Swimming Pretty: The Untold Story of Women in Water

by Vicki Valosik

From vaudeville tank shows to the Olympic arena, a groundbreaking history of how women found synchronicity―and power―in water. “If you’re not strong enough to swim fast, you’re probably not strong enough to swim ‘pretty,’” said a young Esther Williams to impresario Billy Rose. Since the nineteenth century, tensions between beauty and strength, aesthetics and athleticism have both impeded and propelled the careers of female swimmers―none more so than synchronized swimmers, for whom Williams is considered godmother. In this deeply researched history, Vicki Valosik traces a century of aquatic performance for the first time, from Victorian variety theater and carnival shows to the 1984 elevation of synchronized swimming to Olympic status. Writing in eloquent prose, Valosik shows how early starlets like Lurline the Water Queen and Annette Kellerman boldly challenged restrictive codes set for women in water; more than just bathing beauties, they influenced lifesaving and physical-education programs, dropped national drowning rates, and paved the way for new generations of female swimming athletes. Brimming with reverence and mesmerizing detail, Swimming Pretty finally foregrounds an essential American sport. 60 black-and-white illustrations

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, History, Audiobook, Womens, Feminism

432 pages, Hardcover

Published June 25, 2024

Reviews

[Nightwitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really delightful history of synchronized swimming (or, as it is now termed, "artistic swimming") which begins with Benjamin Franklin's experiments in swimming and continues through to the present day. Of necessity it's as much a history of swimmers as it is of synchronized swimming, and Valosik spends a ton of time in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as women fought to be allowed to swim at all - somehow it's not easy to disport oneself gracefully in water when wearing an ankle-length wool outfit "for modesty." Valosik clearly did a ton of research, pulling together information on early Victorian "water queens" (women who made a living paddling around in tanks of water for the delectation of viewers), early women speed and distance swimmers, women divers, women's fight to get physical education approved in colleges, etc., and her writing is easy to follow and engaging.

Personally, I haven't been a swimmer since my high school days, but watching the last Olympics I was mesmerized by the artistic swimmers: talk about "backwards and in high heels" - "rhythmic gymnastics mostly underwater" takes athletic challenge to a whole new level. Valosik writes with an appreciation for what the sport requires and what it took for the men and women whose history she chronicles to move it forward as a sport and a recreational activity both.

I received an ARC of this book for free, but opinions are my own.

[Thea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting, thorough, and eye-opening. It makes me long for the days of themed water pageants with funny head pieces.

[Janet Synchro · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than a history of artistic/synchronized swimming, Swimming Pretty is a history of women’s participation in sports and more. It’s my favourite kind of history, one that focuses on a particular aspect of life to show how roles have changed and how things we take for granted, like water safety, developed. It’s well written and some of the material is surprising, like the chapter on Esther Williams how big a star she was, even though she didn’t have those aspirations.

[Reagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

finding out swimming played a role in women's suffrage was not on my 2025 bingo card - this was super interesting to learn about. would've liked some more intersectionality on race, felt like the little tid bits thrown in there were added after the final draft was already made

[Maggie Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy cow another history that schooled me in this I never even wondered about but in all the best ways. Non-fiction unique histories continue to be a blast and I have zero plans of stopping anytime soon. So much respect for these athletes that I, myself, snickered at previously.

Petty complained but with all the work of this book letting it release so shy of the 2024 Olympics was a huge miss. Even waiting another 6 months in publishing to get these most recent competitions included in the book would have been even more amazing. Loved the photographs and diagrams throughout that helped me grasp some of the content.

[Marie-France · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is divided into ten chapters, as follows: Science, Stage, Stardom, Safety, Slideshow, Sport, Synching Up, Spectacle, Silver Screen, and Swimming Synchronized.

I enjoyed the chapters on the history of swimming lessons and the development of the sport of synchronized swimming the most. The chapters on the vaudeville and movie performances weren’t my favourite, but they were equally well-written so I think it’s just a matter of personal preference.

The book is well-organized for the most part, but I occasionally had some issues keeping track of the timeline and the names of the people referenced. Nevertheless, the book was very well-researched and I thought that the inclusion of some photos throughout was a nice added touch.

