Swimming in the Sink: A Memoir

by Lynne Cox

From an inspired and inspiring open water swimmer, a supreme athlete who swims without a wetsuit, able to endure cold water temperatures that would kill others, author of "Swimming to Antarctica" ("Riveting"--"Sports Illustrated"), "Grayson" ("Moving, mystical" --"People)," and "Open Water Swimming Manual" ("Exceptional" --"The Independent")--a powerful book about super athleticism and human frailty, about invincibility and the sudden (mind-altering) repercussions of illness, and about the triumph of spirit, surrender, and love against it all.
Lynne Cox was a super athlete who broke many world records, among them swimming the English Channel at 15, being the first woman to swim across Cook Strait (15.2 miles) between the North and South Islands of New Zealand, and the first to swim off Antarctica in 32-degree water--for 25 minutes!--all without a wetsuit. And that's where "Swimming in the Sink" begins--at a laboratory at the University of London, with Cox's hand in cold water, hooked up to thermocouples and probes, with three scientists trying to make sense of her extraordinary human capabilities of athleticism. The test results paved the way for new medical and life-saving practices. As an athlete, Cox had put her heart into everything she'd ever accomplished. In turn her heart gave her great physical strength and endurance.
In the midst of becoming the embodiment of a supreme endurance athlete, Cox had taken care of her elderly parents, both of whom passed away in quick succession followed by the death of her beloved Labrador retriever, leaving Lynne in shock from loss and loneliness and soon, literally, suffering from the debilitating effects of a broken heart.
On the edge of a precipice, Cox was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (Afib). As the prognosis went from bad to worse, Cox was in fear of living out a lesser life as an invalid with a pacemaker, hooked up to a defibrillator . . . for the first time, the very real possibility of her own death was before her.
Cox writes of her full surrender to her increasing physical frailty, to her illness, her treatment, her slow pull toward recovery. In "Swimming in the Sink" we see her finding her way, writing about her transformative journey that led her away from her illlness back toward health, and slowly making her way toward the one aspect of her life that meant everything to her--freedom; mastery; transcendence--back to open waters, and the surprise that she never saw coming: falling in love."

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Book Club, Adult, Sports, Health, Biography

240 pages, Paperback

Published June 13, 2017

About the author

Lynne Cox is an American long-distance open-water swimmer and writer.

Reviews

[Rissie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short memoir about facing the challenges of heart disease. It could be good, but the writing is painfully simplistic.

[Tara Mickela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great comeback story, but the choppy writing bugged me.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked a couple of other Lynne Cox books and I read this one because she had some heart issues that threatened her health. But I didn't like the writing style very much and I never really felt like I understood what her heart ailment was and how exactly she seems to have recovered. There was discussion that she might need a heart transplant but then she took meds and figured out how to exercise and now she's fine?? I can't follow the logic and I was really interested in that part. Oh well, she's still really cool but didn't love this book.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Lynne Cox the human and Lynne Cox the writer, and it's probably no surprise I love a book by a one-of-a-kind EVER swimmer, and wonderful, passionate writer. For one thing this is a memoir about what's possible...I mean, what's REALLY possible. Plus, if I were to recommend two books to any coach or athlete, they would be Swimming in the Sink, and The Boys in the Boat.

[Jo Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

The great, strong, record-breaking open water, swimmer Lynne Cox, is buoyant in body and spirit, so it was shocking to learn that the heart of the miraculous body she had trained to swim some of most forbidding coldest and dangerous water on planet was seriously malfunctioning. Swimming in the Sink is about that malfunction and follows Cox from diagnosis of Afib and stress cardiopathy to renewed strength and health.
Cox comes to realize that decades of anxiously caring for her increasingly frail and unwell parents, and the pain and depleting loneliness and grief of losing them and her beloved dog have almost broken her heart. She cannot swim, she can barely ascend a flight of stairs. Was everything she loved in life being taken from her?
Cox approaches the healing of her battered heart the way she trained for one of her dangerous and historic swims: by learning, by strictly following the prescribed regimen of diet and medications, by listening to her body, cultivating openness, discovering happiness in the moment and finally, by accepting love.
One review described this memoir as “simple," i.e. superficial. I disagree. "Simple" things are often the starkly difficult, profound and complicated: ie. death, loss and diminishment. I interpret Cox’s forthrightness as the relentless clarity of the disciplined.
This is a suspenseful, beautiful and heart-opening memoir.

