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Young Women and the Sea
In 1926, before skirt lengths inched above the knee and before anyone was ready to accept that a woman could test herself physically, a plucky American teenager named Trudy Ederle captured the imagination of the world when she became the first woman to swim the English Channel. It was, and still is, a feat more incredible and uncommon than scaling Mount Everest. Upon her return to the United States, "Trudy of America" became the most famous woman in the world. And just as quickly, she disappeared from the public eye.
Set against the backdrop of the roaring 1920s, Young Woman and the Sea is the dramatic and inspiring story of Ederle’s pursuit of a goal no one believed possible, and the price she paid. The moment Trudy set foot on land, triumphant, she had shattered centuries of stereotypes and opened doors for generations of women to come. A truly magnetic and often misunderstood character whose story is largely forgotten, Trudy Ederle comes alive in these pages through Glenn Stout’s exhaustive new research.
313 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
246 people are currently reading
5014 people want to read
About the author
Glenn Stout
106 books65 followersAuthor of the Jazz Age true crime yarn Tiger Girl and the Candy Kid: America's Original Gangster Couple (2021), NY Times bestseller The Pats: An Illustrated History of the New England Patriots (2018) The Selling of the Babe (2016), Fenway 1912 (2012) and Young Woman the Sea: How Trudy Ederle Conquered the English Channel and Inspired the World (2009) currently set up and in development as a major motion picture for Disney +. (ETA 2021). Since becoming a full-time writer in 1993, Glenn Stout has written, ghostwritten or edited 100 books representing sales in excess of two million copies. Stout is also author of The Cubs, The Dodgers, Nine Months at Ground Zero, Yankees Century, Red Sox Century, and has served as Series Editor of The Best American Sports Writing since its inception. Glenn also consults on a variety of writing projects (books, proposals, Longform narratives). He has won both the Seymour Medal and Ritter Award (twice) by the Society for American Baseball Research, and Yes Se Can! made the 2012 Amelia Bloom list for feminist content. He lives in Vermont.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews
September 14, 2009
This book was amazing. Interesting history, woman's lib, robbed childhoods, this book has it all. Did you know that Trudy Ederle invented the bikini 20 years before French engineer Louis Réard did it in 1946? She actually swam the Channel in one because she found that it had less drag than any other suits she tried.
Also, did you know that Native Americans invented the crawl, or freestyle stroke? For years the breaststroke or sidestroke was thought to be superior to any other swim stroke until the Americans showed up at the Olympics and blew everyone out of the water. But this book talks about how it was discovered by an artist and displayed to the world at the world's fair (If I'm remembering correctly)
And while all that is awesome and interesting, this book is about Trudy. A New York native of German descent who fell in love with the water on the Jersey shore. About the struggle of women to be treated as equals. About this history of swimming. About the fear of water. About the geological makeup of the Channel itself. About the rights of athletes. This book honestly is so amazing and will suck you in within the first few pages. I'm not kidding. If that story about the fire in the ship off Long Island doesn't get you, I don't know what will.
I really want some of to read this so we can talk about it! You will not believe what happens at the Olympics in 1924. And you will NOT believe what happened the first time she tried to swim the channel. But ultimately this is a story about one woman's triumph and how she succeeded when everyone tried to tell her to get out of the water. LITERALLY. Oh, not only did she succeed, she SMASHED the record. A woman. An American Woman. Oh, and did I mention she was 19? Yeah, she was a teenager.
This is the Seabiscuit of 2009. I'll go on record as stating that right now. Makes me happy to be a swimmer. And by the way, it's ok to be chubby if you are a channel swimmer. Maybe I should look into it?
Also, did you know that Native Americans invented the crawl, or freestyle stroke? For years the breaststroke or sidestroke was thought to be superior to any other swim stroke until the Americans showed up at the Olympics and blew everyone out of the water. But this book talks about how it was discovered by an artist and displayed to the world at the world's fair (If I'm remembering correctly)
And while all that is awesome and interesting, this book is about Trudy. A New York native of German descent who fell in love with the water on the Jersey shore. About the struggle of women to be treated as equals. About this history of swimming. About the fear of water. About the geological makeup of the Channel itself. About the rights of athletes. This book honestly is so amazing and will suck you in within the first few pages. I'm not kidding. If that story about the fire in the ship off Long Island doesn't get you, I don't know what will.
I really want some of to read this so we can talk about it! You will not believe what happens at the Olympics in 1924. And you will NOT believe what happened the first time she tried to swim the channel. But ultimately this is a story about one woman's triumph and how she succeeded when everyone tried to tell her to get out of the water. LITERALLY. Oh, not only did she succeed, she SMASHED the record. A woman. An American Woman. Oh, and did I mention she was 19? Yeah, she was a teenager.
