The Little Book of Swimming Safely


Book Description

New to wild swimming and wondering how to stay safe? Old to wild swimming and wondering what's been accidentally left out of this book? Fed up of hearing about wild swimming but in need of a present that looks like you care about it? All welcome. After ten years of swimming in the sea in Scotland, Sue Gyford found herself on the admin teams of two online wild swimming groups amid what she lovingly calls "The Great Influx of 2020". Lockdown, cabin fever, the closure of swimming pools, and the inability to fly to Magaluf, saw huge numbers of people heading to beaches, rivers and lochs near home to swim. At the same time, wild swimmers could no longer swim in groups, so more experienced swimmers couldn't lead by example or pass on scraps of advice over their shivery bites. Eventually she decided that, rather than concocting ever-more baroque facebook posts about the dangers of cold water swimming and how to avoid them, she'd put it all in one place. A place where nobody could answer back in the comments. The Little Book of Swimming Safely is part advice, part warning, part saving her a hell of a lot of future facebook posts if everybody buys this for themselves or their pet swimmer. It doesn't pretend to be complete, she's probably missed out some obvious but important tips but she's publishing it herself, so this is her best shot. Keep safe, have fun, don't be stupid, be kind. That's about the size of it.




The Little Book for Wild Swimmers


Book Description

Escape the frantic pace of everyday, reconnect with your wild side and discover the healing power of swimming outdoors. Whether you've already taken the plunge or simply want to dip a toe in, this beautiful book is brimming with all the tips and inspiration you need to find your way back to nature and harness the benefits of wild swimming.




The Outdoor Swimming Guide


Book Description




Lilly & Little Nick Swim Safely at the Pool


Book Description

Swimming is an important survival skill for people of all ages. As children begin swimming, it is important to learn and reinforce proper safety and common rules around swimming areas. In this educational tale, Lilly and her younger brother visit a community pool. As Lilly and Little Nick arrive at the pool, they learn about basic rules that all beginning swimmers should learn. Simply, yet important, rules are reviewed through easy-to-remember rhymes and vivid illustrations.




Wild Swimming


Book Description

The all-new bumper second edition of the best-selling Wild Swimming photo guide is now fully revised and expanded to include 150 NEW amazing wild swimming locations (almost 400 in total), brand new coverage in the South-East and the Midlands, new information for kids and families, new ideas for pubs, campsites, boat trips and weekends, new ratings on safety and access. This revised and expanded edition of Wild Swimming features the same winning formula of stunning photography, engaging travel writing and practical guidance, and is set to continue as the definitive guide to outdoor swimming in wild Britain.




Leo Can Swim


Book Description

Splishy, splashy babies Leo, Lola’s little brother from Leo Loves Baby Time, is back in a new adventure at the pool. Leo and Daddy go to swim class where they kick, bounce, and dive like little fish. Joining other babies and their caretakers in the pool is a guarantee for unforgettable fun.




Haunts of the Black Masseur


Book Description

In a masterful work of cultural history, Charles Sprawson, himself an obsessional swimmer and fluent diver, explores the meaning that different cultures have attached to water, and the search for the springs of classical antiquity. In nineteenth-century England bathing was thought to be an instrument of social and moral reform, while in Germany and America swimming came to signify escape. For the Japanese the swimmer became an expression of samurai pride and nationalism. Sprawson gives is fascinating glimpses of the great swimming heroes: Byron leaping dramatically into the surf at Shelley’s beach funeral; Rupert Brooke swimming naked with Virginia Woolf, the dark water “smelling of mint and mud”; Hart Crane swallow-diving to his death in the Bay of Mexico; Edgar Allan Poe’s lone and mysterious river-swims; Leander, Webb, Weissmuller, and a host of others. Informed by the literature of Swinburne, Goethe, Scott Fitzgerald, and Yukio Mishima; the films of Riefenstahl and Vigo; the Hollywood “swimming musicals” of the 1930s; and delving in and out of Olympic history, Haunts of the Black Masseur is an enthralling assessment of man—body submerged, self-absorbed. It is quite simply the best celebration of swimming ever written, even as it explores aspects of culture in a heretofore unimagined way.




The Complete Book of Swimming


Book Description

The all-purpose guide to swimming, for beginners and experts alike, that will help make you fitter, faster, more efficient, and more knowledgeable about this wonderful sport. The Complete Book of Swimming is written for those folks who want to become physically fit and stay physically for the rest of their lives; for folks who are seeking to enhance their lives. There are chapters on the different strokes that provide the “how-to” information people need to get started. Equally important are the chapters that answer such questions as Why should I swim? Why swimming and not some other sport? How can swimming improve my health? How can it enhance my life? How will I become a better person—more vital, more competent, vigorous, sexy . . . alive by swimming? Praise for The Complete Book of Swimming “Phil Witten not only explains the ‘how to’ of swimming in clear, easy-to-understand language, but he also explains the ‘why’ of swimming: why swimming can make you healthier, happier, and sexier, and can make you feel younger. If The Complete Book of Swimming doesn’t convince you that swimming is the best thing you could possibly do for your health, then nothing will.”—Mark Spitz “Finally a book has been written that will put swimming on the map for the general public. Phil Witten combines a storyteller’s gift for creating excitement with scientific knowledge and personal experience. The Complete Book of Swimming is a must read for swimmers (and coaches) at every level, and for anyone interested in lifelong fitness and health.”—Skip Kennedy, Olympic coaching staff, men’s swimming; men’s swimming coach, Stanford University (NCAA champions) “Dr. Whitten has written the perfect all-purpose guide. It’s a useful tool for both experienced swimmers who want to improve, and for rookies who aren’t sure where to begin. The Complete Book of Swimming is an invaluable source for all aging baby boomers.”—Karen Allen, USA Today “Passion arouses passion, and Dr. Whitten surely cannot fail to persuade aspiring swimmers of all ages and abilities that the sport of swimming is the way to a healthier, happier existence. This is a splendid invitation to beginners, while offering a clearer insight to those who have already donned their suits and goggles. The writing is instructive and entertaining, and the illustrations depict the very latest techniques used in the pool.”—Craig Lord, The Times (London)




Going Swimming


Book Description

The noisy, splashy atmosphere of the local swimming baths is evoked in this book. This book features the family already familiar from Going Shopping, Having a Picnic and Doing the Washing.




My Little Book of Animals


Book Description

Why do tigers have stripes? How does an octopus move? What do elephants use their trunks for? My Little Book of Animals answers all these questions and many more. Simple, easy-to-understand text combines with close-up photography to provide an excellent introduction to the animal kingdom. Perfect for reluctant readers, this book will hold the interest of young children and encourage them to find out more about the word around them.