Take a look inside this history of swimming in the UK
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Contents
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In this history of swimming and British Culture you will discover that after years of discouragement by the Church, Britain led the world into a new association with water. Swimming and bathing took on unbelievable popularity, and as the Empire grew, so our culture spread abroad. The rivers, lakes and canals of our green and pleasant land became home to throngs of swimmers young and old. Yet Britain's pride in its swimming heritage has not endured. Today those who venture into rivers and lakes to enjoy swimming and bathing are termed 'wild swimmers' and are viewed, at best as eccentrics, though more often they are seen as lawbreakers. Wild Swimming guide books direct us to out of the way beauty spots where we can swim secretly away from the disapproving gaze of critics, but prejudice is evident everywhere. Hung Out to Dry answers the burning question that all wild swimmers have at one time pondered: 'how did a nation of outdoor swimmers find themselves chased out of the water, rounded up and confined to indoor swimming pools?' Through this book you will discover how pride turned to prejudice as swimmers sparked the development of our unique culture of prudishness. The last decade has not been easy for me. Researching and writing this book has been especially challenging due to my difficulties with dyslexia. Coming from the working class and lacking the education so many take as a prerequisite for publishing a book, I have ended up having to publish it myself. However, having learnt to use a computer and with the help of my dear wife, slow progress has been made despite my many commitments. Finding a publisher was the next obstacle; most felt that a lack of interest in such a specialized subject would make the project unfeasible. Yet even when an offer to publish was secured, the cost of reproducing the photographs, many of which come from the Hulton Getty collection, meant that I would be out of pocket to the tune of thousands of pounds even if the book sold well. In the end I decided to do it all myself, and Hung Out to Dry is now finally in print. Now that the first part of my struggle is over, I am beginning the process of promoting my work. I hope that you will decide to take the plunge, buy my book and share my passion for swimming and history. One thing I can promise you, once you have readHung Out to Dry, you will see the British in a new light. Get your copy now; click the link below.
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