This is the Seabiscuit of 2009. I'll go on record as stating that right now. Makes me happy to be a swimmer. And by the way, it's ok to be chubby if you are a channel swimmer. Maybe I should look into it?
January 15, 2012
Trudy Ederle's place in history is often overlooked.
I come from a family of open-water swimmers. I have friends who have done solo crossings, and I myself participated in a successful relay swim across the Channel in 2007. And yet, I only vaguely knew about Trudy Ederle. My dad has long asserted that Lynne Cox (who, in 1972, finally displaced Trudy as the youngest female swimmer to make the crossing) was the one who revolutionized open-water swimming by using the Australian Crawl rather than the Trudgeon. My mom regularly confuses Ederle with Florence Chadwick, who set a speed record in 1953. In many ways, the post-Crossing section of this book reads like a tragedy -- explaining how the recipient of America's first ticker-tape parade quickly lost any chance to capitalize on her hard work, and died mostly-forgotten.
But most of this book is a celebration. A celebration of an era where women started to come into their own, a sport came into its own, and the promise of possibility was so thick in the air that you could taste it. The author has adopted in Ederle not just a hero, but a symbol -- a girl who swam the Channel freestyle, and revolutionized a sport (prevailing wisdom at the time was that "Australian Crawl" was too taxing of a stroke for more than a few hundred yards; these days, the only reason someone would complete an open-water swim by some other method is for the publicity possibilities). Her pluck, strength, and talent shine in those passages, and the excitement that drives the writing is quite intoxicating.
This is an extremely well-researched work; appreciation of historical context aside, I loved the interesting tidbits that Stout peppered throughout -- for example, Johnny Weissmuller was one of the few swimmers during the early 20s who was perhaps more unbeatable than Ederle (the two never went head to head because of prevailing social mores at the time, but they often headlined at the same swim meets)...a few chapters later, while detailing their trip to the 1924 Paris Olympics, you discover that the reason that name sounds so familiar is that Weissmuller later starred as Tarzan in the classic films. Who'd have known? The reader encounters historical context, social commentary, and interesting trivia page after page after page. Even when the tale veers away from Ederle herself (as it often does, in the earlier, context-setting, chapters) the information being shared is so intriguing that you want to keep reading.
As a participant in the sport that Ederle revolutionized, I really appreciated this book. But I also enjoyed it as a feminist, a history buff, and a person who just likes a tightly-plotted, fast-paced read. It was all of these things, and worth a look.
I come from a family of open-water swimmers. I have friends who have done solo crossings, and I myself participated in a successful relay swim across the Channel in 2007. And yet, I only vaguely knew about Trudy Ederle. My dad has long asserted that Lynne Cox (who, in 1972, finally displaced Trudy as the youngest female swimmer to make the crossing) was the one who revolutionized open-water swimming by using the Australian Crawl rather than the Trudgeon. My mom regularly confuses Ederle with Florence Chadwick, who set a speed record in 1953. In many ways, the post-Crossing section of this book reads like a tragedy -- explaining how the recipient of America's first ticker-tape parade quickly lost any chance to capitalize on her hard work, and died mostly-forgotten.
But most of this book is a celebration. A celebration of an era where women started to come into their own, a sport came into its own, and the promise of possibility was so thick in the air that you could taste it. The author has adopted in Ederle not just a hero, but a symbol -- a girl who swam the Channel freestyle, and revolutionized a sport (prevailing wisdom at the time was that "Australian Crawl" was too taxing of a stroke for more than a few hundred yards; these days, the only reason someone would complete an open-water swim by some other method is for the publicity possibilities). Her pluck, strength, and talent shine in those passages, and the excitement that drives the writing is quite intoxicating.
This is an extremely well-researched work; appreciation of historical context aside, I loved the interesting tidbits that Stout peppered throughout -- for example, Johnny Weissmuller was one of the few swimmers during the early 20s who was perhaps more unbeatable than Ederle (the two never went head to head because of prevailing social mores at the time, but they often headlined at the same swim meets)...a few chapters later, while detailing their trip to the 1924 Paris Olympics, you discover that the reason that name sounds so familiar is that Weissmuller later starred as Tarzan in the classic films. Who'd have known? The reader encounters historical context, social commentary, and interesting trivia page after page after page. Even when the tale veers away from Ederle herself (as it often does, in the earlier, context-setting, chapters) the information being shared is so intriguing that you want to keep reading.
As a participant in the sport that Ederle revolutionized, I really appreciated this book. But I also enjoyed it as a feminist, a history buff, and a person who just likes a tightly-plotted, fast-paced read. It was all of these things, and worth a look.