[David Rough · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book by Lynne Cox that I have read. I think it would have been better if I had explored an earlier book or two before this one. Without the true context of this woman’s phenomenal swimming abilities and long-distance records in ice-cold waters, I waded into unknown waters. This book of tragedy and healing, trauma and treatment, as well as challenge and determination was interesting but disjointed for me. Some of the details seemed to repeat themselves while others appeared without explanation.

I appreciated the books positive emphasis on the healing power of love and the support the author received from many human sources of encouragement. The author’s humility and openness to life’s lessons made this book read with a sense of a genuine heart experience.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a triathlete (with open water swim anxiety) and an ICU nurse with a passion for cardiology and exercise physiology, this book spoke to me in a different way than most books. I’ve cared for many patients with Takotsubo’s cardiomyopathy, but not many athletes, least of all, elite athletes. Competitive athletes tend to think of themselves as being invincible against disease, especially heart disease. Sadly, this isn’t the case. It’s humbling to go from highly competitive athletics to being told that your EF is so low that you could need a heart transplant. The journey Lynne goes through in this book is one of loss, hope, and multi-dimensional growth. We don’t know what cards have been dealt to us until they’re flipped over, but we do get to choose how we play those cards.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book is lacking detail and sentences are short and chopping. Craving a descriptive, run on sentence by the end of the of the book, which ends abruptly. Interesting to learn of scientific cold weather endurance studies and dealing with a literal broken heart. Lacking details/ examples of the grief and day to day chores or taking care aging parents and a beloved dog; and lacking details of the interaction with siblings. Missing the detailed description that was found in Grayson and Antarctica. Overall, glad Lynne is recovering and found love for herself!

[Kelly Kittel · Rating 2 out of 5]

As an avid open water swimmer, myself, I greatly admire Lynne Cox for her swimming accomplishments, none of which I will ever even come close to approximating. But this book was not her finest achievement. It lacked the depth of her previous books and might have made for a better sprint than an attempt at a distance swim. As it was, it seemed desperate to stretch out, find a pace, and reach the opposite shoreline.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a whim at the library but didn't really expect to read it - know what I mean? Books are sort of experiments sometimes for me; I put them in various places and pick them up and put them down and read the inside flap and maybe breeze through the first pages, and then, after all that, I make my move and commit (or not). But this book surprised me. I picked it up to read a few pages and suddenly couldn't put it down. I had never heard of Lynne Cox before and although her amazing career as an open water swimmer impressed and delighted me, that's not why I kept reading. I kept reading because she, like me, suddenly found herself in the midst of a serious, potentially fatal health crisis just when she least expected it. Her journey from the hospital back to the open waters of her life is told here very plainly, in a steady and measured tone that welcomed me into her world. And it turns out that she has a lot to teach me about recovery, about life, about possibility. The ways in which she used her most powerful asset - her mind - to reorient and heal her brought a beautiful balm to my own broken heart, and I deeply appreciated that she shared her frustrations at what it means in practical terms to fall so far from a previous level of health and then try to build yourself back up. It gave me new resolve and new hope that I, too, can do much more to improve my physical body and heal from the inside out.
I wish I could meet this kind and determined woman and shake her hand, tell her thank you.
My only problem now is that I picked this up at the library but I like it so much that I want my own copy so that I can dip into her healing waters again and again.

[Mary Ellington · Rating 3 out of 5]

After ready a couple of books by Lynne Cox and liking them, I decided I need to read this new one. Cox is an extreme athlete with many swimming (in frigid water, I might add) records to her name. She took a bit of a hiatus to care for her mom and dad as they aged. Basically that means lots and lots of doctor appointment. Been down that road.
After her parents, and beloved dog died, Cox was at a point in her life where she had to decide what would come next. Except, she had a hard time breathing and tired easily. Turns out she had a severely damaged heart. While her illness is kind of scientific Cox describes it and the treatment in a way that made it easy to understand. Along with all the medical conditions, Cox appeared to have "broken heart syndrome.
"The American Heart Association says that broken heart syndrome is caused by an emotionally stressful event. It can be caused by the death of a loved one, a divorce, a romantic rejection, a break up, a physical separation or a betrayal. When someone has broken heart syndrome, part of the heart suddenly enlarges due to extreme stress. The Japanese doctor who discovered broken heart syndrome called it takotsubo. " I found this information to be quite interesting.
As she slowly begins to mend and get her strength back, Cox works hard to be able to swim again. The title, "Swimming in the Sink" comes from the fact that she literally retaught herself to breathe by putting her head in the sink and relearning how to breathe.

