Renaissance Swimmer

Appendix 4 – Further reading

A collection of books about swimming, on a shelf.

Build a library

We’ve covered a lot in the Renaissance Swimmer project. But, as with many things, the more you know, the more you realise you don’t know. I hope this project has ignited a curiosity to explore further. I pulled together a reading list for my book, Swim Wild & Free. Here it is again, with a few additions.

Classic books

Guide books

  • Wild Swim (River, Lake, Lido and Sea: The Best Places to Swim Outdoors in Britain), Kate Rew,  Guardian Books.
  • Wild Swimming, 300 hidden dips in the rivers, lakes and waterfalls of Britain, Daniel Start, Wild Things Publishing. (In addition, Wild Things Publishing has an international series of wild swim guidebooks).
  • Swimming London, The 50 Best Pools, Lidos, Lakes and Rivers from Around the Capital, Jenny Landreth, Aurum Press.
  • The Lido Guide, Emma Pusill & Janet Wilkinson, Unbound.
  • A Guide to Wild Swimming in Cornwall, Bethany Allen, Max Campbell & Lydia Paleschi, Kelp Studios LLP.
  • Swimming Wild in the Lake District, The most beautiful wild swimming spots in the larger lakes, Suzanna Cruickshank, Vertebrate Publishing.

Swimming technique and training

  • Swim Speed Secrets: Master the freestyle technique used by the world’s fastest swimmers, Sheila Taormina
  • The Swim Mastery Way, Tracey Bauman and Emma Levy
  • Swim Smooth, The complete coaching system for swimmers and triathletes, Paul Newsome & Adam Young, John Wiley & Sons.
  • Open Water Swimming Manual, An Experts Survival Guide for Triathletes and Open Water Swimmers, Lynne Cox, Vintage Books.
  • Open Water, The History and Technique of Swimming, Mikael Rosén, Chronicle Books.
  • Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way to Swim Better, Faster, and Easier, Terry Laughlin, Simon & Schuster, 1996.

History and general

Memoir and miscellaneous

Online resources

Swim holiday companies and swim guides

Scientific and other references