Age Is Just a Number: Achieve Your Dreams at Any Stage in Your Life

by Dara Torres, Elizabeth Weil

From legendary Olympic gold medalist Dara Torres comes a motivational, inspirational memoir about staying fit, aging gracefully, and pursuing your dreams.

Dara Torres captured the hearts and minds of Americans of all ages when she launched her Olympic comeback as a new mother at the age of forty-one—years after she had retired from competitive swimming and eight years since her last Olympics. When she took three silver medals in Beijing—including a heartbreaking .01-second finish behind the gold medalist in the women’s 50-meter freestyle—America loved her all the more for her astonishing achievement and her good-natured acceptance of the results.

Now, in Age Is Just a Number, Dara reveals how the dream of an Olympic comeback first came to her—when she was months into her first, hard-won pregnancy. With humor and candor, Dara recounts how she returned to serious training—while nursing her infant daughter and contending with her beloved father’s long battle with cancer.

Dara talks frankly about diving back in for this comeback; about being an older athlete in a younger athletes’ game; about competition, doubt, and belief; about working through pain and uncertainty; and finally—about seizing the moment and, most important, never giving up. A truly self-made legend, her story will resonate with women of all ages—and with anyone daring to entertain a seemingly impossible dream.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Sports, Biography, Audiobook, Biography Memoir, Health

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being in the over 40 crowd and a lover of swimming, it is easy to be drawn to a finely tuned athlete like Dara. Yes she did have a life of privilege and seemed to walk onto sunny pool decks of elite swimming clubs with ease. But one cannot determined the life they are born into. They can only exceed in and with the gifts they are given. Dara does this with determination and a never-failing competative spirit. I enjoyed reading this memoir (not a how-to book) as it gave us Dara's view on the journey many avid swim fans have already seen, such as the 50 meter sprint to the 4 X 100 meter medley turnaround in the 2008 Olympics. It was joyful and painfully intense to know the inner thoughts (both physical and emotional) of a most disciplined athlete, and all at the parental plate-spinning age of 41.

Missing gold by a hundredth of a second? Yeah, it's a bummer, Dara. But think of the hundred thousand 40 somethings who watched you touch the wall and say "amazing!" It was more than enough for those you inspire.

[Bunnyhugger · Rating 1 out of 5]

First off, the title is misleading - this is not a motivational or a how-to book. It's a memoir. I knew this beforehand so it wasn't an issue but others could be confused. Dara Torres won three silver medals at the 2008 Olympics - an incredible achievement, especially since she was 41 at the time. I was curious about her story and hoping to be inspired at the same time. Unfortunately, I was distracted by the poor writing (even with the help of a co-writer) and the extremely disorganized chapters. There were also strange gaps. For example, she goes into detail about her first marriage and subsequent divorce but later in the book only mentions in passing that she got married and divorced to someone else in the meantime. (I'm not saying that she's obliged to provide personal info but the inconsistency was odd). I wanted to know how, after not swimming for 7 years (literally not a single lap) she launched straight into training with her team. Wouldn't she be extremely out of practice? This is never addressed. I ended up feeling very frustrated.This could have been so much more.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

"My favorite thing to do is dive into a pool when no one's around. A big 50-meter pool, preferably outside, with the lane lines in. In competition, the water is so choppy you feel like you're in the ocean, in a storm. But to me an empty pool is the most peaceful place in the world. I love diving in, breaking the surface, slipping to the other side. And once I'm in, I don't come back to the surface right away. I stay under. I turn over on my back and look up at the sky, under water. I watch the clouds, or better yet, the stars, and dolphin-kick slowly down the lane. some people feel connected to the mountains, or to a church, or to New York City. I feel connected to the water. It's so peaceful and quiet in there." -Opening graph.



I knew I was going to love this book.

[Jeimy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually enjoy reading about what athletes, particularly female athletes, had to overcome to achieve their dreams, but I was not invested in Torres’s story.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was encouraging. I enjoyed reading the memoir of Dara Torres, who I had watched with my mom during Dara’s final Summer Olympics. In this book, I found the behind-the-scenes look heartbreaking and inspirational at the same time. I admired her work ethic and the fact that she kept dreaming big despite the critics scoffing at her age.