[Sky · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I always feel a little weird giving ratings to memoirs and things, bc like... it feels like I'm judging the author's life?? But I'm not, it's just the book. HRM.)

I always like Cox's writing style, and this is no exception - very readable and so much attention to detail that makes it super engaging. Unfortunately, I don't think this book was for me, as I'm not usually a huge fan of reading memoirs in the first place.

It's essentially a whole book that explores a very specific grief that has wide-ranging impact, and it was really tough to swallow as it's so darn bleak. Additionally, the author is recounting the ways in which she herself was in denial about the extent of her heart condition, which is excruciating to read in detail. Felt thrown off by the abrupt end chapter which made a major tonal shift as well.

And, as usual, when reading books by elite athletes suffering health issues (omg is this a genre I read a lot?? why) there's a whole undercurrent of "how can *I* be disabled?? I'm an elite athlete!!" which is A) a totally valid way to feel personally, and B) often extremely disrespectful to people who live their lives daily with disabilities. I wouldn't say this book has an egregious case of this problem, but it's certainly there in parts.

[Sue Kozlowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a memoir written by an athletic swimmer, one of the best open-water swimmers in the world. I found it so interesting that she can swim in the coldest waters without a wetsuit. Scientists have even studied her ability to withstand such cold temperatures and they have learned things that have helped them treat other patients. They believe her body has fat distributed in a protective way throughout her body - they also believe that her body has a way of keeping her internal temperature high enough to survive.

That being said, I do not feel that the book is very well written - the sentences are short and stiff. She has written previous books that have been given higher ratings. In this book, she discusses a sudden heart problem that was life-threatening. She doesn't really explain too much about it but she does manage to recover from it.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lynne Cox, the famous swimmer who crosses coldwater straits, swims in Antarctica, swims Lake Titicaca, etc. has suffered losses - her parents, and then their faithful dog. A friend takes her to Costa Rica for a rare vacation but she doesn't feel well. Eventually, after a month or more of feeling slow and depressed and having a rapid heart rate, friends drag her to a doctor. Her heart is failing, with tachycardia and arrhythmia and she's not getting enough O2 into her blood. They put her on lasix and other meds and that helps. Her friend tells her she has a "broken heart" from all the sadness and stress, but love can heal. Eventually she gets better and falls in love. A fast read of a very personal story.

[Charity Dušíková · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that Cox's achievements in and out of the water are impressive and admirable. As I learned more of her life experiences (swimming in Greenland, the Antarctic, setting swim records on multiple bodies of water around the world), I can see that she possesses uncommon discipline, endurance, perseverance, and strength of mind. All that said, I found her writing style leaving something to be desired. A lot of her storytelling is very much "this happened, then this, then this." It could benefit from more dialogue and more showing rather than telling. Personally, I would read more from her through a ghost writer or with stronger editing. Nonetheless, her story is fascinating and definitely left me with some passages to reflect on.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

I suggest reading Ms. Cox's "Swimming to Antarctica" first - it's a terrific book - to sort of set the stage. "Swimming in the Sink" is something of a continuation of that memoir and is about the author's later struggle with heart disease. It's not as polished a book, but it's still lovely, as is the author, who I met at a book signing in my home town - what a wonderful woman! Ms. Cox is a long-distance swimmer - among other major swims, she has swum the English Channel (2x) and from Alaska to Russia (then the USSR) across the Bering Straight (yes, you read that right) - and is simply a lovely person who's had amazing adventures. Both books are well worth reading.

[Sharon Royle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lynne is an elite athlete who can swim in cold ocean waters. She has set records for her long distance (miles) swims. However, she was a caregiver for her parents, who having years of poor health, passed away. Also losing her beloved dog, Lynne was in mourning so deeply that doctors thought she could have broken heart syndrome which was threatening her life.

