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Annette Kellerman, Australian Mermaid
Champion swimmer, trailblazer and film idol - the adventurous life of our first Hollywood superstar, by the bestselling author of Sister Viv, Mrs Kelly, Hudson Fysh, Banks and Banjo
From the moment she was born in 1886, Annette Kellerman was a force of nature. After a diagnosis of rickets as a young girl she took up swimming, and her extraordinary tenacity and bravery made her an Australian champion, beating boys, breaking records, and astonishing huge crowds by diving from great heights.
At eighteen, Annette had her sights set on swimming the English Channel and challenging endurance records in the Thames, and late in the Seine, Boston Harbour and the Danube - and famously scandalized the public with her one-piece swimming costume, which changed fashion forever and drew legions of women into the water, allowing them to swim freely.
Thrilling audiences on both sides of the Atlantic with her breathtaking vaudeville act, beauty and athleticism, she became famous as 'The Perfect Woman', and Hollywood swiftly embraced her. By 1914 she was a silent film superstar and sex symbol thanks for her risque costumes - and sometimes no costume at all.
Annette's appetite for excitement and thrills was legendary - once flinging herself into a pool of live crocodiles for one film and jumping from the wings of a biplane for another. But she also had a shrewd business mind, lecturing and publishing books about fitness and designing her clothing range, all to help women become healthier, stronger and more beautiful.
Kellerman was one of the highest-paid entertainers of her time and a world-wide celebrity, but despite her fame she saw her promotion of health, fitness and independence for women as her greatest achievement, and her influence and spirit changed the lives of millions.
From the moment she was born in 1886, Annette Kellerman was a force of nature. After a diagnosis of rickets as a young girl she took up swimming, and her extraordinary tenacity and bravery made her an Australian champion, beating boys, breaking records, and astonishing huge crowds by diving from great heights.
At eighteen, Annette had her sights set on swimming the English Channel and challenging endurance records in the Thames, and late in the Seine, Boston Harbour and the Danube - and famously scandalized the public with her one-piece swimming costume, which changed fashion forever and drew legions of women into the water, allowing them to swim freely.
Thrilling audiences on both sides of the Atlantic with her breathtaking vaudeville act, beauty and athleticism, she became famous as 'The Perfect Woman', and Hollywood swiftly embraced her. By 1914 she was a silent film superstar and sex symbol thanks for her risque costumes - and sometimes no costume at all.
Annette's appetite for excitement and thrills was legendary - once flinging herself into a pool of live crocodiles for one film and jumping from the wings of a biplane for another. But she also had a shrewd business mind, lecturing and publishing books about fitness and designing her clothing range, all to help women become healthier, stronger and more beautiful.
Kellerman was one of the highest-paid entertainers of her time and a world-wide celebrity, but despite her fame she saw her promotion of health, fitness and independence for women as her greatest achievement, and her influence and spirit changed the lives of millions.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2025
25 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 5, 2025
Annette Kellerman ~ Australian Mermaid 🧜♀️ by Grantlee Kieza portrays the life of the famous swimmer 🏊♀️ from when she was born in 1886 until the end of her life.
Annette's life began as an Australian Champion swimmer who also became a diver; then later in life lead her onto a career on the dazzling stage and screen all over the World 🌎 and back to Australia.
It was promotions of the first one-piece bathing costume designed by herself and her aptitude of promoting health, publishing advice and stories on etiquette on how to look-after-yourself with healthy food and exercise by swimming and getting plenty of 'fresh air' and sunshine to promote a healthy glow and empower women.
Her mother, Alice was a piano 🎹 teacher and set-up a music school.
Ballet training helped Annette in gaining strength for swimming and Vauderville with acrobats which she was to perform 🎭 later in life.
In the early days Annette caught 'mermaid fever' by swimming in well-known Sydney bathing pools which lead her onto becoming Australia's Mermaid 🧜♀️.
A huge part of her life was diving from huge heights.
Annette became a 'real life' Mermaid 🧜♀️ 🌟 complete with 'shimmering tail' and later on performed in aquariums live with marine creatures.
Annette was an Under Water 💧 Nymph who wanted to show the World what an Australian girl could do.
