Book published in 2020 & review by Richard Zell Donovan, February 2024

This intriguing 258 page book, loaned to me by another swimmer, is basically a tribute to swimming. The California-based author tells stories from around the world about competitive and non-competitive swimmers, including survivors of unplanned cold water adventures (typically long) and also just normal people for whom swimming is a positive light in their life. The book is relatively short, well-edited, and highly readable. I read it slowly over a number of months. I am not sure why, but maybe just because I unconciously wanted to enjoy it longer. Clearly, for the book author, swimming is a glue binding her with family and friends and the dynamics around water, the color of blue, and peace it can bring are metaphors for various aspects of life. Her unabashed enthusiasm for swimmers of all kinds and swimming, and numerous historical anecdotes, will probably make me reread sections of the book time and time again. Whether you are a swimmer or not, it is a good read.

On a personal note, I can’t remember not swimming. My father competitively swam in high school in Hibbing, in northern Minnesota & I can still see him gracefully swimming laps in the family pool in our modest but comfortable home in Naples, Florida, or taking long strokes in the cooling waters of Pelican Lake after our daily hot sauna in northern Minnesota. Mom enjoyed swims as well, typically a few very leisurely laps swimming the breast stroke in the pool. I have enjoyed many swims (short and long) with my wife and kids, various siblings, nieces and nephews, and other friends (some far more skilled swimmers than I) as part of lake life or the periodic “Pelican Lake triathlons” (run, swim & canoe/kayak). In youth, my own special skill was swimming long distance underwater, in pools or Pelican Lake. Though I swam competitively in junior high school and one year of high school in Hinsdale, Illinois – my skills paled in comparison to others on the team at Hinsdale Central, a Mecca for competitive swimmers (my high school team had 2 Olympians!). Though I don’t do the underwater thing as much now, both summers in the lake or winters in a pool (here in Vermont when cross country skiing conditions aren’t good) usually include long swims (mostly freestyle, but a bit of breast stroke). In my early 60’s, after many years of snorkeling, I took the leap and became a registered scuba diver, finding challenges mastering diving technology, but also peace in deep water and seeing incredible underwater wildlife, shipwrecks, and coral formations.

Honestly can’t wait for the next swim. Read Bonnie’s book and it may motivate you for the same.