Product Description
Hodding Carter dreamed of being an Olympian as a kid. He worshipped Mark Spitz, swam his heart out, and just missed qualifying for the Olympic trials in swimming as a college senior. Although he didn't qualify for the 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, or 2004 Olympics, he never stopped believing he could make it. And despite past failures and the passage of time, Carter began his quest once more at the age of forty-two.

Maybe he's crazy. But then again, maybe he's onto something. He entered the Masters Championships. He swam three to four miles each day, six days a week. He pumped iron, trained with former Olympians, and consulted with swimming gurus and medical researchers who taught him that the body doesn't have to age. He swam with sharks (inadvertently) in the Virgin Islands, suffered hypothermia in a relay around Manhattan, and put on fifteen pounds of muscle. Amazingly, he discovered that his heartbeat could keep pace with the best of the younger swimmers'. And each day he felt stronger, swam faster, and became more convinced that he wasn't crazy.

This outrageous, courageous chronicle is much more than Carter's race with time to make it to the Olympics. It's the exhilarating story of a man who rebels against middle age the only way he can—by chasing a dream. His article in Outside magazine, on which this book is based, was the winner of a Lowell Thomas award from the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Excellent read, great experience.
The book arrived ahead of time, in perfect condition. Having experienced eerily similar mid-life crisis, I thoroughly enjoyed Carter's self deprecating style, and the depth of his knowledge in the subject matter.

Stuck in the shallow end
I wanted to like this book more. Mr. Carter's writing is personable, witty, colorful, self-deprecating, insightful, charming -- everything you want in a good read. But in the end, his mid-life quest for Olympic gold just seemed pathetic to me.

At the gym where I swim laps, there is this one old guy in a Speedo who preens at the end of the lane for ten minutes, preparing to immerse himself. He stretches, touches his toes, twists, contorts, grunts. He's tall, so there's a lot of him. You can see he's proud of the shape he's in, which is good for his age. But, really, I can't even look, it's so embarrassing, and all I can think is, "Put it away!"

That was my feeling by the end of this book. While Mr. Carter is off chasing his fountain of youth, his children are growing up, his wife is growing away from him and his chance of becoming a really great writer is slipping away. Enough already! Put it away!

To me, it seems that Mr. Carter had too many competing motives for writing this book: he needed money, he wasn't getting enough bylines, he wanted to justify extended absences from home, and he was fighting age and time. Most of all, though, this book -- in fact his entire quest -- seemed an exercise in getting back at his parents. His dad quashed his Olympic dreams when he was 21, and he was a famous dad at that (with a Wall Street Journal byline), whose success rankles this Mr. Carter. His parents divorced, something that wounded him deeply, so he makes sure to mention his own (somewhat) successful attempts at working through the rough spots in his marriage. I got the feeling that this was payback time.

The parts I enjoyed most were the author's experiences as a Y aquatics instructor and assistant director, and as a swim team coach. If he could write an entire book about those experiences, he'd have something like Bill Geist's Little League Confidential: One Coach's Completely Unauthorized Tale of Survival. That's a book I would love to read.

P.S. I would like to see the author's "swimmy dance thing," though. I could use some help with my freestyle.

Wonderful book
As a fledgling swimmer who is close in age to the author, I can't say enough good things about this book. I absolutely loved it. I think non-swimmers will enjoy it as well, though swimmers will surely be able to appreciate it that much more. And while the literature on swimming is no doubt a bit thin, this surely ranks as one of the best books ever written about swimming. Bravo!

Avoid your mid-life crisis
If you are in your 40s, for that matter 30s or 50s and struggling to keep up to what you physically could do before-this book is an inspiration.It is funny, a quick read, and really is a good chance to look inside yourself and see if you are trying as hard as ou can.I highly recommend it.For non swimmers, the author does not get lost in swimming jargon or discussions, and when he comes close, he apologizes.great book.

Off the Deep End by W. Hodding Carter
Hodding Carter offers plenty of dry wit along with an incessant immersion in wildly entertaining self-styled swimmming regimens in pursuit of a lofty 2008 Beijing Olympic qualifying spot on Team USA...at age 45. Fabulous zeal and uttely shameless creativity in finding ways to train himself in odd places while dealing with the mid life pressures of job, husband, parent of young children. For the novice, this was also an, at times, deliriously funny direct window into what it takes to go after a dream this big. Who straps on a little surival basket of goodies and a flag to a surfboard, ties it to his torso and swims from island to island with a former Olympic Gold medal swimmer in the Florida Keys?!! All in a day's work for Carter. Truely was pulling for him to make the Olympic 2008 team. Thanks Hodding for all the extra info readers are able to follow. (Indiana University swimming/kinesthetics department for example. How else would I have found out chocolate milk is the recommended recovery rehydration beverage of choice for swimmers of multiple events. Yep, IU actually published findings on research entitled: "Efficacy of Chocolate Milk as Recovery Fluid....".) What's not to love about this zany and yet true watery vision quest for the Gold! A great read for anyone who feels the magnetic pull of water world, at any level, mild to mesmerizing. Training tips are a pleasant surprise bonus. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Not as unbiased as it should be
What I really dislike about that book is the author's (not Mark's!) attitude towards us Germans. I'm a post-war child being taught the unbelievable horror and harm the Nazis covered the world with, and I feel so ashamed and sorry I can't find words here. But I also grew up with Mark Spitz being my idol and role model and his triumphs here in Munich, Germany, were the highlights of my youth as far as sports is concerned.
When I worked in the swimming business I met Mark Spitz in person during the World Championships in Berlin in 1978. He was such a great person, so honest and so polite that I was deeply impressed.
Whenever the author refers to Germany, though, he connects the country with guilt, weird sportsmen and rude behaviour. A country the sportsman Mark Spitz had to suffer from.
I think it's utterly unfair to blame the German government for hectical actions after the terroristc attacks on the Israeli team.
After 9/11 US authorities weren't relaxed and calm either. In fact, there was panic everywhere.
There is not one single quote of Spitz himself citicizing Germany as a nation or the staff at the Olympics in Munich.
The author must have forgotten - what I remember well - that the majority of the people in the swimming halls back then were Germans, mostly young people who supported Mark as if he was one of them. Mark Spitz was enormously popular in Germany because he was NOT the showing off, boasting killer-swimmer, but a well-educated gentleman in speedos.
I can't remember the American public having idolized a foreign sportsman in that way. So I think it's neither fair nor correct to imply that part of Mark's energy was based upon his hatred against the EVIL, which was Germany in his case.