September 18, 2024
Trudy Ederle changed the world’s perspective on women in athletics, yet she lived in obscurity for most of her life. In Young Woman And the Sea, she is finally celebrated. This recounting of Ederle’s life is one of the best sports biographies I have read, weaving the histories of humanity’s quest to learn to swim, the perils of crossing the English Channel and Trudy’s innocent and pure love of the sport. Would highly recommend to all, but most especially those who feel the pull to master their own thrills and terrors in open waters.
July 25, 2024
i so so so enjoyed this!! such a powerful and inspiring swim story (my fave kind) and it was told in such an interesting way! also great audiobook narrator- anyway would 100% recommend both this and the movie but reading this gave me good context and more to the story that the movie didn’t focus on- 4.5⭐️
October 11, 2024
Glenn Stout's 2009 work Young Woman and the Sea, Stout writes a biography of American female swimmer Gertrude "Trudy" Ederle (1905-2003), who was the first female swimmer, sixth person overall, and, for her era, the fastest person to swim across the English channel in a time of 14 hours and 39 minutes on August 6, 1926. Despite her accomplishment, Ederle didn't manage to cross over into a lasting mainstream celebrity status, instead enjoying the proverbial "15 minutes of fame" before re-entering obscurity for the rest of her 98-year life. Stout wanted to raise awareness of Ederle's accomplishments and makes bold, hard-to-prove claims in the book about how Ederle changed public perceptions of female athletes, as well as various speculations about why Ederle's fame didn't last. I listened to the audiobook version of this work which, per usual, didn't include footnotes; the stories of Ederle's unsuccessful Channel crossing attempt in 1925 and successful Channel crossing in 1926 stand out as particularly well-researched (Ederle never published a biography in her lifetime, but had a writer present during her 1926 crossing to document her actions, thoughts and feelings), whereas in earlier chapters Stout seems to veer into fictionalizations of what Ederle and her family members did, said and felt during mundane events (a huge nonfiction pet peeve of mine).
Ederle's story has since been rediscovered through this book as well as Disney film of the same name released in May 2024.
Further reading:
The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports by Michael Waters - a counterpoint-of-sorts to this book, which is a lot less rosy in its take on the acceptance of women in athletics in the 1920s and 1930s | my review
Wonder Girl: The Magnificent Sporting Life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias by Don Van Natta Jr - about another female athlete of Ederle's era
My statistics:
Book 238 for 2024
Book 1841 cumulatively
Ederle's story has since been rediscovered through this book as well as Disney film of the same name released in May 2024.
Further reading:
The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports by Michael Waters - a counterpoint-of-sorts to this book, which is a lot less rosy in its take on the acceptance of women in athletics in the 1920s and 1930s | my review
Wonder Girl: The Magnificent Sporting Life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias by Don Van Natta Jr - about another female athlete of Ederle's era
My statistics:
Book 238 for 2024
Book 1841 cumulatively
September 10, 2016
Book read in conjunction with Book Discussion Group and Skype with the author
I had never heard of Trudy Ederle before reading this biography; after finishing it, I feel like I really know who she was. This biography was so well-written and well researched that Trudy came to life for me. Trudy Ederle was truly a pioneer in women's sports.
I appreciated the history given in women swimming at all. I had never heard of the steamship, "General Slocum" which burned in the East River. Most of the victims were women who simply did not know how to swim. That disaster took the largest amount of lives in New York until September 11. Because of that disaster, women would finally begin to learn to swim.
Trudy, however, loved the water. She spent hours in the ocean with her sisters learning to swim. She joined the Women's Swimming Association in New York and trained for the Olympics. When that didn't go as she had hoped, she set her sights on the English Channel.
Mr. Stout certainly brought Trudy Ederly into the daylight. I can see her swimming and smiling in my mind's eye. When told she should stop swimming, her answer was, "What for?" Many women who came after her asked their detractors the same question--Why should I stop?
I had never heard of Trudy Ederle before reading this biography; after finishing it, I feel like I really know who she was. This biography was so well-written and well researched that Trudy came to life for me. Trudy Ederle was truly a pioneer in women's sports.
I appreciated the history given in women swimming at all. I had never heard of the steamship, "General Slocum" which burned in the East River. Most of the victims were women who simply did not know how to swim. That disaster took the largest amount of lives in New York until September 11. Because of that disaster, women would finally begin to learn to swim.
Trudy, however, loved the water. She spent hours in the ocean with her sisters learning to swim. She joined the Women's Swimming Association in New York and trained for the Olympics. When that didn't go as she had hoped, she set her sights on the English Channel.
Mr. Stout certainly brought Trudy Ederly into the daylight. I can see her swimming and smiling in my mind's eye. When told she should stop swimming, her answer was, "What for?" Many women who came after her asked their detractors the same question--Why should I stop?