This author is so good about describing all that she was going through. Along with learning so much about swimming long distances and the workings of the human heart, this memoir was a great read.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. I'm not sure why I decided to read this. The title is pretty intriguing, so perhaps that was it. This was an interesting story about a woman who lost her parents and her dog and had a few other heartbreaks in a short time period. She developed broken heart syndrome and faced having to possibly get a heart transplant, if she survived long enough. This would be devastating for anyone, but Lynne Cox is a phenomenal swimmer, who specializes in open ocean, cold-water swimming over insane distances. Reading her story as she came back from this was inspiring.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This read like a diary, re-edited to become a book. Her voice is very honest, but this elite athlete also sounds frightened and admits to depression. It was startling to realize the effects multiple griefs can have on physical well-being. I’m glad she was able to recover; I also thought her cardiologist was great. More doctors should be so empathetic. It was a bit annoying for her to be so coy about her love interest. She rather cut that story line off by turning off the light and closing the book.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful memoir of an amazing person (if you haven't yet read Swimming to Antarctica, it's a MUST READ). She has a fascinating literary voice, and experienced so much. Besides helping to end the cold war (!), she is the only person I know who was medically diagnosed with a "broken heart" and nearly died. This is the story of her remarkable recovery, and the beginning of her next chapter in life. So inspiring - like everything she writes!

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful memoir, I really felt as though I got a insider's look into Lynne's life - her struggles, triumphs and relationships. I was fascinated by her physical abilities and her creativity in working with the resources she had available to her during the most challenging of times, both physically and emotionally. This was a fast read, but a very unique memoir that left me thinking about how we build our community and support system to cover us when we are less than able.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book about Lynne Cox, a world famous distance swimmer who faces a life threatening heart ailment and how she uses her swimming techniques to bring herself back to health. Also interesting that she is being studied to see how she adapts her body to swimming in frigid temperatures, when swimming the English Channel, the Cook Strait and Beagle Channel between Argentina and Chile, helping to promote peaceful relations between the two countries.

[Helena Rocha · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was just not for me. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into (I guess I should have researched more), so most of the book made me squirm in my seat. It was also pretty cheesy, especially every time the author ended a chapter with wanting to find love (which happened multiple times). It was quite an experience and I'm glad that the author was able to make it through, but I didn't really enjoy reading about it.

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story about the health issues a high caliber athlete went through and how she coped with it. After performing at such a high level for so long it was very difficult for her to believe that she was that sick and had to limit what she did and that she almost died. Learned a lot about how the heart works. Was interesting to learn a bit more about her life as I have read previous books about her.
Quite a determined woman. Good to see how many friends she had supporting her.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lynne Cox captivated me with her story Swimming to Antarctica, and a random discovery when I was browsing the shelves at my local library led to me this more personal story. I know, that's hard to say, since her other book was memoir too, but this one, about her heart. Wow. And its impact on her identity. Wow. Slowing down, finding yourself, finding love. I'll keep cheering for Lynne.

[Danielle Zukowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered Lynne Cox this year and have read three of her books. I preferred "Grayson" and "Swimming to Anarctica," but this was still a book I really felt the desire to keep reading. I was engaged by her journey of recovery and her focus around the heart. However, I felt some areas were repetitive and that some lost focus. I think the book could have been more polished and expanded

[Krin Cosner · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting memoir of a woman who swims icy crossings and survives a “broken heart” Challenges of life mixed in with extreme swim challenges. Simplistically written but fascinating with the science of how a swimmer can survive and thrive in open waters. Was a good companion to a netflick film Kim Swims! I am a swimmer but 72 F is cold enough for a long swim

[David Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swimming in the Sink by Lynne Cox

The book is a autobiography. written with great feeling and emotion about life, family and love. Lynne's accomplishments in open water swimming demonstrate the elite athlete's dedication, commitment , motivation, training, preparation, strategy and tactical execution. She is an awe aspiring human being! I highly recommend this book!

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was almost painful to read. I kept reading it because I wanted to like it. Lynne Cox seems like an extraordinary woman who has accomplished extraordinary feats. But the book read like it was written by a fourteen year old who was confiding in her journal.

[Julianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting memoir of an extraordinary and strong woman, who has had impressive and admirable accomplishments both in swimming and life. The writing itself is not great, but I'd still like to read her earlier books and learn more about her stories.