Books about swimming are very fashionable in recent times, so this book is entering a quite crowded field. Ingrid Horrocks does use this watery memoir to highlight other issues of concern to her - environmental and ecological issues are prominent, but she writes movingly about family life, travel and adventure and our collective responsibilities in these areas. She is a fine and evocative writer, and this book covers a lot of ground in a compelling, episodic narrative.