[Mortimer's] re-creation of Ederle's crossing you can't help but feel cold, wet and exhausted....In fact, Ederle's time 14 hours and 39 minutes beat the male record by a full two hours. Her triumph was as an athlete, no asterisk for gender. * Seattle Times *
.,.what might be the most amazing athletic achievement of the century....Mortimer tells this story with a verve that pulls the reader in like a high tide....After conquering the Channel, Ederle was an American hero, as celebrated as Jack Dempsey, Babe Ruth or Bobby Jones; when she died in 2003 at age 97, she was all but forgotten. Her legacy, which included the Olympic Committee's increasing the number of swimming events for women, was confined to a few short lines in her obituary. * Washington Post Book World *
A stirring portrait of courage and endurance, but also a bittersweet tale of the vagaries of fame and fortune.- * Kirkus Reviews *
British journalist and historian Mortimer has done Ederle--and sports history in general--a huge service in this wonderfully written book * Publisher's Weekly *
In 1926, when legs-baring bathing suits were still considered titillating, swimming the English Channel was a fast track to international stardom. This engrossing book follows four American women who competed that summer to become the first female to cross the treacherous strait. Mortimer's descriptions of their attempts are gripping, like the failed try of underdog Clarabelle Barrett, who struggled in rough seas for over 21 hours before giving up. Even more fascinating is the rabid celebrity culture he evokes: Mobs of adoring fans in New York nearly tore one successful swimmer to pieces, onlyto forget all about her the following year. * Entertainment Weekly *
