Find the perfect story to inspire and motivate your young athletes in and out of the pool! I have compiled all of our quarantine book reviews in one place plus a few new books and new releases that even we haven't read yet!
1. Silver Linings by Elizabeth Beisel
I have always been a fan of Elizabeth Beisel because we swam the same events. After reading this book I’m an even bigger fan because I learned that she also likes Harry Potter and we have the same favorite sub from Jimmy Johns (the #12 beach club btw). For those who don’t know, Coach Laurie is a HUGE survivor fan and Elizabeth competed on the show last season. When I saw that she was signing personalized copies of her book during quarantine I thought it would make a perfect Mother’s Day gift (plus then I could also read the book). Silver Lining chronicles the ups and downs of Elizabeth Beisel’s extensive swimming career. Her book takes you through being a fussy baby who would only calm down when her mom put her in the water, making her first national team at age 13, and through 3 Olympic Games. Her success in the pool did not come without failure and I believe her ability to learn from her mistakes is one of the things that pushed her to be not just one of the best swimmers in the world but also one of the best leaders. Her ability to express her feelings of loneliness, isolation, and anxiety was so relatable that it made me want to reach through the pages and give her a hug and let her know she is not alone. Elizabeth’s journey and how she carried herself through it truly embodies the Olympic Creed.
For a personalized signed copy, purchase from her website: https://www.elizabethbeisel.com/shop/p/-silver-lining
2. In the Water They Can’t See You Cry by Amanda Beard
Disclaimer: This book deals with mature topics including mental health, self-harm, drugs and alcohol, assault, and body image. We recommend that parents read this book first.
Anyone who watched the 1996 Atlanta games remembers the little 14 year old girl who walked on deck carrying her teddy bear and walked off with three Olympic medals. This was the first book about an Olympic swimmer that I ever read and it absolutely blew my mind. It opened my eyes to how much goes on behind the camera (or under the water) that we don’t see. I found it so comforting that someone else (and Olympian no less) had the same feelings of anxiety, self-doubt, and concerns about her body as I did. I found this book both heartbreaking and empowering. To read about all of the things that she went through and know all that she accomplished in the pool is astonishing to me. 11/10 recommend this one.
3. Beneath The Surface by Michael Phelps
The way Michael Phelps is portrayed in the media makes you think that he was born to swim with his amazing wing span, height, and swimming genes. What they don’t tell you is that he was scared to put his face in the water when he was learning to swim or that he was bullied for having big ears as a kid. His swimming genes include a sister who narrowly missed her Olympic dream following a back injury and eating disorder. For nearly eight years people said “he’s not as good as they say, he’s not as good as Ian Thorpe, who does he think he is?” However, his dedication to the sport and fierce competitive nature propelled him to test himself against the greatest swimmers in the world and the guy really hates to lose. One of my favorite parts of this book is the way he talks about his competitors. They aren’t rivals to him, he respects the best swimmers so much he views it as an honor and the ultimate test of how well he’s swimming to be able to go up against the best and win.
4. Women in Sports by Rachel Ignotofsky
Okay so no, this is not exclusively a swimming book. And yes, it is technically a children’s book. But I absolutely adore it. It’s pages are filled with kick a** women who have been breaking down barriers in sports from 1866 - today. It also happens to feature some familiar and not so familiar names from the world of swimming (*cough, cough* Katie Ledecky anyone?). I LOVE this book and thank these incredible women for breaking through stereotypes, red tape, and glass ceilings and showing us all that the only thing that can hold you back is YOU!
5. The Three Year Swim Club by Julie Checkoway
This is a terrific work of nonfiction pieced together from written record, first hand accounts and stories passed down to the children of the swimmers depicted. The story is interlaced with the history of the time, spanning from the late 1920’s to the late 1940’s. If you are a history buff and love swimming, this book will really grab you. I really enjoyed the personal perspectives on history and war and how they affected sports. This story follows a schoolteacher from the sugar cane camps on Maui and his impoverished students. Through a series of events he formed a swim club that trained in the sugar cane ditches. As successes came he realized that swimming could be a vehicle to help these kids escape poverty. This little known Coach devised much of the modern training methods we still use today. I was particularly excited when the professional relationship between Coach Soichi Sakamoto and Ohio State's Coach Mike Peppe evolved in the book. Having met Coach Peppe while I was a young swimmer and hearing tales of his coaching from his protégé and my Coach, John Bruce, I was enthralled to read more of his coaching brilliance and personality. The tie between the kids in Maui and Ohio State really sped the close of the book along, especially knowing that most of OSU’S men’s swimming hall of famers got their start at the 3 year swim club. ~ Coach Laurie
6. Golden Girl by Natalie Coughlin
I’m not even going to hide the fact that I’m a huge Natalie Coughlin fan. She was the first woman to break 1 minute in the 100 meter backstroke, her underwaters are insane, and she is overall an incredibly versatile swimmer. Her book was a little different, written more by a professional sports writer than her. The focus of the book is from 2000 - 2004 and her transition from high school swimming to college swimming and preparing for the 2004 Athen’s Olympics. There is a huge emphasis on Teri McKeever (Cal Berkeley’s women’s head coach) and her unconventional coaching style. As a swimmer, my main takeaway from this book was how important it is to love what you do and to find a team and a coach that supports you, listens to you, and fits your training style.