Thank you to Liveright and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

To think that the world just didn't swim for eons (religious reasons...) To think that they thought women couldn't save people. Womens swimming paved road to all women competing in all sports. ESTHER WILLIAMS you goddess. Really well researched. Will be swimming with flair now. CANT BELIEVE THEY THOUGHT WOMEN SHOULD NOT LETTER, COMPETE AND BE IN SPORTS...read this and be a total water queen

[Ashton E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was exactly what I was hoping for when I picked it up. It was a little longer than I wanted but also very thorough. It was amazing reading about the progression of women’s swimming and the major sexist set backs that had to happen in order for women to move forward with being allowed to swim.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit slow at times, this was a comprehensive coverage of the history of women in swimming at the beginning of popularity to today’s synchro. The beginning was a lot of stories I already knew, but the middle had more unique text, and I wish I hadn’t lost some steam by the last chapter that would have been my favorite if I had not been a bit fatigued! This feels like a true labour of love.

[Shelby]

Book club - August

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up as a recommendation during the 2024 summer Olympics. This was a very interesting read about the history of swimming, women’s athletics and more.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love niche history books

[HENDRIKA DEVRIES · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review:
Swimming Pretty: The Untold Story of Women in Water.
A riveting celebration of women’s strength, grace and resilience in the water, this compelling book goes far beyond the poolside, offering a rich tapestry of history, anecdotes, and social commentary that illuminates the evolution of women in swimming––and, by extension, women’s fight to be recognized as both strong and beautiful. At its core, Swimming Pretty is a tribute to the resilience and determination of women who have challenged societal norms, pushing boundaries to prove that athletic strength and aesthetic grace are not mutually exclusive. Valosik masterfully traces the journey of synchronized swimming––from its roots as a vaudeville spectacle to its current status as a recognized Olympic sport––highlighting the political and social tensions faced along the way. The book reveals how societal perceptions have grappled with accepting women’s athletic prowess, often subjecting them to restrictive dress codes, gender stereotypes, and outdated notions of femininity.
My personal connection to this story began in the 1950s when I was a competitive ocean swimmer and a state breaststroke and butterfly champion in South Australia. When a troupe of synchronized swimmers, famously called the Follies, visited my town I was eager to join. But stepping into their practice opened my eyes to the incredible strength, coordination, and teamwork required––elements I had not fully appreciated before. Watching these women execute leaps, dives, and intricate formations in their delicate flowered caps was both humbling and exhilarating. It challenged my notions of what femininity in sport could be and deepened my respect for these aquatic ballet dancers.
Swimming Pretty isn’t just a history book; it is a lively, sometimes maddening account of society’s control over women’s bodies and the often-absurd rules governing bathing suits, gender roles, and societal expectations. Valosik’s meticulous research, paired with engaging anecdotes–like Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman’s 1909 advice to women to “eat more fish and vegetables” and “get out and swim!” brings the story vividly to life. You will also learn about Hollywood star Esther Wiliams, whose glamour and charisma helped popularize synchronized swimming, and how the sport’s recent inclusion in the Paris Olympics signifies a long-overdue recognition of inclusivity and artistic athleticism in the water.
This book is a rallying cry for every young girl with dreams of athletic achievement. Swimming Pretty encourages us to see strength and beauty as allies, not opposites. It is a reminder that the fight for acceptance and equality continues––and that the water has always been a place where women can express themselves fully.
Review by Hendrika de Vries, author of OPEN TURNS: From Dutch Girl to New Australian.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a delightful (if often also sometimes infuriating) account of “women in water”—specifically, the origins and evolution of synchronized/artistic swimming. The infuriating part comes down to the men who, for the past century and a half or so, repeatedly denied talented and ambitious women the opportunity to fully engage in the sport they loved: swimming.

As this book recounts, artistic swimming was not just an evolution of vaudeville entertainment acts from the turn of the last century, it was also one of the only routes for outstanding female swimmers to pursue opportunities for competition and performance—because regular speed swimming was considered unladylike and even dangerous for women. I laughed out loud when I read that it was once thought women wouldn’t be able to safely swim farther than 300 meters, but it also made me very angry on behalf of women in the past (as did the lengthy saga of what women were allowed to wear while swimming).