Annette went onto star in many silent movies 🎬 🎞 🎥 including Venus of the Seas.
I absolutely loved this biography of Annette Kellerman ~ Australian Mermaid 🧜♀️ which Grantlee Kieza has so expertly brought to life.
Highly recommend.
Annette's life began as an Australian Champion swimmer who also became a diver; then later in life lead her onto a career on the dazzling stage and screen all over the World 🌎 and back to Australia.
It was promotions of the first one-piece bathing costume designed by herself and her aptitude of promoting health, publishing advice and stories on etiquette on how to look-after-yourself with healthy food and exercise by swimming and getting plenty of 'fresh air' and sunshine to promote a healthy glow and empower women.
Her mother, Alice was a piano 🎹 teacher and set-up a music school.
Ballet training helped Annette in gaining strength for swimming and Vauderville with acrobats which she was to perform 🎭 later in life.
In the early days Annette caught 'mermaid fever' by swimming in well-known Sydney bathing pools which lead her onto becoming Australia's Mermaid 🧜♀️.
A huge part of her life was diving from huge heights.
Annette became a 'real life' Mermaid 🧜♀️ 🌟 complete with 'shimmering tail' and later on performed in aquariums live with marine creatures.
Annette was an Under Water 💧 Nymph who wanted to show the World what an Australian girl could do.
Annette went onto star in many silent movies 🎬 🎞 🎥 including Venus of the Seas.
I absolutely loved this biography of Annette Kellerman ~ Australian Mermaid 🧜♀️ which Grantlee Kieza has so expertly brought to life.
Highly recommend.
June 21, 2025
I had no idea what an amazing Australian Woman she was.
January 14, 2026
Annette Kellerman was an incredible woman, I found her story captivating to the end. Im astounded by her accomplishments in a time when women were not encouraged to be so strong and independent. Her parents supported her and her life story is enchanting
May 6, 2025
Most enjoyable story about an amazing lady
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2025
Amazing life and amazing story. What an incredible career. She must have been incredibly brave in so many ways. Kieza has a wonderful way of including so much detail into a compellingly told story.
June 21, 2025
Wow! What a gal.
July 31, 2025
3.5 / What a life! Annette was born into a family of go-getters, with a love for performing and a resilience to keep her family afloat. She did so much in her early life, along with her father as her manager, breaking records, attempting feats most would never dream of, all while supporting their family back in Australia.
On the world stage, performing daring diving shows and starring in silent movies, she became known as “The Perfect Woman”. Breaking down barriers and the conventions of the day seemed to come naturally to Annette. Overcoming rickets as a child with the help of swimming as therapy seems to have put her on the path of health and wellness influencing.
Grantlee has written a very detailed account of her achievements and early family life. We learn a little about other sportspeople and their sporting records of the time, but most of the story is written in praise of Annette as a mermaid, movie star icon and health and beauty influencer. Because of this, I feel she is a little one-dimensional. I would have liked to know more about her disappointments, her not having any children, was this by choice or out of her control, and maybe some more personal correspondence quoted would have given me a more rounded experience.
I am glad for the new knowledge of an influential woman in our history and enjoyed thinking about a lot of the places described, a great reminder to think more on history of people and place and be amazed.
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/cu... link for more about Annette Kellerman
Below are a few of my favourites
“Like her mother, Annette would be a precocious and vivacious risk taker who steadfastly defied the stodgy conventions of her time.”
“..but it is to swimming that I feel I owe the great debt.”
“Annette was hailed as a thoroughly modern mermaid, who was doing so much to advance the causal women in a society where they were expected to know their place in a man’s world. It is a day of feminine achievement, one Australian newspaper remarked and there is already a proposition in the air to found an academy for young women where they shall be taught the sports.”
3.5 ⭐️ Audiobook read by Elizabeth Parisi
On the world stage, performing daring diving shows and starring in silent movies, she became known as “The Perfect Woman”. Breaking down barriers and the conventions of the day seemed to come naturally to Annette. Overcoming rickets as a child with the help of swimming as therapy seems to have put her on the path of health and wellness influencing.