The thing I found the most powerful in this entire book was the fact that Dara’s dad supported her in her swimming dreams even though he did not fully understand her swimming as a career. That sort of support is rare in today’s world, from what I’ve seen. That sort of support is the type I strive to give, to support someone fully despite my not fully comprehending the reasons why the dream is important to the person.

The major thing I was disappointed about in this book was that the author scoffed at those who “talk[ed] to God.” On top of that, the author also trusted a psychic/medium with the trajectory of her life. That made me wonder how much more amazing her career could have been had she trusted God rather than a person dealing in dark “arts” for guidance in her life.

“Do not turn to mediums or consult spiritists, or you will be defiled by them; I am Yahweh your God.” Leviticus 19:31 HCSB

Content: expletives, profanity, unwed pregnancy, breastfeeding, nudity, psychics/mediums, crude sexual term, alcohol mentioned, unisex restroom (very awkward, inappropriate moment)

[Eve · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the overarching theme of this book that you shouldn't allow your age to limit you nor that you reach your peak in your twenties or thirties. However, my major criticism of the book is that she had more resources at her fingertips from her parents and upbringing than the average middle-class person. I wasn't as impressed by the story of her victory because she didn't seem to have the same limits to overcome as the rest of us would. I'm glad for her victory, and it gives me hope to keep doing things, and working towards goals, but I didn't feel inspired from it, which appears to be the objective of this book, hence, it was okay.

[Rachel Docherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fate brought me to this book. Last week Dara Torres (I didn’t know who she was) was the speaker at my son’s graduation. (This part of his graduation was virtual in 2021). I was immediately impressed by her poise and her story as an Olympic swimmer, winning medals at the Beijing games at the age of 41.

Fast forward a few days. I had just finished listening to Rules of Civility and I was so impressed by the narrator (Rebecca Lowman) that I looked up what else she had narrated.... Dara Torres memoir!! Spooky!

So glad fate brought me to this book. I learned so much about the swimming world, discipline, reaching and achieving your dreams and goals. Age really is, just a number.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember watching the 2008 and Torres' accomplishments. I wasn't looking for her book in particular but I stumbled on it at the library and thought it sounded interesting. Her inside view of the Olympics over several decades and her perspective on bodies and ageing well were all interesting. I have a feeling I wouldn't want to play so much as Go Fish with her, she'd be way too competitive for me! But I admire her work ethic and drive, and appreciate the inspiration she's been to many "older" athletes. The narrative was mostly good, although a couple of times it got a little deep on the swim times and the routines, which was a little technical for me, but it kept just shy of getting too technical to be interesting, and I learned a little about the training process along the way. Not jumping around quite as much in the timeline would have been helpful as well, but it's a memoir, not an autobiography, so it was structured the way she intended, I supposed. Good luck to Torres in future endeavors! 3.5/5

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this book and found it interesting but wished the book had more motivational details based on the title. As I listened, I also felt that any swimmers that want to be faster, need to read or listen to this book.

[Larisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dara is a great female athlete!
Her story shows that there is no limits if you have a dream. You just need to be ready to go all in and believe that you can do it.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a recreational swimmer, watching the summer Olympics since the 80s, I was somwhat familiar with Dara's record. Reading her memoir filled in the gaps. I enjoyed reading about the grueling training schedule, the behind the scenes relationships of the athletes, and the toll training takes on an athlete's personal life. I'll never complain about my 40 lap workout sessions again.

[Traci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that I have not much cared for the writing of most celebrity memoirs - this one does not differ. I don't like to read stories that are out of order except for the occasional murder mystery or novel with an artfully woven timeframe. Memoirs are not the case. They should be written from beginning to middle to end. I have only read two memoirs so far that follow this basic concept.

On the content of the actual athlete - she is freaking amazing! 41 sounds seriously too old to do just about anything let alone compete in your 5th Olympic games only two years after giving birth. Dara Torres is my hero. Not only is she absolutely amazing in the water she is also gorgeous and so driven. I am jealous to think of her training schedule and of her "stretchers" that she flies around the world to mash and stretch her body when needed. Awesome.

[Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would have been better if it were titled, "Age really slows you down, especially in high intensity activities, unless you're a freak of nature. Fortunatly, oldies are wiser, train better, and enjoy better supporting technology, so if they are freaks then it's possible that they can still be very competitive." Of course, you can see why they decided to stick with, "Age is Just a Number".

I liked this book, but I'm really glad that I read it when I did, because I just reviewed some biomechanics with my students, and it was nice to share Dara's stories about the Speedo Laser suit and the olympic pools with my students. It made my wave drag and surface drag sections more interesting.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I deeply respect her accomplishments, during the entire reading of this book, I had a deep sense of sadness for her. A life so dedicated to the pursuit of excellence, seemed like an interminable prison sentence of obsession, restriction, lost love and an overly structured somewhat "joyless" life. I have three daughters and a son. I would prefer a life of joyful, varied, and spontaneous mediocrity for each of them.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasant, motivating read. I try to read a good selection of motivating books each month - to help me with my life, health, fitness, and mental goals. Dara Torres is pretty much the perfect example of someone who works hard, trains smart, and follows through.

I also have an insatiable urge now to hop into a pool. Hah!

[Vėjas Galvoje · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superinė istorija. Su savo pakilimais ir nuopoliais, bet tikrai labai stipri. Asmenybė nepakartojama, kuri pakylėjo sportą visai į kitą lygmenį. 41 metų būdama sugebėjo pakliūti į olimpiadą ir dar joje laimėti ne vieną medalį sprinto rungtyse. O dar kas įdomiausia, kad tai padarė įveikdama distancija PB rezultatu.
Taigi amžius ne riba, svardu indėlis į kūną ir galvą sisteminis ir su tikslu.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think she is an amazing athlete. As a writer, not so much. This book was short and loosely written. It bounced around in time and lacked the details of her training and daily life I was interested in.

[Prashant Deshmukh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have completed reading the book *Age Is Just a Number* by _Dara Torres_ is an American former competitive swimmer, who is a *12-time Olympic medalist* and former world record-holder in three events. Torres is the first swimmer to represent the United States in five Olympic Games (1984, 1988, 1992, 2000 and 2008), and at age 41, *the oldest swimmer to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team*. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, she competed in the 50-meter freestyle, 4×100-meter medley relay, and 4×100-meter freestyle relay, and won silver medals in all three event

*Lessons Learnt*:
1. One thing I learned from being a pregnant athlete and then an athlete-mom is that when it comes to women, sports, and childbearing, often people’s first reaction is to say, “No, you can’t.” You can’t do those exercises. You can’t go that fast. You can’t win that race. But most of the time that negativity is not based on fact. It’s based on ignorance or fear. So I chose to do my own research. I wanted to learn what my own body could take.
As an athlete-mom, I swam five days a week for two hours and did strength training four days a week for 90 minutes after my swim practice. I would have been just as happy to work out more, but that amount of exercise made my body perform best.

2.Our whole culture is so terrified of growing older, so sure that life goes to hell progressively once you pass age 25 or 30 or 35—whatever number people have stuck on their heads. But I came to see such negativity as a reflection of other people’s fears about life, a window into the ways in which so many of us are limiting ourselves and selling ourselves short. I decided, back then, not to live that way. I chose not to let age stop me—not at 33 or 41—and people have had very strong reactions to that. Along the way to the 2008 Olympic Games, I encountered two camps of people: one composed of doubters who absolutely could not believe that a *41-year-old mothercould be one of the fastest swimmers in the world* and felt sure I must be doping; and another composed of optimists who thought I was a hero for proving that middle-aged athletes had been underrated, and thought my attempt wasn’t at all far-fetched.

3. *lifestyle*, not genetics, is the primary reason older athletes tend to slow down, and that made a lot of sense to me. Most people, as they reach their thirties, place more priority on their jobs and families, as well they should. But as a result they downgrade their workout goals from achieving personal bests to staying in shape. This might be the right decision for many. This might even be the right decision for you. But if you still have athletic ambitions, if you still want to compete and win, there’s no reason you have to give up. Your body can still perform if you put in the effort—if you still do that 10-mile run or that long, hard quality set. You just need to be smarter about your training and more time-efficient. But chances are, if you’re an older athlete, you’re smarter and more time-efficient anyway.

