Why We Swim
by
60/99
Critics
66/99
Readers
n/a
Scholars
55/99
Rating
66/99
Volume
44/99
Rating
87/99
Volume
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About This Book
An immersive, unforgettable, and eye-opening perspective on swimming—and on human behavior itself. We swim in freezing Arctic waters and piranha-infested rivers to test our limits. We swim for pleasure, for exercise, for healing. But humans, unlike other animals that are drawn to water, are not natural-born swimmers. We must be taught. Our evolutionary ancestors learned for survival; now, in the twenty-first century, swimming is one of the most popular activities in the world.Why We Swim is propelled by stories of Olympic champions, a Baghdad swim club that meets in Saddam Hussein's palace pool, modern-day Japanese samurai swimmers, and even an Icelandic fisherman who improbably survives a wintry six-hour swim after a shipwreck. New York Times contributor Bonnie Tsui, a swimmer herself, dives into the deep, from the San Francisco Bay to the South China Sea, investigating what about water—despite its dangers—seduces us and why we come back to it again and again.
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Reviews
"But the breadth of her reporting and grace of her writing make the elements of Why We Swim move harmoniously as one ..."
"This fascinating look at the positive impact swimming has had on our lives throughout history might leave most readers eager to get back in the water as soon as possible."
"This is more of a quick dip than a comprehensive history of swimming, but it's still full of good information ..."
"It's definitely a book for swimming nerds but also easily accessible for anyone with an interest in water."
"An absorbing, wide-ranging story of humans' relationship with the water."
"Readers will enjoy getting to know the people and the facts presented in this fascinating book."
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