A page-turning biography
I totally agree with the previous reviewers. As a middle-of-the-road recreational swimmer, I heard of Spitz for the first time only last month and never thought that this biography would keep me busy, not least because the genre itself isn't a great favourite of mine (I own just a handful of biographies). All I can say is that, despite Phelps' success in surpassing Spitz by winning 8 gold medals, I hardly think he can ever equal his predecessor's charismatic personality and (to quote the subtitle) 'extraordinary life'. Though it's a pity the photos are reproduced in b/w, I recommend this book without hesitation. You don't have to have an interest in swimming or sports in general to own it: if 'story' is what interests you, Spitz's story won't fail to move you.

Wow!
I'm not an athlete, but I really enjoyed reading this book.Mark Spitz' extraordinary career is great on its own, but the fabulous references to historical events of the time made this a very interesting read.I read it in three sittings and wished there was more.

Bravo
Fascinating read not just for swimmers but anyone who loves sports. Foster chronicles Spitz's life with verve and accuracy.

Mark Spitz: The Extraordinary Life of an Olympic Champion
Great book on this Olympic icon. Very timely with the Olympics coming up.Don't have to be a sports fan to enjoy this book.Spitz was an amazing athlete and person and this book presents a lot of previously unkown stories about him. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Notable Sports Figures, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 3235 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Takes a close look at the people in sports who have captured attention because of success on the playing field, or controversy off the playing field. This work features biographies on more than 600 people from around the world and throughout history who have had an impact not only on their sport, but also on the society and culture of their times. It also includes not only the record-breakers that dominated and changed their sport, but also the controversial figures that made headlines even apart from athletic events. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Notable Sports Figures, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 1313 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Takes a close look at the people in sports who have captured attention because of success on the playing field, or controversy off the playing field. This work features biographies on more than 600 people from around the world and throughout history who have had an impact not only on their sport, but also on the society and culture of their times. It also includes not only the record-breakers that dominated and changed their sport, but also the controversial figures that made headlines even apart from athletic events. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Notable Sports Figures, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 1443 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Takes a close look at the people in sports who have captured attention because of success on the playing field, or controversy off the playing field. This work features biographies on more than 600 people from around the world and throughout history who have had an impact not only on their sport, but also on the society and culture of their times. It also includes not only the record-breakers that dominated and changed their sport, but also the controversial figures that made headlines even apart from athletic events. ... Read more

Product Description

Wobbles spans the physical, psychological and spiritual growth of an athlete from childhood into her stature as a fierce, Olympic competitor.

When Nadine Neumann decides that she wants to be an Olympic swimmer at age eight, she trades a normal life of school friends and parties for the rigours of elite sports training.

With acute honesty, wisdom and humour, Nadine spins readers through the heartaches and loneliness of a different kind of adolescence. Enduring and overcoming Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a life-threatening accident and imposed breaks from her passion, Nadine pursues her dream as only an Olympian can with the rarest of intensity and focus.

Sweeping from Perth to Germany, India to Sydney, Brisbane to Hong Kong, the reader is invited along this journey of a remarkable young woman who stops at nothing to achieve her goals.

Product Description
Wobbles spans the physical, psychological and spiritual growth of an athlete from childhood into her stature as a fierce, Olympic competitor.

When Nadine Neumann decides that she wants to be an Olympic swimmer at age eight, she trades a normal life of school friends and parties for the rigours of elite sports training.

With acute honesty, wisdom and humour, Nadine spins readers through the heartaches and loneliness of a different kind of adolescence. Enduring and overcoming Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a life-threatening accident and imposed breaks from her passion, Nadine pursues her dream as only an Olympian can – with the rarest of intensity and focus.

Sweeping from Perth to Germany, India to Sydney, Brisbane to Hong Kong, the reader is invited along this journey of a remarkable young woman who stops at nothing to achieve her goals.

Nadine began swimming when she was seven years old and by the time she was eight, she knew she wanted to be an Olympian. She overcame Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at the age of 15, only to have her dream of an Olympic berth in Barcelona shattered by a broken neck. Nadine fought back to achieve her goal, swimming at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games in the 200m Breaststroke where she came 6th in the final in a personal best time. She went on to captain the Australian Swimming Team at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and 1999 Pan Pacific Championships.

On retiring from competitive swimming, Nadine had to completely re-define her life. She struggled with depression for five years while studying for dual teaching qualifications (Primary and Secondary English) and working in PR & Marketing. In 2004 she began teaching English at high school and it was then that she began seriously shaping the memoir she had started in 1999 as part of her university degree.

Since Nadine’s story captured the attention of the media in 1996 she has enjoyed success as a motivational speaker on both the corporate and schools circuits. She says that one of her greatest joys is “connecting with an audience and feeling that my experiences, in some small way, might help inspire them.”

Nadine lives in Newcastle, NSW with her husband and one-year-old son. She spends her days cleaning up after her little boy and trying to find time to work on her next writing projects: a historical novel based on the lives of her grandparents (French/Jewish and German) and a picture book that uses the "Humpty Dumpty" nursery rhyme as a basis for an exploration of bullying. She has plans for four more novels beyond this. ... Read more

Product Description
Five years ago, Natalie Coughlin+s promising swimming career was all but extinguished when a devastating shoulder injury ended her dreams for the 2000 Olympics. After becoming, at age 15, the first person ever to qualify for all 14 women+s events at the U.S. Nationals, she seemed destined to follow the path of so many other young swimming stars-devoured by an oppressive training schedule.In Golden Girl, Sports Illustrated+s Michael Silver-coauthor of many bestselling sports memoirs-including Dennis Rodman+s, Kurt Warner+s, and Jerry Rice+s-tells the story of Natalie+s remarkable journey back from the brink. With complete access to her family, friends, coaches, teammates, and adversaries, Silver details how she made the crucial choice to train with University of California coach Teri McKeever. Together the two, star and coach, have defied long-standing training methods, forcing the swimming community to rethink the ways in which it treats its talent. An inspirational story of a complex and courageous young athlete, Golden Girl is also a fascinating portrait of the fractious world of competitive swimming. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Often wanders off the subject of Natalie
It's hard to fill a biography when your subject hasn't reached the quarter century mark, so I'm not surprised to find a lot of filler in this tome. You would think Silver - a former Sports Illustrated writer who has co-authored books with Dennis Rodman and Jerry Rice - was getting paid by the word, with the amount of space he dedicates to Natalie's coaches (past and present), teammates, rivals and family. Yes, those things should be present since they're part of Natalie's world and shape her outlook. However, when I repeatedly get several pages about Teri McKeever's recruiting methods, and the individual dramas the Golden Bear swimmers are experiencing I begin to think the title should be pluralized. We're no longer reading about a person or even a swimmer/coach pair; we're getting the life story of the entire aquatic congregation.