4. *Maintenance*, for me, was resistance stretching. As Steve used to explain to people who’d see him stretching me and stare, an athlete’s body is like a race car. You don’t get a race car to go faster by doing more laps around a track. You get a race car to go faster by improving its mechanics, by making certain each piston is firing perfectly, by ensuring every component is oiled and working its best. The same is true for a body. Biomechanics are everything.

5. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, trying to stay in a young person’s game through middle age, *it’s that life is never as simple and straightforward as you think it’s going to be. If you really love people and go for big dreams, life is going to be messy. No matter how carefully you plan ahead, no matter how thoroughly you’ve researched your options, no matter how many times you’ve practiced your start or told yourself you believe you can win, a lot of what happens is still beyond your control.*

6. But that’s not what real life is like. Real life is unpredictable and sometimes even unfair. For that reason, one of the most important skills for a competitive swimmer is the ability to leave whatever’s going on in your personal life outside the pool. Some athletes compartmentalize, others vent. There is no one right route. Still, you need to know how to deal with your emotions in order to perform. Because if your emotional house is not in order, it doesn’t matter how hard you’ve trained. Nobody cares how fast you swim on your best day in practice. Swimmers need to swim fast at meets, and those are scheduled long in advance.
In my life, good things and bad things often happen at the same time. My father got really sick and died during the same period of time in which I got pregnant with and gave birth to Tessa. Similarly, the 2008 Olympics were far more rewarding, and far more painful, than I could have guessed.

7. Dara Torres is very competitive and always hungry for only win. She hates losing. She balanced her life in lifes happy and sad moments and treated them equally never compromise attitude towards her practice that's was her secret of success.
*THANK YOU*

[Brad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two-and-a-half stars. The non-linear structure can be confusing as they loosely try to cover topics rather than tell a story from start to end. Not as captivating as, say, Amanda Beard's memoir. Inspiring, but it all comes with an asterisk: the extreme privilege Torres comes from.



---

"The wake-up swim and shower were both part of an effort to get my core temperature up. Everybody's core temperature drops during sleep, and that temperature needs to rise if you want to swim really fast." (5)

"The freestyle stroke cycle can be split into three parts: the catch phase, the propulsion phase, and recovery phase. The catch phrase is when you grab water in front of you with your hand and sweep it down under your elbow. The propulsion phase is where you push the water down along your body. The recovery phase is where you take your hand out of the water and bring it out in front of your body again. For the most part, my actual stroke was still good, but Richard wanted me to make one major adjustment. He wanted me to take my hand out of the water by my waist, instead of following through and exiting my hand near my thigh, / shorting my propulsion phase. That might sound strange, since the propulsion phase is where most of the power comes from in freestyle. But by exiting my hand sooner I was making my stroke more efficient. By the time your hand is stretched down to you leg and your arm is almost straight, you've lost most of the ability to push backward on the water. If my hand left the water sooner, I could bring my opposite arm into the catch phase sooner, spending more time on the parts of my stroke that made me move fast. (58-59)

"Every day I hoped swimming might take my ind off my loss [her father's death], but then I'd remember all over gain that while swim races are distracting, swim practices aren't. It's just you and your thoughts there in the water, lap after lap after lap." (98)

"You have to say to yourself, and to the rest of the world, I have a dream...Then there's no guarantee you will [succeed]. Emotionally, you're so exposed." (106)

Champions: The Making of Olympic Swimmers by Daniel Chambliss

"Pretty much everything in swimming comes down to controlling turbulence. A swimmer can reduce turbulence by achieving ideal body position (particularly head position) through the entire stroke cycle, which can be difficult given how much movement is involved. Pools reduce turbulence by dampening waves. In basic terms, the deeper the pool, the faster it is. Six to eight feet is considered sufficient to prevent waves from bouncing off the bottom and interfering with the swimmers on the surface...Gutters make a big difference, too. They need to be right at water level and have deep pockets so they can suck in the waves and keep the wave energy trapped, instead of reflecting that energy back out toward the swimmers in the center of the pool. Even lane lines can be designed to mute water movement and thus increase speed." (148)

Tapering: "All swimmers decrease their yardage before big meets. The idea is for your body to be fully rested when your performance counts most." (163)

