Howard Means is the author or co-author of ten books, most recently 67 Shots: Kent State and the End of American Innocence, currently being developed as a feature length film by Everyman Pictures (Jay Roach) and Little Stranger Picture (Tina Fey & Jeff Richmond). He began swimming competitively when he was five years old, continued through college, then coached for seven years. Swimming continues to define his life, and he practises it in pools, rivers, lakes, quarries and oceans.

This fascinating history of how, where and why humans swim...is perfect reading for those missing a splash-about during the lockdown.

• 1: Gods, Humans, and the Aquatic Ape 2: Swimming's Golden Age 3: First There Was Swimming; Then There Was None 4: Rediscovering a Lost Art 5: Swimming 2.0 6: A Frog in Every Tub 7: Diving in for Dollars and Pounds 8: Climb Every Mountain, Swim Every Sea 9: The Great Swimming Cover-Up 10: An Aussie Wrecking Ball Goes Rogue 11: Nylon, WWII, James Bond, and the G-String 12: Swimming Together, Swimming Alone 13: The Last Taboo 14: Growing Pains 15: The Fastest Swimmer Ever 16: Is Enough Ever Enough?

Howard Means is the author or co-author of ten books, most recently 67 Shots: Kent State and the End of American Innocence, currently being developed as a feature length film by Everyman Pictures (Jay Roach) and Little Stranger Picture (Tina Fey & Jeff Richmond). He began swimming competitively when he was five years old, continued through college, then coached for seven years. Swimming continues to define his life, and he practises it in pools, rivers, lakes, quarries and oceans.

This fascinating history of how, where and why humans swim...is perfect reading for those missing a splash-about during the lockdown.

• 1: Gods, Humans, and the Aquatic Ape 2: Swimming's Golden Age 3: First There Was Swimming; Then There Was None 4: Rediscovering a Lost Art 5: Swimming 2.0 6: A Frog in Every Tub 7: Diving in for Dollars and Pounds 8: Climb Every Mountain, Swim Every Sea 9: The Great Swimming Cover-Up 10: An Aussie Wrecking Ball Goes Rogue 11: Nylon, WWII, James Bond, and the G-String 12: Swimming Together, Swimming Alone 13: The Last Taboo 14: Growing Pains 15: The Fastest Swimmer Ever 16: Is Enough Ever Enough?

Howard Means is the author or co-author of ten books, most recently 67 Shots: Kent State and the End of American Innocence, currently being developed as a feature length film by Everyman Pictures (Jay Roach) and Little Stranger Picture (Tina Fey & Jeff Richmond). He began swimming competitively when he was five years old, continued through college, then coached for seven years. Swimming continues to define his life, and he practises it in pools, rivers, lakes, quarries and oceans.

This fascinating history of how, where and why humans swim...is perfect reading for those missing a splash-about during the lockdown.

• 1: Gods, Humans, and the Aquatic Ape 2: Swimming's Golden Age 3: First There Was Swimming; Then There Was None 4: Rediscovering a Lost Art 5: Swimming 2.0 6: A Frog in Every Tub 7: Diving in for Dollars and Pounds 8: Climb Every Mountain, Swim Every Sea 9: The Great Swimming Cover-Up 10: An Aussie Wrecking Ball Goes Rogue 11: Nylon, WWII, James Bond, and the G-String 12: Swimming Together, Swimming Alone 13: The Last Taboo 14: Growing Pains 15: The Fastest Swimmer Ever 16: Is Enough Ever Enough?