7. Chasing Water by Anthony Ervin
Disclaimer: This book contains mature content including mental health, drugs, and alcohol.
Being a little younger, I didn’t know much about Anthony Ervin, beyond his comeback at the Rio Olympics, before reading this book. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics Anthony Ervin was the first US Olympic swimmer of African American decent and he brought home two medals. He tied with Gary Hall Jr. for a gold medal in the 50 free and helped team USA to a silver in the 400 free relay. After that he retired from swimming and lead a bit of a reckless and wandering lifestyle. He even sold his Olympic gold medal on eBay for over $17,000 to help relief efforts after the 2004 Indian tsunami. He eventually found his way back to the pool by coaching. He made the 2012 Olympic team and placed 5th in the 50 free. Then at the 2016 Rio games he took home gold once again in the 50 free. It’s a truly empowering story surrounding mental health and an astonishing comeback.
8. Relentless Spirit by Missy Franklin
Okay who doesn’t love Missy Franklin? She made a huge splash at the 2012 London Olympics with her appearance in team USA’s Call Me Maybe music video and she brought home a whopping 5 medals (4 gold and a bronze). She’s just so bubbly and fun! But fun can’t win you Olympic medals, can it? In her book Relentless Spirit, she and her parents illustrate how Missy “the missile” Franklin came to be. As a swimmer, I loved reading about her love of the water and her perspective on swimming as a team sport. She really demonstrates the power of positivity. Missy also explains how she uses her positive mindset and faith to be a gracious and an empowering role model in both success and failure. ~Coach Makenzie
As a coach, I loved reading about her awareness of what coaching styles and environments worked for her. I was also very impressed with how accountable she held herself for her success and failures, and did so in such a positive way. Her outlook on her competition and grace towards them is really something to aspire towards. It was interesting to hear her parents voices woven throughout the book as well. ~Coach Laurie
9. Age is Just a Number by Dara Torres
This is the last book Coach Laurie and Makenzie read and reviewed and it has yet to be published to our social media!
Disclaimer: This book contains mature content including mental health and eating disorders.
Dara Torres has more than earned her title as the Comeback Queen. She is a fierce competitor and has a fiery spirit that cannot be dampened by silly things like convention and precedent. This book reveals how Dara evolved and all that she learned about herself each time she stepped away from the sport and then was drawn back in. You get a first row seat to her journey as a person and an athlete as she grows and matures each time she comes back to the water. At the beginning of the book she is a nervous and insecure, albeit fiercely competitive, teenager riding her talent and by the end of the book she is a confident athlete able to maintain her competitive edge while also demonstrating compassionate sportsmanship that often goes unrecognized and underappreciated. Dara Torres is a twelve time Olympic medalist and the oldest swimmer to earn a place on an Olympic team proving that it is never too late to pursue any of your dreams no matter how crazy they may seem to your or anybody else in your life.
New & Unreviewed Books:
10. Blueprint: An Olympian’s Story of Striving, Adapting, and Embracing the Suck by Katie Hoff
From Amazon:
"Blueprint" is a candid account of the extraordinary life and athletic journey of one of America's greatest athletes and a champion in every way—the remarkable two-time Olympian Katie Hoff.
“I have so much respect and admiration for Katie Hoff as a person and an athlete. She helped push the progression of women’s swimming and now courageously shares her insights and challenges in and out of the pool in Blueprint. Through it all, Katie’s mettle is gold.” -Michael Phelps
"As a young swimmer growing up in Maryland, I was so fortunate to see first-hand the grace of Katie in and out of the pool. Her honesty and passion about her sporting and personal life shine through the pages of this well-written book, making it a must-read.”
-Katie Ledecky
“Blueprint is the only book you will ever have to read about going after a goal. It has commitment, mindset, victory and defeat all wrapped in one. Whether you are an entrepreneur, pro athlete or weekend warrior you will benefit tremendously from Katie’s raw honesty and incredible journey. This should be mandatory reading for anyone with a goal on the horizon.”
-Jesse Itzler
Entrepreneur, New York Times best selling author, endurance athlete, and an owner of the Atlanta Hawks.
11. Golden Glow by Kaitlin Sandeno
From Amazon:
“Kaitlin Sandeno is a world champion swimmer, Olympic gold medalist, and former world record holder. Now she uses her platform to help others, as the national spokesperson for the Jessie Rees Foundation, a coach for local youth teams, and general manager of the DC Trident.
Kaitlin Sandeno was one of the world’s greatest and most versatile swimmers. Competing at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, she was a part of the world record breaking 4x200-meter relay team and is one of an elite few to medal in three different strokes.