September 9, 2025
I *finally* finished this book, though no fault of the author or the story. Reading a biography is a relatively new genre for me, and it took me a long time to get into the story. It started off slow with a lot of backstory and detail, which was important but hard to get through. However, once the story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel, got rolling, it was hard to put down. I ended the book tonight after reading 100+ pages.
Ultimately, this book was so inspiring for me as I am training for a race of my own. During the hard training process, I’ll remember Ederle’s words when admonished to stop swimming in dangerous conditions: “What for?”
Ultimately, this book was so inspiring for me as I am training for a race of my own. During the hard training process, I’ll remember Ederle’s words when admonished to stop swimming in dangerous conditions: “What for?”
October 3, 2024
As a lover of swimming, I found the history of swimming, the different strokes, and women swimming to be fascinating. I first learned about Trudy from watching the Disney movie recently released and was excited to hear it was a book. I admire Trudy and am awed by her tenacity, grit and courage. I am grateful for women like her which made swimming more accessible and competitive sports a reality for women.
October 16, 2025
A little slow at some parts but truly amazing to see how she paved the way for all women!
March 29, 2025
Trudy Ederle’s story is inspiring on its own, but the way Stout contextualizes the incredible nature of her undertaking and the effects it had made it clear just how astounding Trudy Ederle and her swim were.
March 20, 2010
Trudy Ederle was the first woman to swim the English Channel, and this is her story. However, it is much more than that. It is also the story, to a lesser degree, of the English Channel, of the acceptance of women athletes, of the acceptance of swimming in general and especially for women. The story opens with a tragedy on the East River. A pleasure boat carrying families caught fire and many died because they didn't know how to swim. I didn't realize that even in the early 20th century, swimming for women was taboo, considered immoral. This tragedy started a movement to teach swimming, if only for safety.
Trudy must have been a remarkable young lady. She was strong and athletic, accomplishing what most other swimmers would never be able to do, but she was also very close to her family and a little naive. She was sometimes taken advantage of. She was somewhat shy and also had a hearing impairment that made her uncomfortable in crowds, detrimental to her when she became well known. The story even includes a mystery about her first attempt at crossing the channel. The book was, for the most part, well written, and includes some great photographs. For my taste, there was occasionally a little too much detail, especially about individual swimming events and times. And I think that the title, Young Woman and the Sea, doesn't really do justice to the story even though it is probably a take on Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. Overall, the book was both informative and entertaining.
(The copy I reviewed was an ARC sent to me by a friend, and as such had quite a few typos and editing mistakes that I am assuming were corrected before the final edition was published.)
Trudy must have been a remarkable young lady. She was strong and athletic, accomplishing what most other swimmers would never be able to do, but she was also very close to her family and a little naive. She was sometimes taken advantage of. She was somewhat shy and also had a hearing impairment that made her uncomfortable in crowds, detrimental to her when she became well known. The story even includes a mystery about her first attempt at crossing the channel. The book was, for the most part, well written, and includes some great photographs. For my taste, there was occasionally a little too much detail, especially about individual swimming events and times. And I think that the title, Young Woman and the Sea, doesn't really do justice to the story even though it is probably a take on Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. Overall, the book was both informative and entertaining.
(The copy I reviewed was an ARC sent to me by a friend, and as such had quite a few typos and editing mistakes that I am assuming were corrected before the final edition was published.)
September 11, 2017
Very entertaining, well-researched and a great story that most people are unfamiliar with. It begins with a great mini-history of swimming and the Channel itself to set some context. It later identifies the major role Ederle played in developing audiences for women's sports and her place among other sports giants of her era such as Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey. Stout's treatment of the crossing is suspenseful and riveting.
February 24, 2025
I love women!!!!
April 25, 2025
I would like to name my daughter Trudy.
October 15, 2025
This book was very interesting; I really enjoyed the deep dive into the history of swimming and specifically women and swimming. I'm excited to follow this up with watching the movie adaptation.
June 8, 2024
This book is not just about Trudy Ederle and her channel crossing but a history of the evolution of swimming styles, swimming suits and women in all sports. You will learn why the English Channel is so challenging and even the best swimmers have failed within reach of their goal. I found it amazing and the reader kept my attention the entire 14+ hours it took to listen to this book.
September 7, 2024
Fabulously written account of Trudy Ederle’s life, swimming career, unparalleled swimming accomplishments, and tearing down the wall of underestimating women in sport and endurance. As a swimmer and triathlete I am stunned that I knew nothing of her story and am grateful for this book. The author, Glenn Stout, is a great story teller; in addition to Ederle’s captivating story, he even chronicles the history of the innovation of swim strokes in a way that keeps the reader interested.
June 18, 2025
I loved this book for so many reasons. A bit of once forgotten history. The story of a true underdog. A woman who inspired the world by doing something the world thought could never be done. A beautiful spirited soul who just wanted to be in the water. A reminder that when you believe you can achieve.
