A Boy in the Water by Tom Gregory

The true story of an 11-year-old British boy who swam across the channel!

From the first page, this is an incredible story of achieving, seemingly an impossible dream. Although I’d never attempt something so barbaric myself, I was fascinated to find out just why (seriously, why?!) and how Tom came do something so incredible.

Tom Gregory writes beautifully. It’s not so much a book about swimming but of growing up and having the determination, dedication and passion to complete such a task. Anyone can be inspired, just as he was: just an ordinary kid, from an ordinary background, pretty much proving that anyone can do anything.

A book for exploring #change #comingofage #findingyourself and #growingup

“I finally understood …that what I was doing was not normal. In the final act it had become so utterly unpleasant that I wished it all away. I decided I would never do this again, ever. Nothing could possibly be worse than this form of mental and physical torture. The thing I thought I wanted for some years now, to hold a world record and be the youngest swimmer, turned out not to be something I wanted at all.”

Video review here.