I was especially fascinated by the accounts of the huge aquatic shows from early and mid-20th century, particularly at the New York Hippodrome, a variety theater that took up an entire block:

“The 60-foot stage apron, which curved out into the orcheestra, could be lowered to create a tank 14 feet deep that was filled from spillways under the stage wings. It was equipped with pumpts that could handle 150,000 gallons of water per minute to generate ocean waves, rainstorms, or gushing waterfalls.”

I couldn’t imagine what this was like and found myself really wishing I had been able to witness the groundbreaking Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman performing there. As luck would have it, the equally amazing Esther Williams played Kellerman in “Million Dollar Mermaid”, a 1952 biopic of Kellerman which recreates the Hippodrome act. I was in awe watching it—and horrified, too, knowing that Williams actually broke her neck while performing the high-dive scene in the film. “Swimming pretty” has never been a gentle venture, and women have always been tough as nails.

[Grace Scully · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super informative - some parts very interesting, others pretty dense. I love reading about swimming in all its forms. The quotes from the early synchronized swimming trailblazers, especially those that reveal their attitudes toward the sexism they faced, and the last chapter + epilogue on the more recent trajectory of the sport, were my favorite sections to read. (The multiple sections devoted to the show business of swimming lost me from time to time.) Too many men tried to keep women out of the water, and continue to downplay their accomplishments in it, choosing instead to prioritize and focus on female beauty. Valosik did an excellent job of highlighting the extreme odds this sport, and all of the women who practice it, have overcome. Every woman should have the chance to discover the joy and freedom of water.

"Agnes Beckwith on multiple occasions cited her goal in her endurance swims as showing that women could do whatever men - the "so-called 'Lords of Creation'" - could do." (65)

"[Annette Kellerman] argued that "if more girls would swim and dance and care for athletics instead of rushing into matrimony as the only joy in the world, there'd be fewer divorces."" (84)

"Diver Thelma Payne told Grimes that she "attributes her success entirely to feminism," explaining that the first time she tried to do a one-and-a-half backward somersault dive, she almost chickened out on the springboard. But then she "thought of that haughty creature, man," and decided if he could do it, so could she." (170)

"Mr. Rose, if you're not strong enough to swim fast, you're probably not strong enough to swim 'pretty.'" (237)

"When asked who her favorite leading man was, Williams often answered, "the water," which she saw as her real costar." (271)

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Swimming Pretty gives the reader a rather comprehensive look at the history of women in swimming and all the different forms that it has taken over the years. The early chapters focus mainly on the barriers that women encountered just trying to learn how to swim, whether that be due to the lack of facilities for women, the bathing costumes encouraging drowning rather than swimming, or the idea that women were too delicate to exert themselves in the water. The irony was that people loved to watch women perform in aquatic acts and the popularity of these acts meant that eventually it was easier for women to learn to swim. The book traces the history of swimming for performance whether that be ornamental swimming or on the silver screen. Finally, in the last few chapters readers get to learn about the fight to get synchronized swimming, now artistic swimming, recognized as an Olympic sport.

I grew up swimming competitively and dabbled in some synchro when I was a kid, so I thought I would enjoy this book more than I did. The early chapters felt like they all blurred together with the various iterations of swimming for performance, struggles with swimsuits, and a lot of names and dates being thrown at you. The chapters felt quite repetitive and I think if they had been more organized around themes rather than chronology they could have been better. I did enjoy the later chapters about Esther Williams and the Olympics much more because they felt like they had a stronger narrative. If anyone is looking for facts about women swimming for performance, this would be the book for them.

Thanks to W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exploring the history of swimming and of women’s relationship with aquatic sports and leisure time, Vicki Valosik brings this overlooked sporting realm to life in this fantastic book. Exploring a century of women’s swimming in Europe and North America, Valosik’s book draws on fascinating documentation to create a picture of the sport and how it fits into a larger narrative of women’s athletics. Including famous names like Esther Williams and Gertrude Ederle, this book tracks the individual and professional development of women’s aquatic sports, with an emphasis on competition, performance, and, eventually, synchronized swimming. This comprehensive history of women swimmers and the evolution of the performative aspect of women’s swimming is a fascinating exploration into the sport and its history particularly in the months leading up to the fortieth anniversary of synchronized swimming’s rise to the Olympics and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. With a clear and engaging prose style concisely breaking down the relevant documents, Valosik also includes some incredible visual aids representing the growth of the sport from the technical and instructor’s perspectives, allowing the reader to visualize this performative sport. An informative, engaging, and detailed read, fans of women’s sports and the histories of women athletes are sure to enjoy this deep dive into women’s aquatic sports history.

