Why We Swim

This captivating book about the beneficial effects of water on the human body and mind is based on the stories of real people. Among them are Olympic champions, modern followers of the samurai swimming style nihon eiyo, and an Icelandic fisherman who miraculously survived after spending more than six hours in icy water. Bonnie Tsui, a regular author for The New York Times, has been swimming since childhood, and her personal experiences—from swimming in the cold waters of San Francisco Bay to crossing Lake George on the day of her own engagement—serve as the subject for equally captivating pages. To find the answer to the question of why water, despite all its dangers, so attracts us humans, and why we strive to be in it again and again, Bonnie Tsui takes readers to ponds and lakes, pools, and ocean expanses... She reminds us that humans evolved from creatures that inhabited the watery spaces of Earth millions of years ago, and perhaps that is why we are inevitably drawn to this element.