May 27, 2024
This is such a good read. A true story about a badass woman that has so much grit and determination. A great role model for young women and especially for female swimmers. I wanted to read this book after I saw a trailer for the movie and can’t wait to see this with my 4 daughters that swim. I loved Trudy’s response of “what for?” When told she needed to give up and get out of the water. So resilient and to think this was nearly 100 years ago. Swimming across the English Channel is no small feat, but Trudy persevered even when things were rough. A true testament to what setting a goal and being focused can do. I also enjoyed the small bits of swimming history added in regarding strokes and techniques.
October 2, 2021
I never knew...
This book tells the fascinating story of the first woman to swim the English Channel. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy learning about Trudy Ederle, but also appreciated the author's inclusion of historical context.
Happy that we came across a poster of Trudy at the Highlands Twin Lights Museum. Otherwise, I would have never heard of this special woman, nor learned more about her in Mr. Stout's excellent book.
This book tells the fascinating story of the first woman to swim the English Channel. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy learning about Trudy Ederle, but also appreciated the author's inclusion of historical context.
Happy that we came across a poster of Trudy at the Highlands Twin Lights Museum. Otherwise, I would have never heard of this special woman, nor learned more about her in Mr. Stout's excellent book.
April 15, 2010
Really a 3.5.
The book should include the qualification that it is in many ways a history of women's swimming, not just TE's story.
One of the most powerful parts is the opening. Some mid section skimming, and an ending with some questions.
The book should include the qualification that it is in many ways a history of women's swimming, not just TE's story.
One of the most powerful parts is the opening. Some mid section skimming, and an ending with some questions.
July 18, 2025
Almost 2 weeks since I finished this and I can’t stop thinking abt Trudy 👊🏽🌟🩵
January 21, 2025
Loved this book! What a great story on endurance and never giving up!
My notes:
Mother- Gertrude. 2 older sisters, Helen, Meg
A couple brothers
1918 Trudy as a child
Measles at age 6. Got an ear infection and lost some of her hearing.
Young womens swimming association
(Very few people knew how to swim back then. And even less women; immoral to take some clothes off to swim)
Epi - not intimidated by men. 1914 aau trying to suppress women in sports . 1916, James Sullivan died (he didn’t want to have women in sports). Epstein wrote to The NY Times to have women in sports/swimming. Health, physical recreation and improvement
WSA looked for women swimmers
Trudy watched wsa events. Diving
Katherine brown. 7 years old. (Taught breast stroke by her dad when he was 2.5 years.) American crawl.
Then said could pay for swim lessons.
Chapter 6
At age 12, loved the book about Matthew web, first man to swim English Channel. From Dover in 1875. 20 hours.
(April 28, 1873 merchant service but went in water to help someone overboard in freezing waters and ended up swimming a mile and he realized he could swim)
JB Johnson in 1872 was bet he couldn’t swim English Channel for $1000. After 65 minutes of swimming he jumped on a ship to eat and rode it most of the way to the other side. They made swimming the channel
The holy grail of swimming
Boyton inflatable dress. 1875. Looked like a giant porpoise as he floated across. 24 hours.
To Web, boytons crossing was an embarrassment
Swimming the channel would be his undoing; 1883 while trying to swim across Niagara current near Falls, swept away and died
Chapter 7
1918, first lesson.
Trudy, Meg and Helen . 30 feet long. Not very deep. Very hot in the room.
The crawl (freestyle)
Luigi Hanley (from Italy) - would teach them the crawl
1896, age 22, came to USA
1904 Olympics water polo
Chapter 9
1919 Charlotte Boyle and one other swimmer arrested for taking stockings off at beach (skirts still went to knee; not allowed to wear anything less than)
Chapter 10
Wolfe - bagpiper . 1908 (1/4 miles off coast); not strong enough to overtake tide . Failed at least 22 times maybe 40
Burgess- study tides. Wax in ears. Googles. Cap. Cover body for protection(chaffing and cuts) and from climate . Made it 22 hours; sea sickness
Chapter 11 goals
Play transformed
Chapter 12 rivals
Place made to train swimmers in France for 2 months.
Make 1000 pounds to cross
3 other people crossed . 16 hours
Chapter 13 records
End:
Crossed in 14 hours. Felt good the whole time. Burgess wanted to take her out but she had told her dad and sister not to let anyone touch her unless she said so
Not too long after her crossing another women crossed (she gave them the confidence that they could)
Hearing even worse
My notes:
Mother- Gertrude. 2 older sisters, Helen, Meg
A couple brothers
1918 Trudy as a child
Measles at age 6. Got an ear infection and lost some of her hearing.