Grantlee has written a very detailed account of her achievements and early family life. We learn a little about other sportspeople and their sporting records of the time, but most of the story is written in praise of Annette as a mermaid, movie star icon and health and beauty influencer. Because of this, I feel she is a little one-dimensional. I would have liked to know more about her disappointments, her not having any children, was this by choice or out of her control, and maybe some more personal correspondence quoted would have given me a more rounded experience.
I am glad for the new knowledge of an influential woman in our history and enjoyed thinking about a lot of the places described, a great reminder to think more on history of people and place and be amazed.
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/cu... link for more about Annette Kellerman
Below are a few of my favourites
“Like her mother, Annette would be a precocious and vivacious risk taker who steadfastly defied the stodgy conventions of her time.”
“..but it is to swimming that I feel I owe the great debt.”
“Annette was hailed as a thoroughly modern mermaid, who was doing so much to advance the causal women in a society where they were expected to know their place in a man’s world. It is a day of feminine achievement, one Australian newspaper remarked and there is already a proposition in the air to found an academy for young women where they shall be taught the sports.”
3.5 ⭐️ Audiobook read by Elizabeth Parisi
February 14, 2026
I came to this book with memories of Esther Williams film portrayal of the Australian Mermaid. I was very young watching it on our little black and white TV and I was dazzled. I have harboured an interest but never investigated further until this book. To the biographers credit it was extremely well researched and partly because of this I felt Annette’s voice throughout. The period was also captured beautifully. Here we go now to the STORY. What! Can this be real? Just as well it is or you may roll your eyes if a point of fiction thinking that her feats were hardly likely. A great read about an incredibly strong and determined person.
October 4, 2025
A remarkable true story about an Aussie woman who I had never heard of- a trailblazer in open water swimming, a movie star of silent movies and ahead of her time in everything she turned her hand to.
May 10, 2025
This is an informative and pleasant read detailing the life of this wondrous, innovative and swimming legend. The book will serve well to Australians and for those athletes involved in all manner or water sports, swimming, diving, water ballet etc. However, I doubt much interest in the book will be held beyond these parameters.
Million Dollar Mermaid starring Esther Williams, with deviation, (artistic input by the director) on the life of Annette Kellerman is still available online. I remember seeing it as a child, possibly a re-run although Australia didn't have television until 1956, then again, our family did go to the movies and because this was about the Australian swimming star, it's possible that I saw it then. Esther Williams was a beautiful woman and a wonderful swimmer, although not of the competitive nature of Annette but was perfect for the part. Victor Mature, I would agree with Annette was not the right actor for her husband, Jimmie.
In life there is always someone who stands out from the crowd, either through physicality or through intelligence. Annette was a unique specimen, born with a physical deformity having to walk with callipers as a child she overcame this through literally throwing herself into the water and finally becoming the world's greatest female swimmer of the times, many times leaving male swimmers in her wake. She was also a competitive and magnificent diver and accomplished ballet dancer.
Annette introduced women to the modern swimming costume, still worn today and stylised on similar lines in some instances as was designed by her. When she first started swimming seriously she realised that the enormous amount of clothing women wore to go into the water, was untenable for her to be able to stay afloat easily, back then women just walked into the water, swimming would have been frowned upon. In many cases it was years before the world caught up to the idea of swimming as was in Australia.
The read also gives insight into Annette's fabulous imagination, her energy, her triumphs and her fabulous mental strength in dealing with adversity never succumbing to self pity.
The reference to the swimming pools Annette used, ones that as a child I attended for swimming lessons. Forbes Carlisle mentioned in the read was an innovative and leading advocate for all children to learn to swim. North Sydney Swimming Pool, still in existence, is undergoing redevelopment and will reopen in 2025.
Million Dollar Mermaid starring Esther Williams, with deviation, (artistic input by the director) on the life of Annette Kellerman is still available online. I remember seeing it as a child, possibly a re-run although Australia didn't have television until 1956, then again, our family did go to the movies and because this was about the Australian swimming star, it's possible that I saw it then. Esther Williams was a beautiful woman and a wonderful swimmer, although not of the competitive nature of Annette but was perfect for the part. Victor Mature, I would agree with Annette was not the right actor for her husband, Jimmie.
