olympics for Owens as the book does not make it clear what really became of Owens after that historic event. But if the reader wants to learn about the Jesse Owens story of how he became a person who singlehandedly dispelled a dictator’s vision of domination through the simple acts of running and jumping, then this is the book to read.

My biggest take-away is the critical importance of mentoring. First, Charles Riley, who saw a Jr. High boy and looked past the color of his skin and saw the raw talent and passionately mentored him for the purpose of helping him achieve all he could. The second was Larry Snyder who saw him through high school and to the Olympics. Then there's the story of the antisemitic, racist 1936 Olympics used to foster Hitler's pro-Aryan agenda. Threatened up to the last minute to being boycotted by the USA, America participated and proved the falsehood of Aryan superiority through the victories of Jesse and other black athletes. Very entertaining background stories, like the German competitor, Luz Long, after setting a world record in the broad jump in the preliminary round, came alongside a disheartened Jesse who was down to his last attempt and gave him a pep talk. Jesse qualified and went on to win the gold, beating Luz. Luz later died as a German soldier in WWII. Loved reading this book!

This book was very well written and showed many of the challenges we face daily in our lives, but it is amazing that someone saw his talent, gave up many hours to help him develop it to be the amazing athlete that Jesse become. I feel credit must be given to his parents and a loving wife who basically gave up hours, then years while his abilities were being developed.I love the way he desired to have schooling and care for his small family. So many sacrifices were made in his life and then you think of of the mental anguish of the prejudice against his race, this was a time when people did not respect a person for their talents, abilities and kindness.There were others in our society who were disregarded because of birth defects who did not have a fair chance in life.Jesse Owens and his coach were heroes for being able to overcome and give it all they had to develop the talents and opportunities for him to find a place on the Olympic team for the USA. Then to arrive and find the social beliefs of Hitler were even worse, but he endured and gave his all. I was touched by the friendship he developed with the Luz Long which endured for years after the Olympics. This book is well worth reading because of the basic values it teaches, that many of us have seen in our own lives in a different manor.

A very readable book for both high school/young adults as well as the adult reader. Highly recommend to put on a high school classroom reading list as a book that not only discusses the topic of the Olympics, history prior to American involvement in WWII and a Jesse Owens biography, it is enlightening and entertaining as it brings all these topics together for a teen who might be into sports, but not into completing a reading assignment. As one who knows little of sports, I found it full of information regarding sports play and history and the teens who read it received a great lesson on the social history of the Olympics, WWII and life in Germany - as well as the expected read regarding fight of racial prejudice and civil rights- but what was particularly nice is that this topic is not the point of the book although it can not be excluded. Instead, it is a book about a great man and an interesting time in history from an angle that few bother to notice.

I couldn't wait to be done with this book. The endless descriptions of ultimately inconsequential races left me bored, while at the same time the book glosses over the fact that Owens almost lost his amateur status by having an apparently "no show job" with the Ohio Legislature. It devotes one whole sentence to Owens' claim that Hitler didn't snub him at the Olympics, but that FDR did. It devotes one sentence to the fact that Owens, after becoming a national hero, campaigned against FDR's reelection. In short, while most reviewers loved this book, I did not, and I can't recommend it.

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It was easy to read and informational! I enjoyed reading it and it helped me with my project. I would really recommend if you like sports

The wonderful true story of Jesse Owens as he takes on the world's biggest athletic challenge under the watchful gaze of the Nazi Regime. A true battle of right and wrong, good and evil, and the shame of the American government at the time. A really excellent read!

I love this book...speedy delivery.

This book tells about such a great man that Jesse was, I would argue the best sprinter ever. Great book to read about this exceptional athlete. The book also explained an alternative view of Hitler and the similarities in the Jews and the Negro and their treatment