Young womens swimming association
(Very few people knew how to swim back then. And even less women; immoral to take some clothes off to swim)
Epi - not intimidated by men. 1914 aau trying to suppress women in sports . 1916, James Sullivan died (he didn’t want to have women in sports). Epstein wrote to The NY Times to have women in sports/swimming. Health, physical recreation and improvement
WSA looked for women swimmers
Trudy watched wsa events. Diving
Katherine brown. 7 years old. (Taught breast stroke by her dad when he was 2.5 years.) American crawl.
Then said could pay for swim lessons.
Chapter 6
At age 12, loved the book about Matthew web, first man to swim English Channel. From Dover in 1875. 20 hours.
(April 28, 1873 merchant service but went in water to help someone overboard in freezing waters and ended up swimming a mile and he realized he could swim)
JB Johnson in 1872 was bet he couldn’t swim English Channel for $1000. After 65 minutes of swimming he jumped on a ship to eat and rode it most of the way to the other side. They made swimming the channel
The holy grail of swimming
Boyton inflatable dress. 1875. Looked like a giant porpoise as he floated across. 24 hours.
To Web, boytons crossing was an embarrassment
Swimming the channel would be his undoing; 1883 while trying to swim across Niagara current near Falls, swept away and died
Chapter 7
1918, first lesson.
Trudy, Meg and Helen . 30 feet long. Not very deep. Very hot in the room.
The crawl (freestyle)
Luigi Hanley (from Italy) - would teach them the crawl
1896, age 22, came to USA
1904 Olympics water polo
Chapter 9
1919 Charlotte Boyle and one other swimmer arrested for taking stockings off at beach (skirts still went to knee; not allowed to wear anything less than)
Chapter 10
Wolfe - bagpiper . 1908 (1/4 miles off coast); not strong enough to overtake tide . Failed at least 22 times maybe 40
Burgess- study tides. Wax in ears. Googles. Cap. Cover body for protection(chaffing and cuts) and from climate . Made it 22 hours; sea sickness
Chapter 11 goals
Play transformed
Chapter 12 rivals
Place made to train swimmers in France for 2 months.
Make 1000 pounds to cross
3 other people crossed . 16 hours
Chapter 13 records
End:
Crossed in 14 hours. Felt good the whole time. Burgess wanted to take her out but she had told her dad and sister not to let anyone touch her unless she said so
Not too long after her crossing another women crossed (she gave them the confidence that they could)
Hearing even worse
January 25, 2021
A bit flowery and sensational in the telling, but overall, a really good reading experience. It was quite intimidating, as Stout really captures the insane difficulty of swimming the Channel. I had to keep reminding myself that the early swimmers were doing breaststroke in wool swimsuits. (Which backfired a bit as it turns out that most of the men and some of the women would ditch their suits once they were out to sea. And on her successful crossing, Trudy Ederle actually invented a two-piece and sewed it out of silk. She also had goggles made from road goggles - sealed internally with candle wax and sealed to her face with lanolin (I think it was lanolin). The author lamented on her behalf that she never capitalized on the bikini idea, and I had to grin a bit that being the first woman to swim the English Channel was not enough.
I am pretty steeped in Channel lore at this point, but I had never heard that it was possible that Ederle had been poisoned by her Channel coach on her first attempt. This story alone was really interesting (although all but unverifiable at this point). The coach was a Scot who had attempted the Channel himself more than 20 times and had never made it. He had financial incentives to prevent her from succeeding, and he was the only person in charge of her food. She became disoriented in a very weird way in the water and proceeded to sleep for 18 hours after being pulled out (the coach was also the one who ordered her pulled out). There are alternative explanations for this, but the effects were completely different from any of her other experiences in the water. The politics of women’s swimming dictated that she not make these charges public, so we’ll never know for sure.
Although the prose was a bit purple for my taste, I enjoyed the far-ranging background in this book more than I expected to. Understanding the history of women’s swimming (and especially the importance of events like a boat fire that needlessly killed hundreds of women simply because they couldn’t swim 10 yards) and the history of how the Channel was formed are not at all necessary but they did indeed complement the story of this woman’s amazing achievement.
I’m left with a sad taste in my mouth due to the focus at the end of the book on how she failed to garner the financial windfall that you could consider her due (and I’m even more bothered by the reports of her being driven to nervous breakdown by the fame she received… without the protection that should have gone with it). I remind myself that that all makes a good story… but Trudy Ederle loved the ocean above all else. I hope that on the inside she was happy about her accomplishment.
There will be no ticker-tape parade for me if I manage the feat, and I will spend money rather than earn it, but to quote Trudy Ederle when told to get out of the water because others thought that the sea was too rough for her - “What for?” Perhaps my version is, when asked why I plan to swim the Channel - “Why not?”
