No Import Fees Deposit & $16.92 Shipping to Finland Details

Delivery December 30 - January 12

In Stock.

As an alternative, the Kindle eBook is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app.

[{"displayPrice":"$23.00","priceAmount":23.00,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"23","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"00","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"4eu5MR264dd7bevsPtKhtMf%2Bs8Vuq%2FsVPahanjjuJZwGWumwuxG9%2BICedVTjXAkKq5rRHPMwo0e6LcHrV52ZCoowy7NFqO1%2FTCqke4%2BBgfQiTjDqWGKwdCcSbn5an3w2KJLWnDQZUXI%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"},{"displayPrice":"$16.85","priceAmount":16.85,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"16","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"85","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"tQbeAWSqTvYpJ6aDZ%2FMqw5HieDDdJnqy8FHJgQNWxesychkg1B4a6yOCuhQ%2BzK5FV%2F70zdXekj6RrWjn0uUhQynf%2FTaZX3Rc9u1d%2FJFn64dSeCfFc7R5m%2Bsd5k59q9itPscnc%2BmYVB%2BbkZfxi67eAX66uc7KnCkSFeEby1IPqXNn9E2LT1ZogqBDN3N77RXh","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED"}]

$$23.00 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Secure transaction

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Return policy: Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Delivery Tuesday, January 17

Or fastest delivery Wednesday, January 11. Order within 15 hrs 5 mins

Deliver to Finland

Used: Good | Details

Sold by Rebel Booksellers

Fulfilled by Amazon

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Add to List

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 2 images

Follow the Author

Jeff Wiltse

Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America Paperback – May 1, 2010

by Jeff Wiltse (Author)

69 ratings

4.0 on Goodreads

154 ratings

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$9.99

—

Hardcover

"Please retry"

$7.82

$57.50

$3.85

Paperback

"Please retry"

$23.00

$20.78

$6.57

Enhance your purchase

From nineteenth-century public baths to today's private backyard havens, swimming pools have long been a provocative symbol of American life. In this social and cultural history of swimming pools in the United States, Jeff Wiltse relates how, over the years, pools have served as asylums for the urban poor, leisure resorts for the masses, and private clubs for middle-class suburbanites. As sites of race riots, shrinking swimsuits, and conspicuous leisure, swimming pools reflect many of the tensions and transformations that have given rise to modern America.

Print length

288 pages
Language

English
Publisher

The University of North Carolina Press
Publication date

May 1, 2010
Dimensions

6.13 x 0.72 x 9.25 inches
ISBN-10

0807871273
ISBN-13

978-0807871270
See all details

Frequently bought together

+
+

Total price:

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Some of these items ship sooner than the others.

Show details Hide details

Choose items to buy together.

by Jeff Wiltse Paperback
$23.00
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
by Howard Means Hardcover
$28.00
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
by Bonnie Tsui Hardcover
$12.89
Only 5 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Bonnie Tsui
1,140
Paperback
$10.39
$15.33 shipping
Howard Means
58
Hardcover
$28.00
$16.62 shipping
Heather McGhee
4,476
Paperback
$16.29
$15.73 shipping
Kevin Dawson
18
Paperback
$27.50
$16.62 shipping
Only 17 left in stock (more on the way).
Julie Checkoway
337
Paperback
$13.98
Get it as soon as Monday, Jan 16
$15.94 shipping
Only 3 left in stock - order soon.
Michael Loynd
88
Hardcover
$26.99
$17.40 shipping

Editorial Reviews

Review

Intelligent, compelling social history.--Atlantic Monthly

It quickly becomes clear that Wiltse's Contested Waters isn't a dreary historical catalog of shapes and styles of swimming pools vast and small. It's the colorful story of America's municipal swimming pools in the 19th and 20th centuries. Against that backdrop it becomes a story of America. It's all here: a sense of this country's benevolence, its community relations, civic wars, social strata, sexuality and sexism as well as our capacity for having a good time. Chronicled along with these are our ill-feeling prejudice, ignorance and racial strife. . . . [Contested Waters offers] a good course in America. All its traits, fine and lamentable are found here--the most vivid being, alas, our stinking racism.--Dick Cavett, New York Times Book Review

This is well done, clearly written, thoroughly researched history, and it effectively makes important points about the tensions that confounded America during the Civil Rights movement. . . . Wiltse uses the municipal swimming pool as a fascinating window onto social changes and urban tensions across the 20th century.--Publishers Weekly

Incisive.--New Yorker

[A] well-written account. . . . [Wiltse's] myriad primary sources are particularly impressive. . . . Succeeds on all accounts.--The Journal of American History

