If you’re not swimming outdoors and you’re not talking about swimming outdoors then the third best pastime is probably reading about swimming outdoors.
But what are the best books?
If you asked me, I’d probably just tell you to read Waterlog then buy Wild Swimming. But my wife, Laura, is somewhat better read than me so offers a reading list of recommended swimming books below.
Please do add your own suggestions at the bottom.
(N.B. All books are linked to Amazon.co.uk, and Amazon.com separately. A small percentage of any sales goes towards paying for this website, at no cost to you, so please do use the links).
Outdoor Swimming Story Books
Waterlog by Roger Deakin
A beautifully written account of swimming in Britain’s wild places. The author was a notable environmentalist (he was a founding member of Friends of the Earth) and this is apparent throughout the book. Deakin is inspired by a short story called The Swimmer by John Cheever, and this in itself is worth a read (Amazon.com), or you can buy the film (Amazon.com).
The Crossing by Kathy Watson
The story of Captain Webb, the first person to swim across the Channel. A short but interesting read.
Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox
Inspirational, amazing account of the swims which Lynne Cox has undertaken throughout her life. It’s a fascinating insight into what it takes to be a committed, long distance open water swimmer. Probably my favourite book on this section of the list.
Haunts of the Black Masseur by Charles Sprawson
A look at the cultural aspects of what swimming means. A bit highbrow!
The Great Swim by Gavin Mortimer
An account of the 1920s race between four Americans to be first woman to cross the English Channel. It focusses more on the battle between the women and the way the media portrayed the story than about the actual swimming, but it’s still a good read.
Neutral Buoyancy: Adventures in a Liquid World
This book is about diving, rather than swimming. I’ve only done a bit of diving and perhaps that’s why this book was a bit lost on me, but others have raved about it.
Pondlife: A Swimmer’s Journal by Al Alvarez
This book is about the author’s daily swims in the Hampstead Ponds, London. It only came out a couple of months ago but I can’t wait to read it, having thoroughly enjoyed Feeding the Rat (Amazon.com; Tim wrote about Feeding the Rat here).
The Man who Swam the Amazon by Martin Strehl and Matthew Mohlke
The book doesn’t do it justice but this was a seriously impressive swim. There is DVD too, called Big River Man (Amazon.com).
Swimming Technique Books
This section is a bit more subjective, as what works for one person might not work for another. In honesty, I’m not really one for spending hours on my technique: I prefer to just get in the water and go. However, these are a few titles I’ve come across and have been recommended by others.
- The Swimming Drill Book by Ruben Guzman (Amazon.com): If you’re the kind of person who likes reading about technique, and then put it into practice, then this would be a good choice.
- Swim Smooth by Paul Newsome and Adam Young (The Complete Coaching System For Swimmers and Triathletes by Paul Newsome and Adam Youngs, Amazon.com): The Swim Smooth website is very good (and free!), with an animated swimmer to demonstrate what your stroke is supposed to look like. Several people have recommended the book to me and based on the website I would probably buy it before any other book on swimming technique I’ve come across.
- Total Immersion by Terry Laughlin and John Delves (The Revolutionary Way to Swim Better, Faster and Easier, Amazon.com: This is another book that’s been recommended to me.
Wild Swimming Guide Books
Daniel Start’s Wild Swim Guides
Dan Start has a whole series of beautifully illustrated, practical guides suggesting places to swim outdoors in Britain and France:
- Wild Swimming: 300 hidden dips in the rivers, lakes and waterfalls of Britain: We keep this in the car, and I think it’s the original and best of the series.
- Wild Swimming Coast: The clue is in the title.
- Wild Swimming France: Wild swimming, in, well, France.
- Wild Guide: Devon, Cornwall and South West: This was co-written with Tania Pascoe and Joanna Keeling. It’s not just about swimming but if it’s like Start’s other books then it will be a winner.
Wild Swim by Kate Rew and Dominick Tyler
This one is less practical than the Daniel Start books, but it has lovely photos and is a great coffee table book (unless, like me, you ruin the cover by leaving it in a bag with a wet swimming costume). It’s written by the lady who founded the Outdoor Swimming Society, and her journalist background means the prose is beautiful. The OSS also publishes an interactive Wild Swim Map, which is another great resource for finding outdoor swim spots.
