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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
This is a memoir in essays, and I loved the variety of essays that Shapton presented. There were photo essays, paintings, a collection of her swimsuits and a catalog of when she bought them, wore them, and why. There were also more traditional memories of her experiences as a highly competitive swimmer. The variety of form and approach kept the subject fresh. This is a trick, since competitive swimming involves repetition until pain. Shapton's voice throughout the memoir was particularly compelling--she seemed fascinated with her own focus and determination, she loved the pain and held both the pain and the glory at a distance. Her memories were sharp, I loved imagining her "visualizing her race"--and they were removed, so that the voice could belong equally to a 14 year old trying to fit in with her team mates and an adult looking back on the death of a friend. I finished it quickly because I liked spending time with that voice.
reflective
slow-paced
Wow. I really enjoyed this book.
For me, the book goes through a progression echoing the author's growth as a swimmer and probably a writer/artist. At first it is very pragmatic and filled and focused on her introduction into swimming: teams, times, swimmers, equipment. Then very courageous in its honesty and details. Shapton reveals moments of weakness, self-loathing, aimlessness, and even bouts of depression. Lastly, it is introspective and more revealing of near present details and how swimming now incorporates itself into her present life.
I thought her writing was very sharp. It was very funny at moments (in an understated wit), bleakly honest (when mentioning deaths, for example), highly organized and detailed with memories and facts, and inventive and prose-like without being overwritten. I liked that she approached her story with a non-linear timeline. It seemed to give the stories more movement and depth.
The incorporation of her artwork was an awesome touch. I have recently been exposed to and come to love her work on book covers, and in general, and was very excited when my book came in off hold. Her style is loose and cool, and I also can't get over her memory recall of all her pools, all her suits, just everything.
I would recommend this book, definitely. It is a relaxing read and an interesting one as well. I very interesting memoir and seemingly frustrated love letter to swimming.
For me, the book goes through a progression echoing the author's growth as a swimmer and probably a writer/artist. At first it is very pragmatic and filled and focused on her introduction into swimming: teams, times, swimmers, equipment. Then very courageous in its honesty and details. Shapton reveals moments of weakness, self-loathing, aimlessness, and even bouts of depression. Lastly, it is introspective and more revealing of near present details and how swimming now incorporates itself into her present life.
I thought her writing was very sharp. It was very funny at moments (in an understated wit), bleakly honest (when mentioning deaths, for example), highly organized and detailed with memories and facts, and inventive and prose-like without being overwritten. I liked that she approached her story with a non-linear timeline. It seemed to give the stories more movement and depth.
The incorporation of her artwork was an awesome touch. I have recently been exposed to and come to love her work on book covers, and in general, and was very excited when my book came in off hold. Her style is loose and cool, and I also can't get over her memory recall of all her pools, all her suits, just everything.
I would recommend this book, definitely. It is a relaxing read and an interesting one as well. I very interesting memoir and seemingly frustrated love letter to swimming.
I don't know if non swimmers would like this so much, but I really enjoyed this book. I liked the flow and her general observations but really loved her swimming stories.
I'm kind of crazy for Shapton's stuff, which makes me kind of a stereotype or something. But super-designy books feel a little like the reward you give yourself for reading lots of books that are mostly just words, and this one doesn't disappoint in that way: lots of watercolors, and toward the end, some sketches (of Vals) that look like they might use thin line magic markers) breaking up prose passages about Shapton's long life as a swimmer-- she tried out for the Olympics in 88 and 92, not making it either time, but obviously still living out some of that experience and the way it required some serious obsession.
I'm not sure the words totally blew me away-- the writing is solid, and parts of it are very moving. But the best part is still probably the facing pages with a bathing suit on a dress dummy and then text explaining where the suit came from. Shapton is at her best with objects, curating and arranging, whether in photos or other visual arts. Her take on words feels insufficiently plastic-- you want her to look at language as concrete, somehow, to make these juxtapositions and echoes like she does with images, and it feels like she's just not there yet, at least in this book.
It's still very good, and probably appeals to a broader spectrum of my friends as readers than most things I read. This might appeal to jocks and would-be jocks, art freaks, fans of women's memoirs, etc. And it's design, as an object, makes me glad to put it on the shelf where I can just look at it's cool blue spine.
I'm not sure the words totally blew me away-- the writing is solid, and parts of it are very moving. But the best part is still probably the facing pages with a bathing suit on a dress dummy and then text explaining where the suit came from. Shapton is at her best with objects, curating and arranging, whether in photos or other visual arts. Her take on words feels insufficiently plastic-- you want her to look at language as concrete, somehow, to make these juxtapositions and echoes like she does with images, and it feels like she's just not there yet, at least in this book.
It's still very good, and probably appeals to a broader spectrum of my friends as readers than most things I read. This might appeal to jocks and would-be jocks, art freaks, fans of women's memoirs, etc. And it's design, as an object, makes me glad to put it on the shelf where I can just look at it's cool blue spine.
"The most beautiful works have indeed this quality, they are serene in aspect. Incomprehensible."
Brought back a lot of memories, and while I liked it, I'm not a fan on non-fiction, so it was also dry.
Leanne Sharpton provides a clear and vivid picture to the world of swimming. From the early morning practices, to the food wrappers found in bleachers as the swimmers wait for their event at a meet, she captures the sounds, smells, and feeling of being in the water and in the world of pools.
Her best writing is in describing her early swimming days. She wanders a bit with her relationship with her boyfriend/husband. But overall, recommend for anyone who has ever been part of the swimming pool world.
Her best writing is in describing her early swimming days. She wanders a bit with her relationship with her boyfriend/husband. But overall, recommend for anyone who has ever been part of the swimming pool world.
Gorgeous. A must read for anyone who has done time on a swim team or anyone who loves the water. Leanne Shapton does a wonderful job capturing the silence of those early mornings, the feeling of being underwater, etc. She also includes some really clever ideas in this book, including talking about bodies, juxtaposing her words with her swimsuits.