Reviews

Waterlog by Roger Deakin

Only show reviews with written explanations

okay so obviously very beautiful — I listened to the audio book and probably ended up “reading” it about six times over as I used it to help me fall asleep! Not because it was boring at all, but just so soothing to hear someone talk to passionately about something so wonderful.

but past the obvious, I was so disappointed with how much this focused on the south of England! I can’t believe the chapter on Northumberland being just four minutes! Did he even go to the Lake District?! I would like a part two from a working class northerners who visits all the places matey boy here missed out.

ruthie_the_librarian's review

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3.0

Really this is a 3.5 for me, almost a 4. It seems an unlikely book for me to read since I don't swim very well at all, and I generally read fiction rather than non-fiction. But I had seen it recommended by the author Claire Fuller, and I've been enjoying some great books through her recommendations, so thought I'd give it a try. Deakin is something of an eccentric. He's also of the class that lives in a house with a moat. A moat big enough for him to swim in. And yet, I found myself caught up in his tales of his swimming adventures around the country. I enjoyed some chapters more than others. It was definitely a 4 star book for much of the way through but then it just went on a little bit longer than I would have liked. But there were lots of fascinating historical snippets about swimming, and tales of villages where the locals still all learn to swim in the local swim hole. I'd always thought wild swimming & outdoor swimming was something of a rarity but no, it seems people are doing it everywhere! It did make me wish I could swim better. It also gave me chills when he went off swimming alone, especially when he was in deep waters with nobody else around! But there was something charming about it, the little descriptions of the wildlife, the interesting bits of information, and his utter joy in swimming.

girlfriday4's review

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4.0

A fascinating plunge not only into the pools, lakes, rivers and oceans of the UK but also into the histories and ecologies of these places. I had to keep googling the places he writes of as I've never been to the UK, but am now even more keen to get over there and swim.

I also loved how Deakin captures the emotional/psychological and physical benefits of swimming - the ecstasy of being in water. A powerful incentive to get off the couch and into the water.

rubymaddog's review

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5.0

I am a wild swimmer. This was just a beautiful read about the often hidden natural swimming spots across the UK.

sophiefahey's review against another edition

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informative reflective relaxing slow-paced

4.0

iriswhitaker's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective relaxing

4.75

raaahella's review against another edition

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No, not worth a star even. It was contradictory and not a good writer.

mscarle's review

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5.0

This one took a while, and progressed in fits and starts, which usually doesn't indicate anything higher than a 3* for me. Additionally, as much as I adore travelogues and outdoors-type books, I'm not much of an outdoorsman, and definitely not much of a "wild swimmer" - a crippling phobia of deep/open water ensures that's not a hobby of mine. All that being said (and it's a lot to be said) this was incredible. Beautiful, entrancing, frightening, enchanting in equal measure, it struck chords in me that I didn't know existed. A wonderful book, a bit ponderous at times it's true, but one that speaks to the beauty of the world (not just Britain) and the things we can find both in it and ourselves if we just take the time to look.