I am pretty steeped in Channel lore at this point, but I had never heard that it was possible that Ederle had been poisoned by her Channel coach on her first attempt. This story alone was really interesting (although all but unverifiable at this point). The coach was a Scot who had attempted the Channel himself more than 20 times and had never made it. He had financial incentives to prevent her from succeeding, and he was the only person in charge of her food. She became disoriented in a very weird way in the water and proceeded to sleep for 18 hours after being pulled out (the coach was also the one who ordered her pulled out). There are alternative explanations for this, but the effects were completely different from any of her other experiences in the water. The politics of women’s swimming dictated that she not make these charges public, so we’ll never know for sure.
Although the prose was a bit purple for my taste, I enjoyed the far-ranging background in this book more than I expected to. Understanding the history of women’s swimming (and especially the importance of events like a boat fire that needlessly killed hundreds of women simply because they couldn’t swim 10 yards) and the history of how the Channel was formed are not at all necessary but they did indeed complement the story of this woman’s amazing achievement.
I’m left with a sad taste in my mouth due to the focus at the end of the book on how she failed to garner the financial windfall that you could consider her due (and I’m even more bothered by the reports of her being driven to nervous breakdown by the fame she received… without the protection that should have gone with it). I remind myself that that all makes a good story… but Trudy Ederle loved the ocean above all else. I hope that on the inside she was happy about her accomplishment.
There will be no ticker-tape parade for me if I manage the feat, and I will spend money rather than earn it, but to quote Trudy Ederle when told to get out of the water because others thought that the sea was too rough for her - “What for?” Perhaps my version is, when asked why I plan to swim the Channel - “Why not?”
February 23, 2025
This was an amazing story of resilience, courage, and love for competition.
I learned so much while reading this book! By the end, I felt like I knew Trudy and I was cheering her on during her swim across the English Channel as well as sympathizing with her during her first attempt and her experience in the wake of her fame. Trudy was a remarkable role model for all athletes and I am proud to follow in her footsteps (not as a channel swimmer) but as a women athlete who is willing to challenge myself in ways that seem impossible at first.
I was shocked a few time by how her success was commercialized and how it became more about money for her father. Also, I was shocked by the treatment of her first coach/trainer. The one person I felt encouraged her the most was Meg, she was the support and confidence that Trudy needed along the way.
The first chapter was hard to read. Learning about the Sloclun tragedy was very sad. I was not expecting for it to impact me in the way it did. But it set the stage for how important swimming was and how most women and children at the time did not have the luxury of learning the skill. I honestly took the skill for granted as I was taught how to swim as a child.
The women’s history aspect of this book was done so well. I also liked learning the history of the stroke itself, however, the history of the English Channel was written from an evolution perspective.
Trudy encouraged me to never give up when learning a new skill. She encouraged me to find enjoyment in the art of a sport and to never let competition take away the joy of doing what you love best. There were other important figures that I also found their stories interesting and inspired me to do some research of my own. I am so grateful I was loaned this book by the lifeguard at my local pool!
It has impacted my life and how I approach teaching myself how to be a stronger swimmer. I was truly amazed at learning of the many attempts to cross the channel. God made the human body so capable to do amazing things!
I learned so much while reading this book! By the end, I felt like I knew Trudy and I was cheering her on during her swim across the English Channel as well as sympathizing with her during her first attempt and her experience in the wake of her fame. Trudy was a remarkable role model for all athletes and I am proud to follow in her footsteps (not as a channel swimmer) but as a women athlete who is willing to challenge myself in ways that seem impossible at first.
I was shocked a few time by how her success was commercialized and how it became more about money for her father. Also, I was shocked by the treatment of her first coach/trainer. The one person I felt encouraged her the most was Meg, she was the support and confidence that Trudy needed along the way.
The first chapter was hard to read. Learning about the Sloclun tragedy was very sad. I was not expecting for it to impact me in the way it did. But it set the stage for how important swimming was and how most women and children at the time did not have the luxury of learning the skill. I honestly took the skill for granted as I was taught how to swim as a child.
The women’s history aspect of this book was done so well. I also liked learning the history of the stroke itself, however, the history of the English Channel was written from an evolution perspective.
Trudy encouraged me to never give up when learning a new skill. She encouraged me to find enjoyment in the art of a sport and to never let competition take away the joy of doing what you love best. There were other important figures that I also found their stories interesting and inspired me to do some research of my own. I am so grateful I was loaned this book by the lifeguard at my local pool!
It has impacted my life and how I approach teaching myself how to be a stronger swimmer. I was truly amazed at learning of the many attempts to cross the channel. God made the human body so capable to do amazing things!
October 3, 2024
YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEA, an amazing book written by fellow Hilliard High School Class of 76 classmate, Glenn Stout, is a fast paced book that you can't put down. Every page carries you deeper into the life and adventure of Trudy Ederle, leading her to become the first woman in history to successfully swim and navigate the English Channel... and she was an American!!!!