Wild Swimming Guide
by Rob Fryer (USA)
Rob Fryer is a bit of a legend in wild swimming circles. He campaigns on behalf of wild swimmers and founded the River & Lake Swimming Association. He is also the chair of the Farleigh & District Swimming Club, which claims to be the only river swimming club in the world. His website is http://www.wild-swimming.com/)
Recommended by @GoneSwimmingDan
Reader Recommendations
[UPDATE: We got a lot of responses from readers suggesting good wild swimming books so have included them below. More recommendations welcome.]
Recommended by @GoneSwimmingDan…
Hung Out to Dry: Swimming and British Culture
by Chris Ayriss (Amazon.com)
This is an account of the history and culture of swimming in Britain. I haven’t read it myself, but there is a review here.
The Story of Swimming
by Susie Parr (Amazon.com)
This illustrated book about the social history of swimming was given a great review here. I’m looking forward to getting hold of a copy.
Recommended by @NYCswim…
Swim: Why We Love The Water
by Lynn Sherr (Amazon.com)
Another book about the social and cultural aspects of swimming, exploring our relationship with the water. Not one I’ve yet had chance to read but it could be worth a look.
Swimming Studies
by Leanne Shapton (Amazon.com)
A series of essays about swimming from a competitive swimmer-turned-artist.
Grayson
by Lynne Cox (Amazon.com)
An unusual story about an encounter that Lynne Cox had with a baby grey whale when swimming off the California coast
Plus any biography about Gertrude Ederle, e.g. this one (Amazon.com).
From @mattjdrew…
Wind, Waves and Sunburn
by Conrad Wennerberg (Amazon.com)
This is a classic book about marathon swimming, written in the 1970s. The only copies I could find were very expensive – perhaps pressure is needed on the publishers to reprint it!
Swim Speed Secrets
by Sheila Taormina (Amazon.com)
This book focusses on the development of good technique, with the aim of making you swim faster. It’s all about a high-elbow underwater pull, apparently. The same author has also published this book (USA) of swim workouts.
From @openwaterswim…
Taking the Waters: a Swim around Hampstead Heath
by Caitlin Davies and Ruth Corney (Amazon.com)
I’ve seen this for sale in Daunt Books, Hampstead. It’s that kind of book: a beautiful, glossy coffee table volume.
Beyond the Beach: The Secret Wild Swims of Torbay
by Matt Newbury and Sophie Pierce
Brand new book about swimming in Devon. More information is available on their website.
From @TheBigBlueSwim…
Open Water Swimming
by Steve Munatones (Amazon.com)
Steve Munatones is a bit of a legend in open water swimming: he founded the Open Water Source and came up with the concept of the Oceans Seven – the swimming version of the Seven Summits. I suspect his book is well worth a look.
From @lauralikeswater…
Swim Hiking in the Lake District and North East England
by Peter Hayes
Wonderful, eccentric book about ‘swim hiking’ – walking over hills and swimming across lakes. He talks about the swimming version of the Bob Graham Round.
From @GoneSwimmingDan…
Underwater Foraging: Free Diving for Food
by Ian Donald (Amazon.com)
This is a bit random but I love that someone has written it!
From Sian Melangell Dafydd…
Y Trydydd Peth: Enillydd Y Fedal Ryddiaith 2009
by Sian Melangell Dafydd
A novel: George Owens swims the river Dee from source to sea. Currently only in Welsh but English translation may come soon.
From John Fenemore…
A Taste of Chlorine
by Bastien Vives (Amazon.com)
A graphic novel about pool swimming.
Me, the Sex Maniac
by Nikolett Szepesi (does not appear to be available on Amazon)
And finally, for those that want something really niche: Described as a raw and very controversial autobiography by a backstroker in the Hungarian national squad – “wild swimming” certainly but more pool (and poolside) than open water.
As yet only available in Hungarian.
And…?
