Immerse yourself in an ocean of great literature. Gasp at the cold with Amy Liptrot. Be transfixed by Iris Murdoch's monster rising from the waves. Learn how to swim like the frogs with John Muir. Come on, dive in.

A selection of joyful, immersive and life-affirming writing about wild swimming.

From gentle dips in calm waters to fights for survival in stormy seas. From the erotic charge of a streamlined body to moments of revelation amidst the waves . . . Take Me to the River is an anthology not just of wild swimming writing, but of stories of how a jump into deep waters can change us.

Open water swimming plays a pivotal role in many great narratives, taking us on an immersive journey, from Homer's Odyssey to contemporary poetry and memoirs. There is adventure here and aquatic playfulness. Grief and anguish, too; heartbreaks displaced and healed by watery spaces. Love and desire spark between characters at the edge of the water, as does freedom from constraint and the glorious energy of possibility and hope.

Take Me to the River entices with a dip into the deep sea of words. Slide in.

A selection of joyful, immersive and life-affirming writing about wild swimming.

About the Author
Vicky Allan (Author)
Vicky Allan is an award-winning journalist and author. A staff writer for the Herald on Sunday, her work has also appeared in The Times, Daily Express, Vogue, GQ, The Guardian and Scotland on Sunday. She has won awards for her travel-writing, features writing and for her articles campaigning against violence against women. Her novel Stray is currently being adapted as a feature film.

Jackie Kemp (Author)
Jackie Kemp is a freelance writer, based in the Scottish Highlands where she lives with her husband Rob, a business consultant and keen photographer. Among other things, she writes political commentary on her Substack - 'Letter from Scotland' which is often illustrated with Rob's photos. Jackie lived in the US, in Boston's North End, for around three years until mid-2019. Before that, she and Rob brought up their three children in Leith, Edinburgh. During those years, she worked part-time as a freelance journalist, writing for the Scotsman, the Herald, the National, and the Guardian amongst other titles. She had a weekly column in the Herald for several years. In 2011, Jackie produced a selection of her father Arnold Kemp's journalism called 'Confusion to Our Enemies'.



Reviews
'An exulting invitation to slip, dip, swim, splash and dive into the politics, aesthetics and sensuousness of swimming, this collection of literary texts compiled across a wide range of time and places makes you just want to grab a towel and make for the nearest pond or beach.' -- Dr. Sophie Berrebi, author of The Sharing Economy
'Swimming and writing share a similar rhythm, both require us to give in, to notice and to feel. Take Me to the River captures the pull of the water, the power of nature and the beauty of words. This book reminds you that great writing, like a good swim, leaves you changed somehow.' -- Ella Foote, author of How to Wild Swim
'Take Me to the River is a wild swim in water filled with stories. Both a delight and a literary immersion, this book is for experienced swimmers and paddlers alike. It is a treasure trove of watery tales and adventures into which readers can dip their toes whenever they like, wherever they are.' -- Annie Worsley, author of Windswept



Book Information
ISBN 9781785306235
Author Vicky Allan
Format Hardback
Page Count 304
Imprint Black and White Publishing
Publisher Bonnier Books Ltd