The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka

I like people who have obsessions. In fact, I like them so much that I tend to shy away from people who do not have quirky passions such as exercise, food, reading, music or other activities. So, from the first page, I fell head-over-heels in love with the book "Swimmers" by Julie Otsuka. From the author of "The Buddha in the Attic," and "When the Emperor Was Divine," comes this very special book. It centers around a group of recreational swimmers and how they respond when a crack is found at the bottom of their local pool. The swimmers only know each other from the pool, sharing their passion for swimming. When the crack appears, they know the future of the pool is at jeopardy. Some jump ship early and try to secure other forms of exercise, while others refuse to believe the reality of the situation. Meetings take places, solutions are discussed, and then the pool is closed for good, for “safety reasons.” The novel then follows one of the swimmers, Alice, a retired lab technician. Alice's visits to the pool brought structure, joy and familiarity to her daily routine. Once the pool closes, dementia and painful memories from her childhood arise for Alice. We then follow her to a nursing home, and see later the perspective of watching Alice through the mind of her adult daughter. The writing is compact yet powerful, and the characters familiar and haunting. As we follow Alice through the end of her life, we can’t help but dream of her swimming in the pool at full strength once again. “The Swimmers” is a beautiful book. Read soon, and spread the news. To buy this book on Amazon click here.