Narrator Mike Cooper’s enthusiasm and wry British tones capture the luminous wonders of this reissued nature classic of “wild swimming.” Roger Deakin swims across Britain in every sort of body of water—freezing mountain lochs, moats, canals, spas, oceans, lakes, clean and dirty rivers. He swims with salmon and eels, naked and in a wet suit, in midsummer and midwinter. Cooper is compelling as he recounts, with quiet authority, histories and random facts as Deakin travels across the land—or more correctly, the water. Cooper expresses the thread of subtle rebellion that underlies this unstructured swimming as British “health and safety” are gently mocked, stuffy college security is dodged, and apologies are issued to Her Majesty’s Coastguard after a swim is completed. A.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Waterlog: A Swimmers Journey Through Britain
Narrated by Mike Cooper
Roger DeakinUnabridged — 12 hours, 1 minutes
Waterlog: A Swimmers Journey Through Britain
Narrated by Mike Cooper
Roger DeakinUnabridged — 12 hours, 1 minutes
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Overview
In an attempt to discover his island nation from a new perspective, Roger Deakin embarks from his home in Suffolk to swim Britain-the seas, rivers, lakes, ponds, pools, streams, lochs, moats, and quarries. Through the watery capillary network that braids itself throughout the country, Deakin immerses himself in the natural habitats of fish, amphibians, mammals, and birds. And as he navigates towns, private property, and sometimes dangerous waters and inclement weather, Deakin finds himself in precarious situations: he's detained by bailiffs in Winchester, intercepted by the coast guard at the mouth of a river, and mistaken for a dead body on a beach. The result of this surprising journey is a deep dive into modern Britain, especially its wild places.
With enchanting descriptions of natural landscapes, and a deep well of humanity, boundless humor, and unbridled joy, Deakin beckons us to wilder waters and inspires us to connect to the larger world in a most unexpected way. Thrilling, vivid, and lyrical, Waterlog is a fully immersive adventure-a remarkable personal quest, a bold assertion of the swimmer's right to roam, and an unforgettable celebration of the magic of water.
Editorial Reviews
"His prose works a spell."
"Roger Deakin is a latter-day Thoreau."
"A beautiful ode to the act of swimming outdoors…. Through ecstatic and exacting descriptions of his many swims, Deakin introduces the reader both to the pleasures of outdoor swimming and to the richness of the natural landscape…. Deakin’s insistence on wild swimming for all is really an insistence on a better ecosystem for all."
"[A] beautiful meditation on swimming in nature. . . . He writes with sensitivity and a great appreciation for the world around him."
"Waterlog is an adventure, a meditation, a celebration of wild swimming—a delight. In this book, Roger Deakin has captured the magic of the liquid world."
"[Waterlog] might be the most romantic swimming memoir ever written. Its spirit, and the way it illuminates the joy and complexity of water, of swimming in the wild, places it next to Thoreau’s Walden. As Thoreau 'went to the woods,' Deakin went into the water."
"Part amphibious adventure memoir and part right to roam manifesto, beneath Waterlog’s delightful quirk lies a serious treatise on public access and the belief that swimming is intrinsically transformative.... Sublimely subversive reading of the highest order."
"Delightful."
"Sublime.... His swim isn’t just about moving, but about, literally and ecstatically, being moved."
"Roger Deakin is the perfect companion for an invigorating armchair swim. Engaging, thoughtful, and candid."
"A classic ode to wild swimming."
"His prose is sensuous . . . and his sense of humor is as dry as his theme is wet."
"Beautiful."
"Extraordinary."
Narrator Mike Cooper’s enthusiasm and wry British tones capture the luminous wonders of this reissued nature classic of “wild swimming.” Roger Deakin swims across Britain in every sort of body of water—freezing mountain lochs, moats, canals, spas, oceans, lakes, clean and dirty rivers. He swims with salmon and eels, naked and in a wet suit, in midsummer and midwinter. Cooper is compelling as he recounts, with quiet authority, histories and random facts as Deakin travels across the land—or more correctly, the water. Cooper expresses the thread of subtle rebellion that underlies this unstructured swimming as British “health and safety” are gently mocked, stuffy college security is dodged, and apologies are issued to Her Majesty’s Coastguard after a swim is completed. A.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
★ 2021-03-03
The foundational text for the international “wild swimming” movement, originally published in 1999 in Britain—and the only book Deakin (1943-2006) published during his lifetime.
Inspired by John Cheever’s short story “The Swimmer,” Deakin began his trip across the waterways of Britain in April 1997, running naked into the waters of the Isles of Scilly. The author ended his journey the following Christmas Day, experiencing “the intoxication of the fiery cold” waters of the North Sea. Along the way, Deakin explored the springs of Malvern, famous for their “healing powers” and visited by Florence Nightingale and Charles Darwin; the mysterious Moor Barns Bath, “hidden in the brambles and nettles” in Cambridge; and the River Avon (“Avon that runs through Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare’s Avon”), filled with sunbathers and loungers, creating the picture of “a water rats’ club straight from the pages of The Wind in the Willows.” Deakin ponders the joy of swimming aimlessly, noting that “the swimmer is content to be borne on his way full of mysteries, doubts and uncertainties. He is a leaf on the stream, free at last from his petty little purposes in life.” The author also had a few unexpected encounters, including with unfriendly officials while disembarking from the private waters of the Itchen River. “The right to walk freely along river banks or to bathe in rivers,” writes the author, “should no more be bought and sold than the right to walk up mountains or to swim in the sea from our beaches.” Throughout, Deakin shares lyrical descriptions of the history and geography of the varied waterways he visited, and he smoothly weaves in literary references inspired by his experiences, including reflecting on other English writers who shared his affinity for the water, such as Virginia Woolf and George Borrow. This edition also features a foreword by Bonnie Tsui and afterword by Robert Macfarlane.
A beautifully written, loving tribute to the wonders found swimming in the wild outdoors.
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940178780145 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Tantor Audio |
| Publication date: | 06/29/2021 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
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