Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Longdistance Swimmer [Hardcover]

Lynne Cox (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2005

At 14, Lynne Cox swam 26 miles from Catalina Island to the California mainland; at 15 and 16, she broke the men's and women's world records for swimming the English Channel - a 33-mile crossing; at 18, she swam the 20-mile Cook Strait between North and South Islands of New Zealand; she was the first to swim the Strait of Magellan, the most treacherous 3-mile stretch of water in the world; she was first to swim the Bering Strait from Alaska to Siberia, thereby opening the U.S.-Soviet border for the first time in 48 years; and the first to swim the Cape of Good Hope (a shark emerged from the kelp, its jaws wide open, and was shot as it headed straight for her). And finally she is the first person to have swum a mile in 0 degree water in Antarctica. Lynne Cox writes about swimming the way Saint-Exupery wrote about flying, and one sees how swimming, like flying, can stretch the wings of the spirit. Lynne is an extraordinary achiever, but it is her enthusiasm and warmth, along with her respect for others, that come through above all in her writing, which is as easy and natural as her swimming ability. 'Swimming to Antarctica' is thrilling, modest, vivid and lyrical, an inspiring account of a life of aspiration and adventure.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'her thrilling new memoir...SWIMMING TO ANTARCTICA, in fact, tells two stories: the compellingly reconstructed thrill-ride of her swimming career and also, tucked in the folds of her fluid prose, her maturing as a storyteller.' -- Andrew Gumbel THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY 'her remarkable memoir... SWIMMING TO ANTARCTICA reveals a talent for lyrical storytelling that feeds directly off the author's experience of nature and her place in it. -- Melissa Katsoulis THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'This is a strange, beautiful book.' -- Melanie Reid THE HERALD 'this gutsy memoir.' -- John Koski YOU MAGAZINE 'An unforgettable and beautifully written autobiography of the most remarkable long-distance swimmer.' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'Cox describes her thoughts upon hitting the water for a one-mile swim off the coast of Antarctica: "All I could think about was moving forward." The same drive infuses her gripping memoir of a career spent one-upping herself. In an understated style as clear as polar sunlight, Cox re-creates her epic swims and brilliantly conveys what it feels like to push across Antarctica, the English Channel and the Bering Strait.' SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (USA) 'This gripping memoir' -- Tom de Castella THE NEW STATESMAN 'an enchanting, almost mesmerising book.' -- Sara Wheeler LITERARY REVIEW 'this delightful memoir...an entertaining yet profound read.' -- Catherine Humble THE OBSERVER --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Lynne Cox was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Los Alamitos, California. Cox was named Los Angeles Times Woman of the Year in 1975, inducted into the Swimming Hall of Fame in 2000, and honored with a lifetime achievement award from U.C. Santa Barbara. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Perfection Learning (March 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 075698016X
• ISBN-13: 978-0756980160
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #905,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Swimming to Antarctica, April 2, 2007

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shopper (usa) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Swimming to Antarctica : Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer (Paperback)

Fascinating true story - a real page-turner. Couldn't
put it down until I finished it. Great for anyone interested
in human courage, endurance, and medical science combined.