Natalie becomes a supporting character in what is supposed to be her book, with the notable exceptions of when Silver expresses a somewhat creepy fascination for her (whenever they meet for lattes), or when he's explaining why Natalie is ALWAYS right: Natalie chooses a school her parents don't like: she's right; Natalie feels she was over trained at Terrapins: she's right; Natalie blows up at McKeever over swimming the 200 back; she's right. Natalie breaks the rules and physically strikes out at her teammates during a training exercise: she's right; Natalie nearly gets the team disqualified because of a superstition: she's right. I dare say that if Natalie committed a felony, Silver would detail why she was right.

So therein is the problem: the book doesn't focus on Natalie nearly enough, and when it does, it's so worshipful of everything she does it's off-putting. As a reader, I felt I was drowning in her superiority.

I regret reading Golden Girl because the things I like about Natalie - she is eco-conscious, she participated in "Project Believe" (an anti-doping initiative), she competed on Dancing with the Stars - are now overshadowed by Silver's smug portrayal of her. If you are and want to remain a fan of Natalie, I would recommend her twitter feed and facebook posts before I would recommend this book.

how unfortunate
This book purports to be a story of success that arises from overcoming obstacles. It's pretty sad when you have to create them in order to sell books.

She's had a picture-perfect and drama-free life. A shoulder injury? Boo-hoo. Most serious athletes suffer injuries. Without the purely fictional drama from her Terrapin days, there is absolutely no story here. And given the fact that everyone in her swimming group from that time apparently came out 100% against her and 100% supporting Terrapins, it's a pretty sad thing she did.

If anything, this is the story of an ungrateful, selfish girl. She needs to grow up and recognize her own agency instead of blaming others for everything. Too bad that probably won't happen (if at all) until she disappears into anonymity (which I guess will be soon). As someone who used to admire her swimming ability, I can honestly say that if she had stuck with Terrapins instead of playing her games, she might have been as big as Michael Phelps. Thank goodness she isn't, and the swimming world has much better role models to look to! What ever happened to the good ol' days of Janet Evans and Summer Sanders and Jenny Thompson? People like that never would have sold their soul for money and "fame." Nice legacy she's built for herself. What a shame.

If you want teenage resentment played out in the form of a cruel blame game, then this book is for you.

Choose another book if you want to read about Natalie.
I purchased this book to find out about Natalie's swimming career and how she was able to achieve success in swimming and her Olympic accomplishments. Instead I found the writer, Michael Silver, writing more about the coach, McKeever and the other swimmers under McKeever's tutelage. There is not much about Natalie in this book but rather more is written about the others around her. I am extremly disappointed in this book and would not recommend it if you want to read about Natlalie's life and swimming career.

Golden Girl
This book provides a very unique perspective of women swimming.The book brings forward, briefly, problems such as eating disorders and weight management that afflict females swimmers.As the father of a female swimmer, the book provides a great perspective into college and elite female swimming programs.It portrays very positively the swimming lifestyle as well as the early burnout of young swimmers. It is a great read.

Brings swimming to life
Not everything Natalie has to say shows everyone in the best of light; that's because not everyone is exactly a "great" person. This is her book and her story--if she felt someone mistreated her or did this or that wrong, she's entitled to say. All of this is part of why she is the great athlete she is today, and that should be applauded. ... Read more

Product Description
Jeff Commings' personal story takes readers from his days as a boy growing up in St. Louis, falling in love with the water at four years old and parlaying that into the start of a career in swimming that took him around the world, to two Olympic Trials and the University of Texas at Austin on a full scholarship.

But it is more than a story of his swimming journey. This book is about his struggle to live his life as a gay man in a sport that had homophobic undertones. These true stories detail the events he encountered and people he met that helped him live confidently as a gay man in his adult life, find love through many adventures of trial and error, and realize his place in society that, even in the 21st century, still doesn't fully accept the gay culture. ... Read more

Product Description
"'Oh my God, is this really happening?!'

It was halfway through the 200-meter breaststroke finals at the 1998 World Championships and the rookie was gliding four feet beneath the water's wind-rumpled surface.Above him, 15,000 spectators were screaming encouragement and millions more were watching on live international television.All of them could see what the rookie and the seven other finalists could not: the actual race as it unfolded.

Underwater, the swimmer stole a peek down the length of the pool.That quick glance may have very well changed the course of a career, for from then on, nothing would ever be the same for this athlete.A bucket of adrenaline dumped into his gut and flooded his arms and legs.He wanted to laugh and shout in joyful surprise.Is there any greater joy than feeling unbridled power course through the body at the exact instant it is most needed?
The swimmer burst to the surface and began his first stroke with a ferocious arm sweep..."

So begins Gold in the Water, the highly acclaimed and mesmerizing tale about the remarkable two-year journey an elite team of swimmers takes to the 2000 Olympic Games.
Decades ago, northern California's aged Santa Clara Swim Club, the birthplace of modern swimming, was home to nearly every U.S. Olympic swimmer.Now, after years of irrelevance, a distinctly American renewal is taking place there.In the water, race a young protégé and an older mentor, two best friends who have emerged as the world's two best breast strokers.As they wrestle with their increasingly complex rivalry, around them swim some of the world's most talented athletes.There is a long-retired starlet who has returned to her sport for unexplained reasons and is engineering one of the most remarkable comebacks in sports history.There is an enigmatic butterflyer systematically removing emotion from his Olympic journey while engineering a plan to join his famous father in Olympus.With them is a troubled back stroker, a man with preternatural talent who despises his sport even as he is proclaimed a future Olympic hero.Overseeing their journey is one of the most explosive and passionate coaches in American sports.At turns both brilliant and unbearable, swimming's bete noire knows the 2000 Olympics represent a final chance to restore a tarnished reputation and banish long-buried demons.

The spellbinding narrative follows the sport's biggest stars as well as its unheralded darkhorses on their incredible march to the Olympics.Seamlessly weaving together escalating rivalries, unexpected setbacks, profound sorrows and incredible joys, the book captures like none before it the true passion and grit that the pursuing greatness requires.Meet the biggest stars of the 2000 Olympics, as well as the ordinary heroes chasing an elusive dream.Their shared story will permanently change how we see the Olympic athlete.