[KK · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book (I listened to the audiobook version). I think I probably enjoyed it more than the average person, as I have a child that is on a competitive swim team and I therefore have a bit more interest in the "swimming world" and all the details than some might. It was definitely eye opening to see what this type of life entails. In a way, it seems like a both incredibly cool and also sort of sad life- years upon years of training, living and breathing swimming, to maybe never even make it! She did basically make it, certainly, but even after ALL of that, she still ends up not 100% satisfied with the results. It just seems so overwhelming. I will say, it was also a little disappointing to me I guess to find out just HOW privileged Dara Torres' life has been- not that it's her fault or anything. But as other reviewers have pointed out, it is maybe slightly less inspiring to see that she has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on her special training team, etc. (I read in an article that her entourage costs her over $100,000/ year). I'm sure that is what it takes at that level, so I don't mean to knock it, but I guess it would have been cool to see it possible for a more "average" person to be able to make it as far as she did. I think she is awesome and worked so hard to get where she did. Unfortunately, most people would never have those kinds of opportunities. It does sort of make you think though- how far could ALL of us make it in life if we combined unwavering hard work, some natural talent and of course a ton of amazing opportunities??

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. As an aging mom and (former) high-performing athlete, it was inspiring to remind myself that my body can continue to do powerful things at my age and that if I have outstanding goals there is no reason not to pursue them rather than settle into a random exercise-for-fitness-only routine in my late 30s. I also appreciated Torres' candor in acknowledging her privilege and how she did it. She was able to finance her training and had a professional staff taking care of her and providing hours of stretching and massage, etc. daily to help her stay in top shape. If I had 7 hours a day to take care of my body it could probably continue to do powerful things also yet I have achieved other professional milestones that I am proud of and they would not be possible if I had been trying to stay at the peak of fitness for the last 15 years. So there is a give and take to all our decisions but I must say I really do find her older-mom-elite-athlete story inspiring! One other fun thing is that when I lived in Parkland, FL I also swam on the Coral Springs master's swim team but I only lasted for a few months because I didn't care for the early morning wakeup calls which is one of the many reasons why I am not going to be making a dramatic master's comeback let alone an Olympic team. I was about a decade too late to train with Dara. Too bad!

[Lisa Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

@swimdara Fangirl here. This could get a little gushy. #forewarning
I remember when Dara Torres was training for her Olympic comeback at 41. I read some story that detailed what was different that time around. She had a full-on personal team -- massagers, stretchers, chiropractor, PT, and so on. Her body responded, allowing her to swim faster at 41 than she did in her teen years.
I always have that bit of media in the back of my mind when I'm planning my training as an older athlete. And this book is now my bible, my guide and when I need it, a little inspiration.
I recommend it for anyone who thinks they can't do something -- she details how she pushes through with mental toughness. It's a lesson that can be applied to anything that challenges us.
An aside: She has this couple who work with her, not massaging, but mashing. I have a friend who was trained by this couple to mash. He demonstrated just a bit of mashing on me one Sunday and I'm hooked. I felt so good, I felt like I could have been an Olympian that day.
#ageisjustanumber
#daratorresismyidol
*****
#bookstagram #thumbnailreviews #bookchallenge2020

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Being competitive is like being thirsty. You can satisfy the need temporarily, but that doesn't mean it stays dormant for long."

This is the incredible autobiography of Olympic sprinter Dara Torres. Her hard work and tenacity led her to have great longevity in her sport. She qualified and participated in the Olympic games in her teens, twenties, thirties, and forties. At ages when others retire from the sport because they are seen as too old and slowing down, Dara was able to put together some of her career best performances. She realized that she had to change the way she trained as she got older, and this helped her remain successful for so long. She also performed as such a high level despite some problems with her personal life and physical health. In this inspiring read, she teaches the reader that you can accomplish anything at any age if you work hard and remained focused on your goals.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up because it stood out as one of the more relevant athlete autobiographies to both my personal life and the story of Aries Merritt that I'm writing; swimming and track are very similar in having individually timed competitions. Since I'm almost 40 years old and competing in sprints/hurdles/jumps again, I found it very interesting to learn about Dara's training, nutrition, competitive psychology, and especially the emphasis she placed on stretching.