Golden Glow: How Kaitlin Sandeno Achieved Gold in the Pool and in Life recounts Sandeno’s amazing swimming career—including her spectacular Olympic performances—and details the impact she has made in the world outside the pool. Breaking into the Olympics at seventeen years old, she became the face of the team with her enthusiasm and bubbly personality. She returned to the Olympics four years later to have one of the most dominating meets by an American woman in history. But Sandeno’s legacy in the pool is nothing compared to how she has used her platform to help those around her. She is the national spokesperson for the Jessie Rees Foundation and spreads joy around the country to children fighting cancer. She has emceed Olympic trials, hosted multiple shows for USA Swimming, and has given back to her sport, as a coach of youth teams and now as general manager of the International Swimming League's DC Trident.
Golden Glow is not only the story of how hard work and perseverance led Sandeno to Olympic gold but also how she has used her success in the pool to inspire those around her.”
12. No Limits - Michael Phelps
Of course the GOAT needs two books to tell his story.
From Amazon:
“Fresh from his triumphant and extraordinary achievement at the Olympic Games in Beijing, Michael Phelps—up from working-class, born-in-the-USA roots—shows us the secrets to his remarkable success—from training to execution.
For years the world has followed Michael Phelps’s progress from teen sensation in Sydney to bona fide phenom in Athens. Now he’s a living Olympic legend in Beijing with a peerless record of gold medals. In No Limits, Michael Phelps—the greatest competitor since Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods—will share the secrets to his remarkable success. Behind his tally of Olympic gold medals lies a consistent approach to competition, a determination to win, mental preparation, and a straightforward passion for his sport. One of his mottos is “Performance is Reality,” and it typifies his attitude about swimming.
No Limits goes behind the scenes to explore the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication that catapulted Phelps into the international spotlight. Phelps shares remarkable anecdotes about family, his coach, his passion for the sport, and the wisdom that he has gained from unexpected challenges and obstacles. Highlighting memorable races and valuable lessons from throughout his career, Phelps offers candid insight into the mind and experiences of a world champion. Phelps’s success is imbued with the perspective of overcoming obstacles and doing whatever it takes to realize a dream. As his coach, Bob Bowman, says, Phelps has made a habit out of things other people aren’t willing to do. No Limits will show readers just how he does that, and will inspire anyone to follow their passion straight to the finish line.”
Bonus books for my foodie swimmers:
- Cook to Thrive: Recipes to Fuel Body and Soul by Natalie Coughlin
As most of you know, I cooked my way through just about this entire book during quarantine. I love that there is a mix of easy, quick recipes and more labor intensive recipes. It has such a fun mix of dishes from all over the world. Some of these recipes really pushed me out of my cooking comfort zone, but it was totally worth the delicious reward.
From Amazon: "In Cook to Thrive, you'll find personal, comforting recipes inspired by Natalie's Filipino background and many based on dishes from her travels around the world for competitions. Natalie's tried-and-true techniques and tips for very busy schedules prove that if she can do it, you can too.”
2. Milk Bar Kids Only by Christina Tosi
About two years ago, I saw a documentary on Netflix about famous restaurants and unique foods around the world. A few months later I found myself dragging my friends out of our way to find a Milk Bar in NYC. It was so worth it. Christina Tosi was born in Ohio and then moved to NYC and has since become an award winning chef and baker. She is the founder, owner, and head chef at Milk Bar, Momofukus sister bakery. Her food is whimsical, beautiful, and delicious. You can order her cookies and cakes online or post-pandemic you can visit her stores in person in NYC, LA, Boston, DC, Las Vegas or Toronto. Her new recipe book was created specifically for kids, with recipes inspired and tested by her nieces.
From Amazon: "Dedicated to the next generation of young bakers, Milk Bar: Kids Only presents more than eighty-five fun and empowering recipes to inspire imagination in the kitchen, from Apple Pie Waffles to PB&J Cereal Treats to Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes to marshmallowy Choco Crunch Cookies. This is a cookbook that teaches kitchen skills—perfect for kids as well as anyone who’s learning to bake—and reminds newbies and veteran bakers alike that a little personality adds a whole lot to the mix."
3. Emril's There's a Chef in My Soup! by Emril Lagasse
This was my first ever cookbook when I was a kid. My family used to watch Emril's cooking show all the time and we loved his "BAM!" catch line. My copy of this cookbook is still one of the best presents I have ever gotten because it fostered my love of cooking and spending time in the kitchen with my family. The format is fun and kid friendly. I still remember making Emril's spaghetti and meatballs with my grandparents. Squishing and mixing everything together was so much and seeing it all come together into a delicious meal my whole family enjoyed was so satisfying. Most of these recipes are easy for kids to follow and require only minimal assistance and adult supervision. Emril has also come out with two other kid friendly cookbooks you can check out called Emril's There's a Chef in My Family and Emril's There's a Chef in My World!
From Amazon: "What's better than eating really good food? Making it! And now, Chef Emeril Lagasse shows you how to do it, step-by-step. And hey, this is the real thing -- you're really cooking with this book, so get ready to make some kicked-up food that your family and friends will love. Every recipe has been chosen and tested by Chef Emeril and by kids, too, so you know they have to be good -- and good for you! Best of all, grown-ups can use this book with you. Cooking together is a great way to have fun and make sure you stay safe."
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