There must be many more. Add your suggestions and comments below…
19 Comments
Nancy
Ah, didn’t know Al Alvarez had written a swimming book, awesome, I’m excited to read it.
Sally B
Waterlog is probably my favourite book of all time (currently on Wild Wood also by Deakin). Can’t wait to tuck into some of the others, thanks for the tips!
Tim Moss
Lewis Pugh (who’s swum at the North Pole and on Everest) also has a couple of books: http://j.mp/13UetNW
Sophie Pierce
Hi there, I have just published a book, with a friend, Matt Newbury, about one of Britain’s most beautiful, safe, and forgotten swimming locations, Torbay in South Devon, There’s more on our website: http://www.secretwildswims.wordpress.com
Russ
I’m surprised you missed Swimming Free by Geoffery Fraiser Duncan. Perhaps the best, but not the first book to celebrate swim trekking and river snorkeling. Out of print, this book is both rare and worth the price.
We Swam The Grand Canyon by Bill Beers is a tale so crazy it still blows my mind. Just like the title suggests, Beers and a companion pulled off an audacious unsupported descent of the GC in the 50’s. Wiiiiild swimming!
Fisherman’s Fall by Roderick Haig Brown is perhaps the most eloquent sporting writing ever. RHB was a prolific fisherman, author and river snorkeler. Exploring his adopted home river, Vancouver Island’s Campbell River, his snorkeling adventures with Canada’s diminishing salmon stocks paved the way for modern snorkel survey techniques.
The wild swimming movement is a little different here in America, where lots of people enjoy the rivers and lakes of this big crazy country. Up here in the Pacific Northwest, the hearty UK swimmer would feel right at home. Our waters are cold and the beer is bold. Snorkeling rivers is just wild swimming while looking down. Take a look, you may be surprised what lives in your favorite swimming hole!
Laura
Russ, I can’t find that GF Duncan book anywhere online! Can you point me in the right direction?
A (very British) book about swim hiking is ‘Swimhiking in the Lake District and North East England’ by Peter Hayes, forgot to add it to the list.
Love the idea of river snorkelling, will give it a try.
Russ
Here’s a few copies for sale on albris dot com: http://bit.ly/19VGxXI
You can check out my river snorkeling videos here: https://vimeo.com/riversnorkel
I hope posting links is not a problem
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Dave Latimer
John Jerome’s “Blue Rooms” is a wonderful book about a life measured by aquatic experiences. A must read!!!
Laura
Thanks Dave, I only just noticed your comment! Will check it out.
Rob Fryer
Wild Swimming Europe has just been released. Covering 1250 sites, this is the most comprehensive wild swimming guide book ever. It now covers UK, France, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Portugal and other holiday countries. Only Available from my website and some independent West Country bookshops. Forget Amazon.
Tim Moss
Thanks for the advert Rob. Hope sales are going well.
Bruce Lesley
Any great novels about wild swimming or open water swimming, like John Parker’s Once a Runner?
Tim Moss
Hi Bruce, the best I can offer is John Cheever’s The Swimmer which is fiction, albeit just a short story.
Tim Moss
You could also try Barracuda
Barracuda by Christopher Tsiolkas who wrote The Slap. Thanks to John MacL on Twitter for the recommendation.
Neil Cousins
Interesting reading, thanks. I saw you asked for more ‘novel’ type books. Breath by acclaimed Australian author Tim Winton is more a novel about two boys living near the sea in middle of nowhere Western Australia rather than purely swimming. They are fascinated by the power of the surf. Gets brilliant reviews and I loved it. Another fav of mine is The Sea The Sea, by Iris Murdoch. Not about swimming, just set by the sea – surprisingly – but a wonderful insight into human character. Anyway, keep enjoying the US and we’ll see you in a couple of months!!!
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Annie
Try reading the autobiography ‘Dip: Wild Swims from the Borderlands’ by Andrew Fusek Peters.
I enjoyed this mostly because all his swims were in my region but also for the beauty and honesty of his prose. He swims through the seasons, as a way to help him manage clinical depression.
Tim Moss
Thanks for the recommendation Annie. (You can buy it on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/2eSHULT)