{"product_id":"swimming-for-my-life-a-memoir-9781647422950","title":"Swimming for My Life: A Memoir","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eKim's parents forced her and her four siblings to swim in the 1970s to keep them occupied. When Kim's brother crashed his bike, the babysitter deserted them, leading to a pattern of Mom and Dad leaving for weeks at a time. Kim coped with the stresses of elite swimming and found strength, competence, and achievement through swimming, becoming the second female swimmer to win a full ride to the University of Southern California. \u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat\u003c\/strong\u003e: Hardback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength\u003c\/strong\u003e: 352 pages\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication date\u003c\/strong\u003e: 11 October 2022\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher\u003c\/strong\u003e: She Writes Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the 1970s, amidst financial struggles and a crowded household in Cincinnati, Kim's parents resorted to an unconventional solution to keep their children occupied and out of trouble: swimming. Starting with a nearby motel pool, they gradually introduced their four younger siblings to the sport. However, their efforts took a dramatic turn when Kim was just eleven years old. While their parents embarked on travels across the Midwest, selling imported wooden ornaments from their motorhome, they left their children in the care of a babysitter. Unfortunately, disaster struck when Kim's six-year-old brother crashed his brand-new Cheater Slick bike, and the babysitter abandoned the children. What began as an unfortunate accident quickly became a pattern: Mom and Dad would leave for extended periods, leaving the kids to fend for themselves in the face of life's emergencies. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs Kim struggled to navigate the responsibilities of being a makeshift mother while also coping with the demands of elite swimming, she found herself grappling with the challenge of shaping her own life. Despite the overwhelming circumstances, she managed to find strength, competence, and ultimately achievement through the sport of swimming. Her remarkable journey led her to become the second female swimmer to secure a full ride to the University of Southern California, where she not only excelled academically but also achieved two national titles. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSwimming for My Life offers a poignant and introspective glimpse into the darker aspects of elite swimming, as well as a heartfelt story of family bonds, reconciliation with the past, and the resilience it takes to emerge from the treacherous waters of life. Through Kim's remarkable journey, readers are invited to explore the complexities of childhood, the pressures of parental expectations, and the transformative power of sports in shaping one's identity and destiny.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13\u003c\/strong\u003e: 9781647422950\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kim Fairley","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":44098900132090,"sku":"9781647422950","price":13.68,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0522\/4297\/2845\/products\/1669994720512_book.jpg?v=1670433222","url":"https:\/\/shulphink.com\/products\/swimming-for-my-life-a-memoir-9781647422950","provider":"Shulph Ink","version":"1.0","type":"link"}