It is intended as a resource for those avid swimmers out there who want the low-down on where to go (and where not to go) for some acquatic action in our fair city.
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LA Times book review: 'Swimming Studies' by Leanne Shapton →
Dang! Yet another book has come out about swimming, this time from the mega-hip artist, illustrator, editor, author and apparently near-Olympic swimmer, Leanne Shapton. It is part memoir, part philosophical meditation on all things aquatic, and is interspersed with her art and photos of her swim suit collection, among other things. I definitely intend to get my hands on this. While I have certainly never been that good a swimmer, I see something of myself in her: We are about the same age, and I share her desire to inahbit and experience the water in as many ways and places possible.
Anyway, click through to read Carolyn Kellogg’s review, click here to read Dwight Garner’s review in the NY Times, or click here to read an essay by Shapton called ‘No Lifeguard on Duty’ (also from the NY Times) to get a taste of her style…
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'Reaching for Zen With Each Stroke and Lap' (Jane Brody in NYT) →
Nice article about swimmin and how awesome or relaxing or exciting it can be.
Brody also mentions this new book called “Swim: Why We Love the Water” by Lynn Sherr. Here’s its blurb: ‘Swim is a celebration of swimming and the effect it has on our lives. It’s an inquiry into why we swim—the lure, the hold, the timeless magic of being in the water. It’s a look at how swimming has changed over the millennia, how this ancient activity is becoming more social than solitary today. It’s about our relationship with the water, with our fishy forebearers, and with the costumes that we wear. You’ll even find a few songs to sing when you push out those next laps.’
This is inspiration for me to get back into the pool, and to get back into my leisure reading! Hooray for summer!