This story takes you through her childhood in the early 1900's experiencing measles at a time when no drugs or vaccines were available to treat this often fatal disease, yet she is strong and rises above the challenge. This seems to become her mantra in life. She faces obstacles from a society that forbids females to swim due to modesty laws, a father determined to be the decision maker for everyone in the family and health issues. Still, she faces these challenges with determination and grit. Many of the challenges she faced were caused by the men who stood in her way, but she was not deterred and at just 20 years of age, she was able to do was only a handful of men had accomplished...she successfully swam the English Channel.
This book is an inspiration to all, especially to the women of the world who are tired of being told by others what they can and cannot do. It's a book that leaves you, whether male or female, feeling empowered and inspired to follow that dream deep inside of you. You will NEVER succeed if you don't try and try often. I have both the electronic book as well as the audiobook. I have also seen the movie produced for DISNEY STUDIOS and is currently available to watch on DISNEY PLUS OR HULU. Please, give yourself a great gift and buy a version of this book, stream and enjoy the movie. Be amazed at one so young who followed her dream, fought every fight with grace and determination and finally succeeded in claiming her reward. She achieved what most thought was impossible. It's the best "feel good" story of 2024!
This story takes you through her childhood in the early 1900's experiencing measles at a time when no drugs or vaccines were available to treat this often fatal disease, yet she is strong and rises above the challenge. This seems to become her mantra in life. She faces obstacles from a society that forbids females to swim due to modesty laws, a father determined to be the decision maker for everyone in the family and health issues. Still, she faces these challenges with determination and grit. Many of the challenges she faced were caused by the men who stood in her way, but she was not deterred and at just 20 years of age, she was able to do was only a handful of men had accomplished...she successfully swam the English Channel.
This book is an inspiration to all, especially to the women of the world who are tired of being told by others what they can and cannot do. It's a book that leaves you, whether male or female, feeling empowered and inspired to follow that dream deep inside of you. You will NEVER succeed if you don't try and try often. I have both the electronic book as well as the audiobook. I have also seen the movie produced for DISNEY STUDIOS and is currently available to watch on DISNEY PLUS OR HULU. Please, give yourself a great gift and buy a version of this book, stream and enjoy the movie. Be amazed at one so young who followed her dream, fought every fight with grace and determination and finally succeeded in claiming her reward. She achieved what most thought was impossible. It's the best "feel good" story of 2024!
August 8, 2024
This book was inspiring. Trudy always wanted to be a swimmer, but back then swimming for women was improper. When a ship wreak happens Trudy’s mother decided that Trudy and her sisters would learn how to swim. Soon Trudy breaks World Records and becomes the best swimmer in the world. Trudy’s career starts to fall as she becomes out of shape. Trudy decides she wants to swim the English Channel. She trains and trains , but after a few hour in The English Channel Trudy was touched and taken out of the water from being poisoned by her trainer. Trudy’s second try of crossing was when she successfully crossed the English Channel. She became the first woman and sixth person to cross the channel. Trudy beat the men’s record by over two hours while she crossed the channel in fourteen hours and thirty one minutes. Trudy shows that women can do anything, and that our gender or sex is not weak!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2024
Years ago, I read Lynne Cox' memoir Swimming To Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer, after reading her encounter with a gray whale in Grayson. She swam the English Channel in record time in 1972. I did not know that Trudy Ederle was the first woman to complete the swim across the English channel in 1926, until I saw the Disney movie adapted from this book. I really enjoyed the movie, but the book was even better.
October 7, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this book. 3.5 I loved the movie and was fascinated that I had never heard of Trudy before. This book helped me understand the reasoning behind that, did a great job of covering her amazing feat and outlining what that did for women's sports. There are so many little known inspiring stories throughout history. I love learning about them! The author did a great job with the information available. I was left wishing I had more just about Trudy that she had written herself. After such a feat and learning of the tiring intrusions on her life shortly after her accomplishment, I respect her decision to rest in anonymity and am thankful that Glenn Stout decided to write about her and for the movie so that I could learn about her and her amazing accomplishments.
December 4, 2024
3.5 stars. I learned A LOT about swimming and how Trudy's accomplishment was a huge win for women's sports. Six men swam the channel before her, and Trudy's time was TWO HOURS faster than the fastest of them. But primarily, no one believed a woman could do it. It was a long book, so a bit TOO much detail about swimming and the channel. But the writing was so good when the author detailed her actual swim. I didn't remember from the movie that she was almost deaf, which I think added to her mental ability to go into herself and swim like that for hours. I hated how her father and manager tried to use her success to make money but didn't do a very good job of it, and she was just a pawn, doing whatever they told her to do.
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