This was an enjoyable and accessible read about the history of women swimmers. I liked reading about the female pioneers who went against what society deemed "ladylike behaviour". It is astonishing to me how something as simple as swimming could have caused such an uproar in the past. As someone who was on the high school swim team, I am unable to imagine not being allowed to participate because I am a woman.

There is a section in the book where the author discusses how there was a long stretch of time where the only stories about women swimmers were in a mythological context (i.e., mermaids and selkies). I thought this was interesting because it emphasizes how far-fetched of an idea it was to picture women swimming in real life.

One of the main reasons that women were first allowed to swim in the early 1900s was because male doctors thought it would be good for the women’s fertility. The idea that you could enjoy swimming just for the sake of it was not something that was even considered.

The author weaves a lot of her personal life into this book which was fine but it did pull me out of the text at times. That being said, I did enjoy some sections especially her experience taking her young child to the pool.

If you are looking for an introduction to the history of female swimmers and you enjoy a blend of history and memoir, I would highly recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Covered SWELL in a summer featuring looking at the hidden depths of swimming in the context of feminist history and recent literature that considers the sport and activity from that lens.

This riveting book is part autobiography, part historical account. It recalls what life (and fashion) was like for women before they were allowed to swim in indoor--and outdoor--pools. We get to meet various daring swimmers who pushed Victorian boundaries in decorum and physical feats. It is truly the best books about sports I have ever read.

A fascinating look at the history of women's swimming. Jenny Landreth interspersed real history with her personal history of swimming. Filled with her witty quips and comments, Swell is more like having a conversation with an old friend, than reading a dusty old history tome.

Landreth, in a highly personal memoir-history, connects women's swimming to the nascent suffragist movement in the UK and US, as women who wished to swim challenged men's use of public space, bared ankles (and more!) and risked life and limb swimming the Channel, the Hudson and the Thames while slathered in axle grease and tallow. The photos included of pre-lycra swimmers are perfect role models for enjoying physicality without giving a damn what any other gaze expects.