Thanks to NetGalley, W.W. Norton & Company, and Liveright for the advance copy.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detailed dive into the history of synchronized swimming from show biz to the Olympics. Hard to imagine the huge travelling circus and vaudeville tanks w show girl/swimmers entertaining massive audiences.

Although “the foundational movements of synchronized swimming… originated w men… as a way to demonstrate their aquatic prowess.” The feminization of swimming began in earnest as an acceptable activity for women. It was also considered a safety issue as more women learned to swim, less drowned. It required skimpier and skimpier bathing attire to accommodate the needs of the swimmers and the interest of the audiences. Synchronized swimmers traditionally made their exertions seems effortless which made it seem less of a hardcore sport.

“Just imagine having the lung power of a long-distance runner, the leg strength of a water polo player…, the grace and rhythm of a ballet dancer…, and a gymnast performing a whole floor exercise underwater holding your breath.” “And then… she must do this all in perfect synchronization w a partner….” Esther Williams

The US had dominated the sport until the 2000 Olympics, when it became an international sport.

[Misti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I’m at the library, I love to browse the “mind benders” section to see what kind of fun books are there. I’m not all that interested in swimming, but evidently I really wanted to read about the history of synchronized (or artistic) swimming. It’s starts with a history of swimming and moves on to swimming for women, including all the sex discrimination, etc women faced. Some page time is also spent on racial discrimination, but not much. Swimming was only approved as a sport early on because it was “feminine”. The book goes through the evolution of swimming as a carnival act, to the movies, to the olympics. I grew up with Esther Williams movies and the beginning of the book has a story where Esther was auditioning for a show and was told by the director that he “didn’t want fast, he wanted pretty”. Esther said “if you’re not strong enough to swim fast, you’re probably not strong enough to swim pretty”. The middle of the book was a bit slow, but otherwise it was well written and kept my interest.

[hideTurtle (aka Clinically Bookish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If you're not strong enough to swim fast, you're probably not strong enough to swim 'pretty'."
--Esther Williams

This was an off-the-cuff choice. I think I was seduced by the pretty cover.

But as it turns out, it was pretty interesting. Gives a great overview of the history of women and swimming, and how that morphed into what we know today as Artistic (formerly Synchronized) Swimming. Everything from women's exclusion from the activity (to the point of life-endangerment) to their critical role with organizations like the Red Cross (to the point of life-saving), to the evolution of the swimsuit from the impractical to the glamorous, to the development of carnival/circus acts featuring bathing beauties doing swimming and diving tricks, to pioneers like Annette Kellermann, who was the first woman to appear in a film that featured swimming and diving and paved the way for Esther Williams. The book rounds out very nicely with the development of the sport as an Olympic event.

(3.5 rounded up)

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swimming Pretty is a delight to read, telling the surprisingly exciting history of synchronized swimming from its earliest forms all the way through artistic swimming as a competitive Olympic sport today. The author (who I swim with on my synchronized swimming team!) does an amazing job of covering a broad and varied timeline while also exploring the details that make the story interesting. It's got founding fathers, Hollywood flair, and tales of extreme athleticism - what more can you want?

I've been a synchronized swimmer for almost 20 years and, while reading this book, I was constantly wondering "how did I not know that?" I have a new appreciation for my sport and the efforts that went into getting it to where it is today, and feel prouder than ever to be a part of it.

I think anyone who reads this will be entertained, surprised, and impressed by synchronized swimmers throughout history, and I cannot recommend it enough.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up with a sense of "could be interesting, could be too niche and inside baseball for me." Happily it's very, very interesting.
Swimming and knowing how to swim is routine today. For a long time that wasn't the case — in Colonial days Ben Franklin was considered almost a superhuman mutant for being able to swim well. In a country where lots of travel was by water, swimming became useful to save lives in case of accident; in the 1800s society conceded that applied to women too. And despite the heavy bathing outfits and other issues, women liked it (it was one sport you could be strong and yet graceful in). That led eventually to swimming pretty as entertainment, and then later as one of the few sports acceptable for women to compete in. The book ends by showing how swimming pretty/natation/aquaballet/scientific swimming/synchronized swimming finally proved itself as an Olympic sport.
This works as a sports history, women's history and just a cool history.