Boldly sweeping in its literary power and pace, Gold in the Water has been called "a cross between the New Yorker and Chariots of Fire."With exquisite precision, first-time author P.H. Mullen creates a fascinating world of suspense and emotion, where the human desire for excellence rules over all and where there are no second chances for glory.Above all, Gold in the Water is about the triumph of the human spirit.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

A truly amazing book!
It's hard to describe just how great this book really is. I picked it up after reading the Amazon reviews and within the first 5 pages I was hooked; it had already started elevating my heart rate and getting my blood coursing through my veins. I've often preached to my friends that non-fiction is incredibly boring and I usually only read fiction but I'll tell you that no book has ever been this exciting for me. I read it over the course of a few weeks, reading a chapter or two a day and the emotional ups and downs that this book provided were something else. I would often read before a workout or a swim and every time I would end up hitting the gym a little harder or swimming a little faster. I am so grateful that a book like this even exists.

I didn't really get a chance to play sports in high school because I went to so many different schools so when I finally got to junior college I decided to pick up swimming at the ancient age of 18. Knowing little about the sport, I fumbled around trying to pick up on everything as fast as I could. I'm so glad that I picked up this book because now I know so much about the swimming world and I can be confident around the team and coaches and know what to expect during workouts and practice. It's true that I'll never be an Olympian or even a really great swimmer but I'll still get to experience a little of the thrill of competition and a lifetime of good fitness. I think this book taught me about the life of a professional athlete and now I don't have to feel like I missed out because I can still enjoy the fun of the sport without the heartbreak and back-breaking hard work.

I could go on for longer but I don't feel like writing a three page review and I'm not really a good writer so I'll just say that I recommend this book to everyone but especially athletes and ESPECIALLY swimmers!

Narrative of the Pursuit of Excellence
This book shows the price that must be paid to be the best. The facet that stands out the most to me is the turmoil these men put themselves through in the process of preparation for the Olympics. Everyone already knows it takes a great deal of physical effort to be an Olympian, but PH Mullen shows how heavy the emotional burden must be as well.

The characters are almost too distinctively defined - they seem like players in a Dickens novel. From the hard working underdog (Wilkens), the confident veteran (Grote), the cold technician (Wales), or the scarred phenom (Blahnik), anyone who reads this can find a person and a situation that they can relate to. The book is so much bigger than just swimming; it describes the process and pitfalls, the "agony and the ecstacy" of choosing to follow a dream.

I have never attempted to compete at the Olympics, but I have won and lost my share of races. The author uses his own firsthand experience as a competitive swimmer to provide surgical insights into the emotions of the athletes. He discusses the hunger for victory, the confusion of failing to meet expectations, and the eventual tedium of training as only a person who has felt it for himself can.

I would recommend this book to just about anyone, but especially anyone interested in studying how different personalities face a challenge.

The best
This will go down as the best swimming book ever written. The facts of non-fiction with the fluidity of a great novel. PH Mullen has written the aquatic masterpiece.

The world of professional swimming
Gave a glimpse of the professional swimming world.Starting with kids beginning swimming to Olympians from the perspective of professional coach.Entertaining and more appreciative to the sport.But too late for me to join.

Water is gold
Very nice book about swimming as a sport and the people, swimmers and coaches and more, in and behind it. One of few great books about swimming. ... Read more

Product Description
The inspirational true story of Sammy Lee, a Korean American who overcame discrimination to realize both his father's desire that he become a doctor and his own dream of becoming an Olympic champion diver. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

inspiring story that "In America, you can achieve anything if you set your heart to it."
Did you know that in 1932, a sign on a public swimming pool that read "Members Only" really meant that only whites were permitted to enter except on certain days?That year, Sammy Lee, the twelve-year-old son of Korean immigrants who ran a restaurant in Highland Park, CA, stood outside the swimming pool fence one hot summer day and saw a boy diving high in the air and breaking the water with hardly a splash.Sammy decided that he wanted to learn how to do that.The following Wednesday, when people of color were allowed to use the pool, his African American friend Hart Crum showed him how to dive doing somersaults.With the summer Olympics being held in nearby Los Angeles that year, Sammy dreamed of becoming an Olympic champion diver.
However, Sammy's father wanted him to become a doctor rather than an athlete.Six years later, when he was eighteen, Sammy was attending a swim and diving competition, and between meets, he sneaked into the pool area to practice.Jim Ryan saw him and agreed to become his coach.Sammy managed to keep his grades up while practicing diving, becoming the first nonwhite elected student body president in his high school and being offered a full scholarship at Occidental College in Los Angeles.Yet, he still faced discrimination, and his grades fell during his first year of college because he spent more time diving than studying.After seeing a rude customer berating his father in the restaurant and his father responding without losing his temper, Sammy understood why his father wanted him to do well in school.They struck a deal that Sammy could continue diving as long as his grades were good enough for medical school.
The 1940 Olympics were cancelled because of World War II, and Sammy thought his Olympic dreams were dead.He did go on to become a doctor in the Army in 1946, but that year he also entered the national diving championship, winning the high-platform dive with the highest score ever, and was able to enter the London, England, Olympics in 1948.While he continued to face discrimination, rather than getting angry he decided to prove his worth in the Olympics and show that people should not be judged by the color of their skin.What happened in those sixteen seconds that followed sixteen years of training?Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds, the true story of Dr. Sammy Lee, has deservedly won numerous book awards including the New Voices Award.It is a wonderful story of dreaming, working hard, overcoming challenges, and being victorious.While it will be of special interest to children of Asian American descent, it illustrates for us all what Sammy's father had told him."In America, you can achieve anything if you set your heart to it."

Reviews from Brizmus Blogs Books
This is one of those fabulous books that makes kids curious about learning. The story of Sammy Lee's fight for racial freedom, his struggle balanding his father's wishes and his own, and of his determination in all his endeavours is nothing short of inspiring. His struggle as a Korean American trying to become an Olympic swimmer was so inspiring that I almost cried.

Any child who reads this book will, by the end, have no doubt that the final phrase is true: "In America, you can achieve anything if you set your heart to it." As such, this is a great story for a teacher to read with his class. Young students have often been known to be lazy and to feel entitled. This book will help them understand that it is not that way for everyone, that struggling is a part of life, and it will hopefully inspire them to work harder, especially in the face of difficulty.

In the summary, it says "Sammy Lee's story of determination and triumph sets an extraordinary example for anyone striving to fulfill a dream." I couldn't have said it better myself. I can't over-express how true that statement is.

All this raving, and I haven't yet said anything about the gorgeous illustrations. Each image was beautifully drawn with such obivous love and care that they were all inspiriations in and of themselves.

I think most people could benefit from this book, and it is such a pleasant read that I think anyone would enjoy it. It is especially great, though, for classroom reading, especially in more underprivileged areas.

This true story is an inspiration.
At age twelve Sammy Lee, the son of Korean American immigrants, sets a lofty goal of winning an Olympic gold medal in diving. Sammy faces formidable odds including limited access to the public pool due to restrictions for people of color. While Sammy's father reminds him that, "In America, you can achieve anything if you set your heart to it," his father encourages him to limit his diving practice and set his sights instead on becoming a doctor. While in a US Army medical school program, Sammy receives permission to take timeout at age twenty-eight to train for the 1948 Olympic diving team. All of Sammy's Olympic dreams come down to an incredible sixteen second dive that wins him the gold medal. The exquisite illustrations enhance this compelling story and the author's note provides fascinating background information to enhance the telling of the emotional journey of young Sammy Lee.

Well-written historical victory for civil rights
This book is perfect for children of all races, ages, nationalities, and backgrounds.It is the story of Sammy Lee, the first Korean-American (and Asian-American) to win a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics.Following in the footsteps of Jesse Owens and others who came before him, Sammy Lee had one passion in his life: to dive professionally and as often as he could.While his father was adamant on his becoming a doctor instead, he promised Sammy that he could dive, so long as it did not interfere with his studies in becoming a doctor.

Remarkably, Sammy did both.This is his story.

In an era when even Olympic gold medalists were not allowed to eat in the same 'white-only' restaurants as his companions and fellow athletes, Sammy broke the color barrier himself in his own field, and proved to the world that you can do whatever you set your mind to.It is a courageous story of overcoming obstacles, defeating adversities, and making the most out of what you have been given.Not only is this an important tale for children, but even adults can find inspiration in these pages.I know I did.

Simply written, beautifully illustrated, and provocative on many levels, Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds is a must-read for anyone who could use a little extra inspiration in their lives.What a truly outstanding piece outlining a truly outstanding story and life!

An inspiring story for readers of all ages
The true story of Dr. Sammy Lee and his journey to become the first Asian American Olympic gold medal champion while overcoming incredible obstacles, discrimination, and hardships is both inspiring and fascinating to read.Paula Yoo did a great job telling the story in a way that makes it easy for the reader to connect with the character, and Dom Lee's beautiful illustrations remind us of old photographs and are an integral part of the book.The book touches on many important themes such as pursuing your dreams and believing in yourself, even if the odds are stacked against you, and I will highly recommend it to all of my friends and family. ... Read more

Product Description
The world's greatest diver offers a candid account of his life and sports career, detailing his troubled youth, the highs and lows of athletic competition, the need to conceal his homosexuality, and life in a post-Olympics era. 75,000 first printing. Tour.Amazon.com Review
Greg Louganis won back-to-back double gold medals at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, and his amazing physique and handsome face should have made him a media superstar.Yet Louganis's struggles with self-doubt lack of confidence held him back personally and professionally.He only achieved real happiness after coming out as an HIV-positive gay man.This is a thoughtful, sensitive portrait of a man whose insecurities nearly destroyed him, but who found the love and inner strength to save himself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

good read
An eyeopener.Has a lot of guts.Louganis really lays himself out a human.Kudos

"The Most Touching Tale of a Gay Man's Life"
I first heard of Greg Louganis after seeing him on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" in the '90s when he was publicizing his book "Breaking the Surface". I don't follow sports, and I am also not of fan of the Olympics, but I felt such a strong connection to Greg after seeing him on TV. I too am gay and can relate to Greg's story on how hard it was growing up gay in the 1960's and 1970's, the dangers of someone finding out one's sexuality, and the terror of the AIDS crisis. Greg Louganis' story is one of survival and hope and of never giving up. Not only is he a role model for gay men of every age, but for those struggling with problems and not realizing that things will work out.
Greg's story is harrowing at times. He had a terrible relationship with a man who abused him and ultimately raped him. Then in the '80s he discovered he was HIV positive, a result of that rape. Greg became HIV at a time when doctors didn't offer much hope for those infected as this was the era before AIDS cocktails and protease inhibitors. Greg survived it all. Then of course came that time at the summer Olympics when he hit his head on the diving board and bled, knowing he was HIV, and realizing he had to go public with his HIV status.
Greg is not only a survivor, but one of the best gay public figures to ever come out and be courageous in telling his story for those to learn from his own life. "Breaking The Surface" is a great read. It was also made into a TV movie starring hunk Mario Lopez as Greg that aired on cable television.

Enjoyable
The reason I didn't give the book a 5 rating was becauseit could have had a better ending. Greg was SO timid and let everyone else run his life for him. It never improved until the end. And this bit about him always being scared to come out of the closet--geez. Who did he think he was-Tom Cruise or somebody really noteworthy or famous?? He was a gold medalist from an Olympic contest for Pete's sake--it would have made the news for a day and then blown over.I kind of wonder what his life would have been like if he had run it himself.

But--it was a good book and I did enjoy it and I loaned it to a friend, and both of us had it read in 4 days.

Inspiration
It is a great autobiography in the sense that the author is very honest with his readers and being true to himself.

The author has made great introspections on his life and through the chapters on his childhood, family, diving career as well as relationships, you will be inspired to think along of your own and relate it to his stories. It is not only readng a story of the author but also a soul-searching journey of your own.

It does not matter that you are not a professional diver or have little interest in the sport since the chapters on diving do not include technical details that bore the non-sportlovers. Instead they display how Greg Louganis accomplished his achievements through years of hard work and perseverance rather than depending on his good look or luck, if any.

His story of success in career is as thought-provoking as the later chapters on his struggle to live with HIV-positive and pursuit of the cause of non-discrimination against gays.

Also the photos in the book are fantastic. You can see some on his childhood, friends and family, diving and a few of them are gorgeous and sexy(e.g.centerfold in Playgirl)that won't disappoint you.

We must give the author a credit that he did not show off how many important people he had ever taken pictures with but included those who are important to his life. If you challenge me about the two photos of the presidents, don't judge him too soon, look at the caption and you will know why.

The third last sentence of the book is "I just hope I have enough time to make a difference". After reading the book, you will agree with me that he did and did it amazingly. Thank you, Greg Louganis.

Behind the Gold Medals
This book provides further gut wrenching proof that outward success is no guarantee of happiness or spiritual wholeness.Almost the opposite it seems.4 Olympic Golds, a body and a smile to die for, and yet trapped in self loathing and an abusive relationship.

Greg Louganis is not alone in recovering from this paradoxical situation, but his story is a moving and powerful one nonetheless.It also provides hope to us who will never be Olympic medalists but still suffer from self doubt and self destructive ways. ... Read more

Product Description
Fresh from his extraordinary achievement at the Olympic Games, Michael Phelps reveals the secrets to his remarkable success—from training to triumph. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Inspirational-If you understand swimming
I am a huge Michael Phelps fan, and fan of swimming in general, but I still managed to get lost in the technical talk in this book. I found the overall message and story highly inspirational and very compelling. I loved reading abouthow Michael over came all those hard times to reach where he is, but every exact time, split time, and tons of names are mentioned that, yes are important, but get in the way of the message. I loved the book, some parts were work to get through, still love Michael Phelps, and if anything I left the book with a sense of "never give up on your dreams".

You feel like you're going for the gold, just like Michael.
This book covers around 18 months of Phelps' life running up to and including the 2008 Olympics. It's artfully done, and suspensful, even knowing that Phelps will ultimately win. You will learn a lot more about the world of Olympic swimming than about Phelps himself. There are some personal stories here and there about his childhood, but this is in no way a "Michael tells all" story of what it has been like to be Michael Phelps. For example, after reading this book I cannot tell you what Michael's favorite band is, nor whether he attended his High School prom, nor whether he got good grades in school.

Phelps writes with the same energy that he uses to swim. You can hear the perseverence in his voice. I also detect genuine modesty about what he has done, as well as a sense of disbelief. He's not really sure how to explain his great performances other than to say "I worked hard and did my best."

Phelps is not invincible, and he explains a few instances when he made mistakes outside the pool that dragged down his performance in the pool. I won't share those with you now, because that is what the book is for. Note that the alleged pot-smoking incident is not discussed here because it happened several months after the Olympics. I'm sorry to bring that up, but that, along with several stories in the book show that Phelps is a real person who makes mistakes and feels regretful about them. Other than his superior swimming performance, he's a typical 20-something.

The writing is clear and easy to follow. It is written in a very conversational tone, so don't expect him to use proper grammar all the time. Again, he's a typical 20-something. As a college professor, I see lots of writing that is of poorer quality. I like the book and appreciated his inside view of how Olympic athletes interact with one another and how they prepare themselves for competitions.

SUCH AN INSPIRATIONAL BOOK!!!!!
THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!!!! ITS IN 8 CHAPTERS B/C OF DA 8 GOLDS HE WON IN BEIJING! ITS LIKE DA INSIDE STORY OF THE BEIJING GAMES!!! EVER WONDER WHAT MICHAEL WAS THINKING AS HE WON HIS 8 GOLDS?? WELL I BET YOU HAVE AND IF YOU BUY THIS BOOK YOU'LL GET EVERY THING YOU WANT TO KNOW & MORE!!! ITS SUCH AN INSPIRATIONAL BOOK! IT PROVES THAT DREAMS REALLY DO COME TRUE!!!!!!

Great book for swimmers!
This is an excellent book if you love swimming. He focuses on the events he won medals in, his swimming and that of others.It's a fast read - very good. Michael Phelps is a great guy. He's the ultimate sportsman - nothing bad to say about anyone else, but still an obvious competitor at heart. It was great to relive those Olympic moments through his eyes.

The Greatest Swimmer
A decent read of the life and swimmer, Michael Phelps. This is not really an autobiography, but Michael shares a few stories growing up, and the challenge and dreams of becoming an Olympic swimmer. This book clearly focuses on his training, scores, and his 2008, 8 Gold Medal win that set new records for Olympic swimmers. It is a decent read, but you learn select bits and pieces of his life growing up with his two sisters and lovely mother. There is a touching moment with Michael who reached out to a young boy who passed away from cancer. Yes, Michael has made mistakes, but who are we to point and judge when all us of has screwed up at one time or another in life? I say, go Michael. Do it again in 2012! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Disappointing
I found this book at my local supermarket in the bin for discounted items.Now I know why.The book was a disappointment.Though it claims to be the untold story of Michael Phelps, it doesn't talk about him as much as I would have liked.Rather, half of the book is concerned with his team mates or competitors. (The reviewer before me, K. Knight, describes my opinion exactly so I won't repeat here what was said very well previously).
Nevertheless, I did learn a few interesting facts about the extraordinary athlete that Phelps is. I look forward to reading the book that Phelps has written.

Plus and minus
I find myself disappointed in this book. I've read Phelps' books that he's written, and I enjoyed those much more. For a book claiming to be an untold story of one man, this book seems to focus a lot on other swimmers. In fact, I'd say half the book is stories about Phelps' teammates, both male and female. The stories are interesting, and as a fan of swimming in general, I didn't mind them, but I think it's a bit of false advertising to produce a book claiming to be about one person when there's so much about other swimmers (and I'm not talking about swimmers' opinions of Phelps, rather stories of Lezak, Vanderkaay, Thorpe, Torres, etc., beginnings in swimming and things about their personalities, and training schedules.)

That said, there's a lot in this book that is new, at least for me. Schaller interviewed a lot of people and the stories, especially from Phelps' sisters, are interesting.

My other main gripe with this is that it has a meandering style that is sometimes hard to follow. A chapter will start with Phelps and 2008 and then suddenly be talking about Athens or the 2007 Worlds. It can be hard to follow.

My advice is to read Phelps' own books, Beneath the Surface and No limits, if you want to know about him. If you're interested in him and swimming in general, this book might be worth picking up.
... Read more

Product Description
This book presents stories with interviews and voice tapes taken by more than two dozen mermaids themselves. It is profusely illustrated with glamour photographs from their heyday. The book contains the first in depth interview with Gertrude Ederle in 50 years -- her glamorous yet tragic life as the first woman to swim the English Channel, the single most significant impact on women's liberation. It includes interesting anecdotes and never before published chapters on Esther Williams, Eleanor Holm, Annette Kellerman and Aileen Riggin. America and the world loved these courageous athletes 'Queens of the Rotogravure' who were not afraid to show their feminine side to the camera. While they played hard, they also worked hard to succeed in a man's world. It was the golden age of swimming. These women were the pioneers and role models for today's athletes. These were the first women athletes who dominated women's sport for 50 years (1907-1957) who rose to glory in the Roaring '20's by doing it all; mastering sport in a men's world with grace, beauty and personality. These mermaids made us all want to learn to swim. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Photo Quality
First off, this book is not a hardcover as advertised.It's a legal size paperback.The photos would have made the book but they were blurred and extremely poorly replicated.The photo collection and newspaper shots looked like good choices.I only wish I could have see them clearly.

