As a swimmer myself I first read the book out of an interest in another swimmer's experience and I was not disappointed with what I found. The descriptions of her relationship with the water, which actually only make up a small portion of the book, are so lovely as to have made me reconsider how I approach my hobby from both a practical and emotional viewpoint.

What you get both outside and intermingled with this theme is a beautiful and tragic personal account of a wonderful world turned inside-out. The way Friedman talks you through the whole story gives you the feeling that she's sitting right next to you. Sometimes you find yourself wishing that she were so that you could give her a hug and tell her you hope it's going to be okay. It's powerful stuff.

For me this book has a similar feel, in the way it is written rather than in subject matter, to "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig, and I would recommend it, or either of them for that matter, to anyone.