The subtitle of this book is a poor choice—her story isn't all that relatable. Dara grew up in Beverly Hills and Long Island, and from a young age was one of the fastest swimmers in the world. When she came back to compete in her later years (late 30s), she had practically no limitations on time, finances, or geography beyond one young child. Still, I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Dara's story, swimming, the Olympic Games, or masters competition (athletes 35+ years old).

[Juliet Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

So interesting - a swimming autobiography with enough swimming details in it. Race times, training programmes, distances, etc. Although I would have loved more...

DT is an amazing athlete- talented, technically brilliant, strong, mentally tough, focussed, dedicated, hard working, resilient.She really did give swimming everything she had.( But I couldn't help thinking, most swimmers could not afford to carry on for that long, living at a basic level , yet DT had funds for swimming coaches, strength coaches, multiple surgeries, chiropractor, nanny, never mind TWO FULL TIME STRETCHERS who moved to her town and travelled to competitions with her all over the world, for years. )
She really is an inspiration to people to stay fit, strong, active and supple- you don't have to go to the Olympics or even compete on any level.

[Mandy]

I'm busting out all kinds of books while I do chores and this one was great! If you like books about athletes and pushing themselves and not having limits- then I would recommend this book. Dara is a beast and reading this does make you realize what can be possible if you have the motivation... (and a whole team of experts to help your body...haha...) but besides that, I did enjoy this and learned a lot and it goes to show that age really is just a number. We may have to give a little more TLC to our bodies as we get older... but we can still accomplish a lot!!!

“I'd proven to the world that maturity, experience, dedication, and ingenuity can make up for a little senescence. Muscle tightening is not the only thing that happens to our bodies over time. We gain knowledge, focus, and understanding, and those things can help us win.”

[Kan Arminger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book several years ago when it first came out, and when I was reflecting today on what books have helped me be a better athlete, this one was on a very short list. I remember seeing Torres swim live on TV and being inspired by her athleticism and success. What I feel I learned from this book is the importance of intentional recovery (not just rest) in the success of athletes in their 40s and beyond, as well as the roll that the support system (and quite frankly--money) plays as well. I also learned about not actually touching the thing you're really working on, but touching everything else around it instead, then pulling it all together periodically for competitions or testing. Anyway, I learned a lot from this book about how to make myself more resilient as well as the inspiring story of her life as an Olympic swimmer, and older competitor and a busy parent.

[Jennifer Madgiak · Rating 1 out of 5]

DT is an amazing competitor and her accomplishments are so impressive.
Then I read this book and learned that she has money and lots of it. She was able to hire two people to stretch her out before and after practice leading up to the 2008 olympic trials AND was able to pay for them to go to the Olympics with her so she could continue with her pre-workout and pre-race routines. Did I mention she was able to convince them to relocate to Florida to be with her for those months leading up to the trials?
By no means am I downplaying her successes in the pool, but when I read about all these resources she had available to her. . . well my original picture of her being older and such a high caliber athlete just isn't the same as it is after reading this memoir.

[Maria do Socorro Baptista · Rating 5 out of 5]

A trajetória desta atleta extraordinária me fez pensar em mim mesma, em minha trajtória intelectual. Afinal, o cerébro também precisa ser exercitado.

Ao final de 2004, quando fui aprovada no vestibular para Pedagogia, faltando meses para defender minha Tese de Doutorado, alguém me perguntou se eu iria realmente iniciar outra graduação já sendo doutora. Não entendi o porquê da pergunta: claro que iria cursar. Defendi minha tese, cursei Pedagogia, cursei História, curso agora Biblioteconomia. Lendo este livro de Torres, percebi que seu lema é também o meu: "Idade é apenas um número".

O livro é maravilhoso, e inspirador. Recomendo muito.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 stars for non swimmers, 4 stars for swimmers. While everyone can take away something from this book, I believe this book was written for swimmers. There is something so special and sacred about swimming, there is an energetic bond swimmers feel with the pool, the sport and other swimmers (albeit competitors may pinch themselves off from feeling this bond). This book taps into that essence and communicates the life of a swimmer. Former swimmers will instantly feel the connection and spark again. I'm unsure if a bookworm would be left with a post good read satisfaction bliss, though they may walk away feeling a little inspired to accomplish their dreams.