A fascinating compendium of stories and interviews
Mermaids On Parade: America's Love Affair With Its First Olympic Women Swimmers is a fascinating compendium of stories and interviews with more than two dozen American women who competed in Olympic swimming events and helped to bring the sport to the enthusiastic attention of the sports minded public. Buck Dawson's informative and engaging text is enhanced with a profusion of period photographs of the female athletes who dominated this women's sport event from 1907 to 1957 and rose to excellence in this competitive sport with grace, beauty and personality -- making generations of girls want to learn to swim and to compete. Mermaids On Parade is highly recommended reading for Olympic sports enthusiasts, women's studies supplemental reading lists, and anyone who has every thrilled to a women's swim meet competition. ... Read more

Product Description
Eight Olympic medals, including six gold and two bronze in Athens in 2004, Michael Phelps is the current holder of six world records, and seven gold medals at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships. Phelps is well on his way to his ambitious goal of "changing the sport of swimming." But despite Michael's pre-eminence in the pool, his story is not a swimming diary but a tale of adversities overcome and redemption through persistence. This new softcover edition contains a substantial update, as Phelps reflects on his life since his record-setting performance in Athens. The Olympic star reflects on his November 2004, DUI arrest. He recalls his experiences as a student at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Phelps also takes readers poolside for his record-setting 2007 performance in Australia and shares his thoughts heading into the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

One of the best books I've ever read in my entire life!
Michael Phelps' book Beneath the Surface was an amazing read! It is one of the best books I've read in my entire life! If you're a phelps phan, then you have to read this book. It's filled with entertaining stories from Michael's past. It talks about the Sydney Games, the Athens Games, and other important competions that i loved to read about!!!! If you havn't read it yet GO BUY IT AND READ IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

A good read and a good look at an athlete's thinking
This is a well-written (ghostwritten?) book from a great athlete, and more than a memoir of substance it carries an inspirational message about athletics and motivation and an athlete's internal thought process preparing, reviewing, and re-preparing from one event to another. A quick and interesting read.

A Different World
Growing up as an athlete, I never had - or perhaps took - the opportunity to strive for the heights that Michael Phelps has reached. I can't imagine making the commitments he did at such early ages.

Phelps is a swim geek, and good thing, too, as from the time he was a young boy that world was his to conquer. His story is one of family, friends and lifelong commitments. His most interesting relationship is with his benevolently Machiavellian coach Bob Bowman. His only fault - apart from the DUI he apologizes for profusely - may be shilling too hard for his sponsors, but, hey, we all have our fortunes to amass.

Phelps' story is definitely one of rising out of the crowd of American life and entering the upper stratospheres. Knowing what I do after reading this book, I'll be interested to watch what unfolds in London 2012.

Michael Phelps
I bought this for my 13 year old grandson which truly loves it.He has just gotten started reading it when I talked to him but he really liked it as far as he had read.

Michael Phelps
Brandon

Beneath the Surface, a Biography about and by Michael Phelps. Reading this book really made me start to think about my life. About how much I want to accomplish and how much is realistically in my reach. Before I read this biography I thought my dreams were out of control but after I read this book I realized that anything you want and put your heart too you can accomplish. Michael Phelps is an amazing guy and reading about his life really made me think about how I'm holding myself back from achieving my complete potential. I would suggest this book to everyone. Honestly I'm not a big reader and most of the time when I have to read a book I'm forced to finish. This book on the other hand I wanted to complete.
Michael Phelps is an awkward person. He has big feet, big ears, and a skinny long body. Out of the water he looks lanky and weird but once he jumps in the water he transforms into this beautiful thing. As I read this biography I really got to understand how hard and how amazing of an athlete Michael is. At the opening of the book Michael talks about how the night before his first Olympic games he was watching a hockey team going into the Olympics. The movie called Miracle was something that Michael compared his career and coach too. I thought this was very ironic because Michael is an unreal figure to a lot of people and just like everyone else he watches Disney movies.
Michael Phelps won many gold metals and people really look up to him. That's also another reason why I recommend this book to you. He is a great athlete who is very interesting to learn about. Watching him go from his regular college life to his world record gold metal winning days.
When I was a little boy I always told myself that I wanted to become a professional bike rider. As I got older I realized that there are millions of kids that want to do the same thing. I lost sight in my dream of becoming a professional until the day I finished this book. This book really made my life different and that's why I recommend it to you, because just as it changes my life it can change yours for the better. It really opened my eyes and made me realize that I shouldn't forget about what I want and love and that anything is possible if you strive for it.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

absolutly fantastic
memories of a fox, was writen by a man who basically dedicated his wholelife to a sport he loved, through his strugles and hard times he managed toemerge the worlds best swimmers.it is a truly inspiring story about thepast and present swimmers of australia.

Memories of a Fox
Sensational read!

This is a truly inspirational story of a man who overcame unfortunate circumstances to be the world's greatest swimming coach of his time. He coached 52 world records, 9 Olympic Gold medals -included coaching Dawn Fraser to 3 successive Olympic Gold medals in the1956, 1960 and 1964 games for the 100 Freestyle.

An absolute must read! ... Read more

Product Description
From legendary Olympic gold medalist Dara Torres comes a motivational, inspirational memoir about staying fit, aging gracefully, and pursuing your dreams.

Dara Torres captured the hearts and minds of Americans of all ages when she launched her Olympic comeback as a new mother at the age of forty-one—years after she had retired from competitive swimming and eight years since her last Olympics. When she took three silver medals in Beijing—including a heartbreaking .01-second finish behind the gold medalist in the women’s 50-meter freestyle—America loved her all the more for her astonishing achievement and her good-natured acceptance of the results.

Now, in Age Is Just a Number, Dara reveals how the dream of an Olympic comeback first came to her—when she was months into her first, hard-won pregnancy. With humor and candor, Dara recounts how she returned to serious training—while nursing her infant daughter and contending with her beloved father’s long battle with cancer.

