Swimming with the Viking of Skye: A true story of overcoming fear and finding hope for the future

by Richard Waters

256 pages, Hardcover

Published April 15, 2025

Reviews

[Ganesh Subramanian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's a rephrased version of your text, focusing on cohesiveness and grammatical accuracy:

This beautiful and deeply moving book primarily explores Skye, Scotland, a place the author frequently visits. It masterfully weaves together three distinct, yet interconnected, narrative threads.

### A Personal Journey Through Grief and Illness

Firstly, the book is a poignant autobiography. The author shares his struggles after being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and, concurrently, learning that his three-year-old daughter is succumbing to an incurable and unidentified neurological disease that is progressively damaging her brain.

### A Captivating Travelogue of Skye

Secondly, it serves as a captivating travelogue, showcasing the author's expertise and professional insights into Skye, a stunning and remote island in northern Scotland. The descriptions of Skye are so vivid and awe-inspiring that they evoke an immediate desire to experience its beauty firsthand.

### Stoicism Demystified

Finally, the book provides a clear and accessible explanation of Stoicism, presenting its true meaning in simple terms, free from the often-intimidating jargon typically associated with the philosophy.

### Interweaving Threads of Solace and Inspiration

These three threads are expertly interwoven, allowing the reader to intimately feel the anguish of a parent watching his daughter slowly fade, all while grappling with the challenges of advancing Parkinson's. Amidst these profound difficulties, the author finds solace in Skye's pristine mountains, turquoise waters, and breathtaking beauty. This natural sanctuary offers temporary relief from his PD symptoms and provides a profound context for understanding and embracing Stoicism.

Overall, this is a highly enjoyable and impactful book—a true keeper for your bookshelf. It's one you'll likely revisit during difficult times to find inspiration and perspective.

Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing a copy of this book for review. The opinions expressed herein are my own.

[Sarah Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Swimming with the Viking of Skye by Richard Waters was not quite what I expected. I thought it would be more of a guide book to wild swimming but instead found it a beautifully written memoir of one man’s journey with Parkinson’s. I found this a very thought provoking read, one which made me wonder how I would cope with such a diagnosis. Waters is very stoic in his outlook and offers his thoughts on how he coped with the changes that his Parkinson’s brought. I loved the description of Skye, of Water’s relationship with his son and daughter and that of his friend. He shows how the benefits of wild swimming and of being in nature can help. Personally I read this at the right time, I was feeling pretty sad and sorry for myself but Water’s positive thinking and outlook has made me re-evaluate my own circumstances and attempt to help myself and act for myself.

[I Read, Therefore I Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Richard Waters is an award-winning travel and sports writer. This very personal book is part memoir, part self-help guidance that looks at how cold water swimming and a stoic attitude helped him to come to terms with two life-changing events. Unfortunately it lacks the self-reflectiveness and raw honesty to succeed as a memoir and lacks the general life advice to work as self-help, which is a shame as the descriptions of nature are excellent.

[Jennifer Paterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved every inch of this book, which I bought while holidaying in Skye and completed while in Skye. I felt fully emerged in the book and has given me a lot of food for thought. Beautifully written.