[Brooke Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting perspective on swimming history that I had never thought of before - synchronized swimming, but also swimming as performance as opposed to swimming as speed competition. It had me looking up clips on YouTube left and right and that's always really fun! The misogyny of the history of all this is a little mind blowing, and it's interesting to watch the sport evolve. It's a fun read.

Also, this is book is paired very well with _Young Woman and the Sea,_ by Glenn Stout, which is the story of the first woman to swim the English Channel and includes a lot of swimming history as well. The two books cover some of the same ground but discuss it from different perspectives, which is fantastic.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loads of information about women swimmers. The, attention to being modest, swimming attire of women’s past was more likely to drown her with its cumbersome layers and water-weight.
Keeping women fragile and helpless beings seems to be a theme that men tried to maintain. (History repeats this even today with some political groups, cults, and religions)

Personal note:
When I was a teenager in South Carolina, my Baptist church did not allow “mixed bathing” in swimsuits. The female teens were required to wear jeans and sweatshirts so that we didn’t create evil sexual thoughts in the males.
I actually attempted to learn to water ski in this ridiculous attire

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to give this 3.5 stars. There is so much interesting history in this book and so many connections made between what I had known before as singular stories (Gertrude Ederle crossing the English Channel, Ester Williams in the movies) and big picture progress (the evolution of swimming in the Olympics, the evolution of women's swimwear). The level of detail, however, frequently bogged me down and made it a little hard to follow. The last section about modern synchronized swimming was particularly detail-laden and my interest waned. But overall, I would recommend this for anyone interested in swimming and/or women's athletics. Super interesting!

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is a masters synchronized swimmer who out of curiosity went to a class at her local pool where she discovered swimmers several decades older than she, who taught her the fundamental body positions and propulsion techniques of synchronized swimming. The central question of the resulting book is “Are we athletes first or are we performers? Is what we are doing a sport or is it entertainment?” I had only known of Esther Williams before reading this book. I learned that Williams was preceded and followed by a long line of skilled and talented women. A very well researched and informative book about this Olympic sport and how it all began.
Highly recommended!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - lots of interesting information about a niche topic - synchronized swimming - I only knew a little about. I saw this book on a couple end of year lists and thought it seemed like something I’d enjoy. Valosik’s writing is clear and straightforward. Her experience as a recreational synchro swimmer herself aided in conveying the sport’s varied and challenging elements to readers. I particularly liked reading about the 1920s-1950s period where huge swimming spectaculars were frequently held at fairs, amusement parks, and swanky hotels, and were showcased as featured performances in movies.

[Susie Schnall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. The research Vicki did is extensive and it shows on every page. It’s amazing to me how the evolution of women swimming followed a parallel path to women in sport in general and women in society. There are so many fascinating tidbits in this book too that I just loved: the “bathing suit machine” from the Victorian era and the “Esther Williams trophy” story that men in the navy literally battled for. Really fascinating book - highly recommend. And so timely with the Paris Olympics this summer.

[Carie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I did enjoy this, but gosh it is a LOT of history of the sport. Even to the point where the author details how many point one team scores of others in recent Olympics. I mostly enjoyed the early history of the sport. While I was a competitor swimmer mostly, I did a bit of synchro as a kid at the summer pool we belonged to, and also in a synchro club in college, so it was a fun trip down memory lane to some extent. It was fun, but just as stated in the book, much harder than it looks.
I enjoyed this book, but if you aren't a fan of the water, it might be a tough read for you.

[Niklas Braun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cool story, and it made me interested in artistic swimming! I enjoyed learning not just about this unique sport but also the challenges it faced (hint, always misogyny) along its evolution. Cool to hear about the stars that cultivated it and how they were mega movie stars. I took one star because the book did have a bit of a dragging feeling at parts with maybe too much mundane detail, but I'm adding it back because the narrator (audiobook) is perhaps the clearest and most engaging reader of any non-fic audiobook I've ever heard!