Grab A Bookmark: Five Books The Swim Lover Should Read
From the lap swimmer to the Olympian, swimmers of all abilities and ages are defined by their shared love of the sport. We have written previously about books every swimmer should read, but shining a light on stories that help us appreciate the love we have for swimming will help swimmers find new ways to appreciate the sport. Here are five books that tell stories about a passion for swimming, and that give new appreciation to long-time lovers of the sport:
The Joy of Swimming: A Celebration of Our Love for Getting in the Water – By Lisa Congdon
A beautiful way of learning swimming history, this book brings swim culture and biographies of people who love swimming to life through beautiful watercolor pictures and letters. The book highlights swimming legends, as well as lap-pool swimmers on their love of swimming. Perfect for all ages, this book will connect with kids who love splashing around in the pool and seasoned competitors alike.
Dip: Wild Swims from the Borderlands – By Andrew Fusek Peters
In this nonfiction work, Peters tells the story of how swimming helped him combat his depression. Detailing a year of swimming in rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and more, his powerful story shows how nature and swimming create peace and stability within our lives. This book is perfect for open-water lovers, and people who love swimming while surrounded by nature.
Why We Swim – By Bonnie Tsui
Bonnie Tsui attempts to answer why humans are so drawn toward swimming, despite it not being innate to human biology. Stories of shipwrecked fishermen, modern-day Japanese samurai swimmers, and Olympic champions intersect in an attempt to find commonality between all swimmers. This book provides many perspectives that reinvigorate love and appreciation for swimming. For any reader, the stories of resilience and power of swimming will trigger appreciation for loving the sport’s difficulty.
The Last Wave – By Gillian Best
A fictional story following an English family spanning six decades, The Last Wave explores 10-time English Channel swimmer Martha’s complex relationships. Swimming in the Channel is the one constant in her life, and an escape from her role as a wife and mother. It is also there for her through a cancer diagnosis and her husband’s declining mental health. Martha’s story is perfect for people who appreciate having swimming as a constant comfort within their lives.
Splash! 10,000 Years of Swimming by Howard Means
From Ancient Egypt to the Modern Olympic Games, Splash! explores the history of swimming. Instead of answering why water attracts humans, Howard Means shows how swimming connects to and helps establish culture, religion, fashion, architecture, and more. This book leaves swimmers appreciative on how swimming has touched every part of our lives outside of the pool.
Have any stories about the love of swimming? Please leave a comment and share with us!
Looking forward to audio books of the above titles.
No listed, but I loved this one . . .The WatermenTHE BIRTH OF AMERICAN SWIMMING AND ONE YOUNG MAN’S FIGHT TO CAPTURE OLYMPIC GOLDBy Michael Loynd