“Man is the desire to be,” said Sartre. But how? And what does this have to do with swimming? This book is for both those who know how to swim and those who don’t. What does swimming represent psychologically? Why is learning to live similar to learning to swim? What does whether we have learned to swim—or haven’t—reveal about us? How has this affected and continues to affect us? What do our parents’ thoughts on our learning to swim, and our own views on the matter, unconsciously shape in us? Why is learning to live different from learning to live fully?

After reading this book, you’ll never look at swimming—or not swimming—the same way again.