In life there is always someone who stands out from the crowd, either through physicality or through intelligence. Annette was a unique specimen, born with a physical deformity having to walk with callipers as a child she overcame this through literally throwing herself into the water and finally becoming the world's greatest female swimmer of the times, many times leaving male swimmers in her wake. She was also a competitive and magnificent diver and accomplished ballet dancer.
Annette introduced women to the modern swimming costume, still worn today and stylised on similar lines in some instances as was designed by her. When she first started swimming seriously she realised that the enormous amount of clothing women wore to go into the water, was untenable for her to be able to stay afloat easily, back then women just walked into the water, swimming would have been frowned upon. In many cases it was years before the world caught up to the idea of swimming as was in Australia.
The read also gives insight into Annette's fabulous imagination, her energy, her triumphs and her fabulous mental strength in dealing with adversity never succumbing to self pity.
The reference to the swimming pools Annette used, ones that as a child I attended for swimming lessons. Forbes Carlisle mentioned in the read was an innovative and leading advocate for all children to learn to swim. North Sydney Swimming Pool, still in existence, is undergoing redevelopment and will reopen in 2025.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2025
https://denisenewtonwrites.com/?p=6748
OMG: what a woman!
Have you heard of Annette Kellerman? I knew a few things about her: that in the early 1900s she had broken swimming records, amazed and shocked with her one-piece swimsuits (very risque for the times), and wowed with her high-diving acts.
But this new biography by Grantlee Kieza introduced me to so much more about this truly astounding Australian woman.
As always with Grantlee Kieza’s books, Annette Kellerman: Australian Mermaid is a thoroughly researched and engagingly written biography about an Australian figure of note. I had so many ‘OMG’ moments reading this book, that by the end I had to admit that what I’d thought I knew about Annette Kellerman had been a drop in the proverbial ocean – or swimming pool.
OMG: what a woman!
Have you heard of Annette Kellerman? I knew a few things about her: that in the early 1900s she had broken swimming records, amazed and shocked with her one-piece swimsuits (very risque for the times), and wowed with her high-diving acts.
But this new biography by Grantlee Kieza introduced me to so much more about this truly astounding Australian woman.
As always with Grantlee Kieza’s books, Annette Kellerman: Australian Mermaid is a thoroughly researched and engagingly written biography about an Australian figure of note. I had so many ‘OMG’ moments reading this book, that by the end I had to admit that what I’d thought I knew about Annette Kellerman had been a drop in the proverbial ocean – or swimming pool.
July 25, 2025
It's very rare for me to read a biography but this was gifted to me, so I thought why not? I confess I'd never heard of Annette Kellerman, but she was obviously a major star in her day.
I did enjoy learning about her early life, her swimming career, and her time in Hollywood, where she was something of a trail blazer in the silent film era.
If you enjoy non-fiction, I'm sure you'll not only learn from this story, but actually enjoy it as it unfolds.
I did enjoy learning about her early life, her swimming career, and her time in Hollywood, where she was something of a trail blazer in the silent film era.
If you enjoy non-fiction, I'm sure you'll not only learn from this story, but actually enjoy it as it unfolds.
January 29, 2026
I’m not really a nonfiction girly but this was so interesting!
Isn’t it absolutely crazy that we are still commenting on women’s bodies the same way they did in 1909 though?
Insane.
Anyway, what an amazing and inspiring woman. In a time when women were generally not strong or independent, she was a trail blazer and so brave.
~3.5 🌟
Isn’t it absolutely crazy that we are still commenting on women’s bodies the same way they did in 1909 though?
Insane.
Anyway, what an amazing and inspiring woman. In a time when women were generally not strong or independent, she was a trail blazer and so brave.
~3.5 🌟
May 19, 2025
With his engaging writing style and great research the author provided me with an interesting read about a spirited and adventurous woman.
June 2, 2025
Interesting to read about an icon from a century ago, especially with the way she basically achieved every single performative dream she had.
February 16, 2026
What an amazing life and what a shame that the author was not able to capture Kellerman's love of swimming and joy for life in this detailed and well researched but ultimately boring biography.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews