Book Recommendation: Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui
Bonnie Tsui’s Why We Swim is a celebration of humanity’s deep connection to water, offering readers a captivating journey into the art, science, and spirit of swimming. Through a blend of compelling storytelling, rigorous research, and personal anecdotes, Tsui explores why swimming is universally loved across cultures and generations.
Originally published in 2020, one of the book’s foundational themes is humankind’s evolutionary, symbiotic relationship with water. Tsui explores our deep love of it, tracing how early survival instincts and aquatic skills shaped our biology, society, and culture. From ancient pearl divers to today’s long-distance endurance swimmers, she examines our inborn affinity for water.
Tsui also discusses the healing power of swimming, which she brings to life through the stories of people who found solace and recovery in water, whether overcoming trauma, grief, or physical injuries. One memorable story is of a swimmer who regained their physical capabilities after a near-fatal accident, showing how immersion in water builds resilience and fosters renewal. Another is an astonishing tale of survival after a shipwreck in the freezing waters off the coast of Iceland. Tsui’s own reflections in this area add texture and depth, too, giving the reader an authentic, personal connection to swimming as therapy for the body and soul.
Swimming’s role in building community is perhaps the strongest of the book’s ideas. Tsui shows how water transcends age, race, nationality, and creed. It brings people together in shared purpose and joy. From Japan’s modern samurai swimmers to an Iraqi swim club that meets in what used to be Saddam Hussein’s palace pool, Tsui demonstrates how swimming cultivates bonds, frequently across cultural divides, and illustrates its power as a unifying force.
Throughout the book, Tsui highlights the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of swimming. She celebrates its capacity to strengthen the body, calm the mind, and instill a sense of freedom and belonging in the soul. Whether recounting her own experiences or those of other passionate and dedicated swimmers around the world, Tsui dives into the transformative magic of swimming. Why We Swim is both a love letter to water and a profound reminder of its life-affirming nature.
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