Dara talks frankly about diving back in for this comeback; about being an older athlete in a younger athletes’ game; about competition, doubt, and belief; about working through pain and uncertainty; and finally—about seizing the moment and, most important, never giving up. A truly self-made legend, her story will resonate with women of all ages—and with anyone daring to entertain a seemingly impossible dream. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Great Meeting You, Dara!!
Very focused, very driven, very compulsive, very successful.This is Dara Torres.But she is also from a very wealthy family; and is blessed with unlimited support in every way.Her age may be "just a number", but without all the good fortune, I am not sure anyone at any age, could accomplish what she did, especially with a small child.The main message here is YOU CAN....but you have to have an unbeievable support system first.

Amazing Story of older athlete
I am a masters swimmer, so I found it inspiring enough about her swimming so successfully at 41 years old. Her story is much more, showing the hard work, determination, and persistence in the face of adversity. Well-written, although the chronology does skip around a bit, but the story is so compelling. It is about setting goals, practice, hard work, keeping a positive attitude, all the keys my coach has been reminding me about.

Disappointing
First off, the title is misleading - this is not a motivational or a how-to book. It's a memoir. I knew this beforehand so it wasn't an issue but others could be confused. Dara Torres won three silver medals at the 2008 Olympics - an incredible achievement, especially since she was 41 at the time. I was curious about her story and hoping to be inspired at the same time. Unfortunately, I was distracted by the poor writing (even with the help of a co-writer) and the extremely disorganized chapters. There were also strange gaps. For example, she goes into detail about her first marriage and subsequent divorce but later in the book only mentions in passing that she got married and divorced to someone else in the meantime. (I'm not saying that she's obliged to provide personal info but the inconsistency was odd). I wanted to know how, after not swimming for 7 years (literally not a single lap) she launched straight into training with her team. Wouldn't she be extremely out of practice? This is never addressed. I ended up feeling very frustrated.This could have been so much more.

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER BY DARA TORRES
I LIKED THIS BOOK VERY MUCH AS DID MY GRANDAUGHTER WHO IS A COLLEGE SWIMMER...HOWEVER SHE HAS A KINDLE AND WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE MS. TORRES BOOKS TO BE TEXT TO SPEECH AS THIS WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HER. SEE IF THIS CAN BE ARRANGED. WE ARE AWAITING THE DELIVERY OF MS. TORRES NEW BOOK AND ARE HOPING IT WILL BE TEXT TO SPEECH. THANK YOU...MRS. M

Dara Torres, Age is just a number an excellent book!!!
This is a very good book, the author is a well recognized swimmer and is one of the bests of all time for what she has achieved. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Interesting, ButNot "The" Book on Swimming
Michael Phelps has always been generous with reporters, so many scattered profiles of him exist. This book nicely brings the information together. And perhaps it can be revised after the 2008 Olympics.

McMullen covered Phelps for the "Baltimore Sun" and seems to have developed good relationships with Phelps and his people. McMullen adopts an upbeat tone: he enjoys Phelps' accomplshments and values the perspectives of Phelps' family and coach. As a local man who was on the story almost fulltime, McMullen knows things that other writers do not, such as Phelps' probable income, the content of arguments between Phelps and his father, the impact of Phelps' sister's swimming career on his own.

McMullen's book complements rather than competes with Phelps' own autobiography, "Beneath the Surface," written with Brian Cazeneuve. Indeed, McMullen strives to fill in background and perspective that the informally told biography leaves out.

Those good things said, the book offers some frustrations. The chief one is McMullen's refusal to narrate chronologically. Each chapter, until the 2004 Olympics, starts with a competition, then circles back to discuss some issue, such as family, professionalism in the Olympics, dietary suuplements (he actually makes supplements almost interesting). The effect is that twice when I resumed reading after a break, I forgot where I was in Phelps' career. Within chapters, I also felt unstuck in time. Chapter 1 starts with a meet in 2003, cycles back to discuss Phelps' parents, then lingers for over a page on the 2000 Olympics. What happened to narrative order?

Two other complaints. McMullen does not demystify the sport. Unlike, for example, John Feinstein who embeds illuminating information in his basketball books without impeding the narrative flow, McMullen leaves complex issues undiscussed. Why do swimmers train as they do? What made Coach Bowman's methods with Phelps successful? How do race strategies differ in various events? Further, McMullen is not very dramatic at describing races, which is sad because Phelps often comes from behind to win.

The book is a fun and fast read. Yet we still need a book that does for Olympic level swimming what Feinstein's "A Season on the Brink" does for college basketball and what H. G. Bissinger's "Friday Night Lights" does for football.

All swim fans should read this book
This book is a really interesting read. I suspect most people who pick this book up will be swimming fans, though that really isn't a prerequisate. Paul McMullen gives you tons of background and the best history lesson on the sport you can find. I found the details in the history terrific. I liked reading about all of the past and present swimmers.Some are stars, others are unfamiliar names. I loved how meets and races were dissected. I found the information about doping particularly interesting because that was all new to me.There was so much information in this book and it was conveyed in a captivating way.

Having read the other Phelps book, Beneath the Surface, I finished this book much more satisfied. Amazing Pace delved much deeper below the surface and gave a lot of insight into Michael Phelps's life and swim career. Honestly, it probably isn't fair to compare the two books since the other one seemed geared to a different audience. Amazing Pace seemed written for sports lovers, not just Michael Phelps lovers.

I loved how the author organized the book, sometimes jumping around. I liked the anecdotes about Phelps's family, even though they were sometimes painful to read. The swimmer's relationship with his father was especially hard to digest. Thankfully he has strong bonds with his mother and sisters. There's a part in the book that describes a scene with the women in his life after Phelps has won his first Olympic gold medal. I was brought to tears by it, though I also felt a little guilty about spying on such a personal moment.

Other aspects of Phelps's life were sometimes difficult to read about. The pressure put on him to top Spitz's achievements seemed unfair for a kid of just 19 to handle. It's surprising he was so cool and poised during the 2004 games given the heat of the media and fans. It wasn't easy to read about the period post-Olympics when things fell apart a bit. I don't just mean the DUI. That was a mistake to be sure, but the touring and the injury were harder to read about.

The book is not a downer, as one might think from what I've said so far. There are many funny tales and the relationship between Phelps and his coach, Bob Bowman, is endlessly fascinating.There's also the actual swimming.Paul McMullen breaks down each day of the 2004 Athens Olympics and I was on the edge of my seat reading about the races, even though I knew the outcomes. I had to go back and watch some races because the book inspired me so much.

I think there are a lot of lessons to be learned from this book. First and foremost, it shows that in order to achieve things like Michael Phelps has, you have to work really really hard. Few people in this world have it in them to work that hard. Phelps is to be admired for the effort he's put into his swimming, moreso than the medals he's won. ... Read more