Carefully researched and well-written . . . a welcome beginning to a national story of public recreation.--American Historical Review

That rare book that answers questions so interesting and so important that one is surprised they have not been asked before. . . . Wiltse's research is thorough, and thoroughly documented. . . . Wiltse has done a remarkable job of finding and synthesizing a large body of material, most of it never considered seriously before, and the narrative he presents is fresh and important.--Magill's Literary Annual 2008

Provides valuable insight on the evolving attitudes toward race, class, gender, and community in the US. . . . An excellent resource, well researched and well written.--CHOICE

An expertly researched and well-written new book. . . [that] gives a detailed overview of how race played a major role in defining one of America's favorite leisure pastimes.--Journal of Blacks in Higher Education

In Contested Waters, historian Jeff Wiltse argues that the nation's contentious history of racism, class conflict and gender inequality can be captured by chronicling the rise and fall of municipal pools in northern American cities. And he makes a compelling case. . . . [In] this extremely readable narrative. . . . Wiltse persuasively shows that there are some very serious consequences to how Americans play together--and when and why they decide that they won't.--Washington Post Book World

From the Inside Flap

From 19th-century public baths to today's private backyard havens, swimming pools have been a provocative symbol of American life. In this social and cultural history of swimming pools in the U.S., Wiltse relates how, over the years, pools have served as asylums for the urban poor, leisure resorts for the masses, and private clubs for middle-class suburbanites. As sites of race riots, shrinking swimsuits, and conspicuous leisure, swimming pools reflect the tensions and transformations that have given rise to modern America.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ The University of North Carolina Press; New edition (May 1, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0807871273
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0807871270
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.1 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.13 x 0.72 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #132,481 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #20 in Swimming (Books)
- #267 in Sports History (Books)
- #1,627 in U.S. State & Local History

Customer Reviews:
69 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Jeff Wiltse

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Products related to this item
Sponsored Hide feedback

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Customer reviews

5 star		76%
4 star		5%
3 star		11%
2 star		2%
1 star		6%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Reviews with images

See all customer images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Karen A kuckreja

How we got to private swimming pools.

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2021

Verified Purchase

The telling of swimming in public pools, private pools, and the connection to the Systemic Caste System in the USA is a must-read story!

Helpful

Stephen

Niche but interesting

Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2021

Verified Purchase

really interesting look at how social class and racial divides evolved over the years in the context of public pools

Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2020

Verified Purchase

History of pools in America is as shameful as history of housing or school segregation. This book helps put in context the current exclusionary pool policies as a product of policies out in place 100 years ago. It is a well-written, quick read.

Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2020

Verified Purchase

The social history of swimming pools in the U.S. is eye-opening and heartbreaking. This is a must-read book, especially given the social unrest in the country right now. It's well-researched and well-told.

Helpful

Gloriajean Wallace

once parents have a better understanding of the possible uses of pools and all

Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2015

Verified Purchase

Very informative book. Interesting and a must read--especially if you have young children who are swimmers. Important book because it provides information about the history of swimming pools --that (suprisingly) had little to do with pleasure/swimming, but rather sanitation. This book may help the parent to understand "raudy" behavior among youngsters in swimming pool settings..and may also help parents to temper that behavior in a more loving/understanding manner..given the evolution of swimming pools. ..once parents have a better understanding of the possible uses of pools and all. (a little boring in places..but overall..a great book!

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Derrick Q. Milligan

A Classic View of America and American Culture -- A Must Read for Those Interested In The US fulfilling Its Potential

Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2015

Verified Purchase

Moving, shocking and inspiring. The author offers an amazing glimpse of America's historical challenges with class, gender and race through a very unusual lens. I really enjoyed how Contested Waters celebrates the innocent beauty of children of all ages playing in water while outlining the perfect storm of complex social challenges that have been a burden to this country from its beginning. This could be the catalyst of a multitude of real conversations and actions that improve American life for all its citizens. Well done.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

A fascinating read

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2019

Verified Purchase

Who would have thought a book about swimming pools would be so interesting? This book follows the evolution of the swimming pool through class, race, and social changes in the United States. The book is well-written and so interesting that I even read the introduction twice.

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2017

Verified Purchase

As a swimmer since the early 1940's in the Washington DC area, I could relate to the segredation stories in this book. I highly recommend this unorthodox history.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Ellen Wright

very readable and very well researched

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 21, 2013

Verified Purchase

A hugely readable historical study of American culture in the first half of the 20th century. I fully anticipated more of a 'skim-read' as part-research towards a journal article and ended up reading it cover to cover! Utterly fascinating, well argued and thoroughly researched. Highly recommended!

One person found this helpful

See all reviews

Shipping & Fee Details

Follow the Author