Swimming studies is a wonderful, unique book from the writer and artist leanne shapton, author of important artifacts and personal property. But her revealing memoir shows how long swimming has stayed with her. She later quit competitive swimming and became an artist and writer, but swimming continues to be a very big part of her life. Some books just hit right home, and swimming studies is one of them.
If those countless practice laps and those notquiteolympian results were what it took to produce swimming studies, it was worth it. Giving a fascinating glimpse into the private realms of swimming, and drawing, shapton tells an intimate story of suburban adolescence, family ties, and the solitary underwater moments. Leanne shapton gorgeously documents her complex relationship to swimming in her taut and multifarious memoir, swimming studies. Leanne shapton is an artist and author of several books, including swimming studies winner of the 2012 national book critics circle award. In swimming studies, shapton gives the reader many of the facts of own life, but she also creates a piece of art in which to immerse yourself and float around, experiencing it with every sense. As a teenager, leanne shapton trained for the olympic swimming trials. If those countless practice laps and those notquiteolympian results were what it took to produce swimming studies, it. A disjointed debut memoir about how competitive swimming shaped the personal and artistic sensibilities of a respected illustrator. Through a series of vignettes, paintings and photographs that often have no sequential relationship to each other, shapton the native trees of canada, 2010, etc.
Winner of the national book critics circle award, swimming studies is author and artist leanne shaptons lyrical and revealing illustrated memoir about the. Swimming studies by leanne shapton 9780399174841 booktopia. Leanne shapton is an artist and author of several books, including swimming studies winner of the 2012 national book critics circle award for autobiography, important artifacts and personal property from the collection of lenore doolan and harold morris, and a. It won the 2012 national book critics circle award for autobiography, and was long listed for the william hill sports book of the year 2012. Carolyn kormann, through immaculate observation and evocative recollection, leanne shaptons autobiographical swimming studies achieves the. Leanne shapton is an illustrator, author and publisher based in new york city. Swimming studies expresses what its like to be haunted by the person one used to be, and the search for how that person exists in the present.
Jul 25, 2012 swimming studies is a wonderful, unique book from the writer and artist leanne shapton, author of important artifacts and personal property from the collection of lenore doolan and harold morris. Giving a fascinating glimpse into the private realms of swimming, and drawing, shapton tells an intimate story of suburban adolescence, family ties, and the solitary underwater moments that now ground her artistic habits. Swimming studies by leanne shapton 2014 english epub. Leanne shapton asks the question so many of us are embarrassed to articulate what.
Moving from her teenage years spent training for the olympic trials, to the pools and beaches of her adult life, shapton. Her book is sprinkled with her own spare illustrations, like the two pages of small ovals that represent odors she recalls from her swimming days. Leanne shapton is a former swimmer who competed in the canadian olympic trials in 1992. I am reading leanne shaptons swimming studies, yes i am shapton is a canadian artist and former elite swimmer, who almost made it to the olympics. The joys of swimming studies are in being in the care of someone of a prodigious and protean mind. Swimming studies is a brilliantly original, meditative memoir that explores the worlds of competitive and recreational swimming. An excompetitive swimmers account of her lingering obsession with life in the deep end is. Leanne shapton is an illustrator and author of several books, including important artifacts andpersonal property from the collection of lenore doolan and harold morris. Shapton grew up in mississauga, ontario, and attended mcgill univesity and pratt institute. Swimming studies sets out, through a fusion of words and pictures, to capture a bittersweet part of the writers past as completely as a scent trapped in a bottle. Leanne shaptons pursuit of the olympics came up short.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. From her training for the olympic trials as a teenager to enjoying pools and beaches around the world as an adult, leanne shapton offers a fascinating glimpse into the private, often solitary, realm of swimming. In 2012 shapton published swimming studies with blue rider press. Swimming studies is the kind of book that makes you appreciate swimming, specifically the grueling routine every swimmer goes through. Swimming studies is a wonderful, unique book from the writer and artist leanne shapton, author of important artifacts and personal property from the collection of lenore doolan and harold morris, including books, street fashion, and jewelry, with her artwork. Carolyn kormann, through immaculate observation and evocative recollection, leanne shaptons autobiographical swimming studies achieves the seemingly. Swimming studies by leanne shapton this is a highly original memoir from a canadian swimmer who made the olympic trials, but not the olympic team. The paperback of the swimming studies by leanne shapton at. Winner of the 2012 national book critics circle award, autobiography swimming studiesis a brilliantlyoriginal, meditative memoir that explores the worlds of competitiveand recreational swimming. Swimming studies expresses what its like to be haunted by the person one used to be, and the search for how that person exists in the.
Leanne shaptons swimming studies is a curious portrait of the artist as a young athlete image 1 of 2 leanne shapton, whose latest book is swimming studies photo. Swimming studies is a collection of autobiographical sketches that explore the worlds of competitive and recreational swimming. Swimming studies is brilliant, eccentric and movingan immersion in a life shapton has a novelists instinct for the nostalgic charge of the inconsequentialher language is as crisp as the autumn day she describes. Swimming studies by leanne shapton overdrive rakuten. Talented illustrator leanne shapton, in her pointillistic and quietly profound new memoir, swimming studies, recalls how, in 1988 and 1992, specializing in the breaststroke, she made it as far. Swimming studies by leanne shapton, paperback barnes. In her illustrated memoir, shapton, a writer, artist, and former contender for the canadian olympic team, grapples with the habits she learned as. Swimming studiesis a collection of autobiographical sketches that explore the worlds of competitive and recreational swimming. Its about being very, very good at something, when you want to be great.
David rakoff, author of half empty im so happy this book exists. And while it is a memoir on shaptons swimming experience, theres much more to it than just a pool and water. Her sparse, satisfying prose is your guide, and youre glad to get to swim beside her. Swimming studies by leanne shapton this is a highly original memoir from a canadian swimmer who made the olympic trials, but not the. Carolyn kormann, through immaculate observation and evocative recollection, leanne shapton s autobiographical swimming studies achieves the seemingly impossible. She is now an illustrator and author of books including important artifacts and personal property from the collection of lenore doolan and harold morris swimming studies charts her transition from awkward but disciplined adolescent athlete to wellrounded artistic adult, told through.
Swimming studies, by leanne shapton the new york times. From her training for the olympic trials as a teenager to enjoying pools and beaches around the world as an adult, leanne shapton offers a fascinating glimpse into the private. From her training for the olympic trials as ateenager toenjoying pools and beaches around the world as an adult, leanne shaptonoffers a fascinating glimpse into the private, often solitary, realm. Swimming studies is a wonderful, unique book from the writer and artist leanne shapton, author of important artifacts and personal property from the. Moving from her teenage years spent training for the olympic trials, to the pools and beaches of her adult life, shapton explores how swimming influenced and defined her. May 24, 2016 swimming studies is a collection of autobiographical sketches that explore the worlds of competitive and recreational swimming.
From her training for the olympic trials as a teenager to enjoying pools and beaches around the world as pdf an adult, leanne shapton offers a fascinating glimpse into the private, often solitary, realm of. Leanne shapton is an illustrator and author of several books, including important artifacts and personal property from the collection of lenore doolan and harold. Shapton is the author and illustrator of several previous books. Vivid with chlorinebleached swimsuits, and postmatch sorrow caitlin moran, observer, books of the year. Swimming studies is a meditative work that explores what it is like to move from a world of competition and. The book is beautiful as both a story and an object.
Swimming studies book by leanne shapton thriftbooks. Winner of the 2012 national book critics circle award, autobiography swimming studies is a brilliantly original, meditative memoir that explores the worlds of competitive and recreational swimming. Jun 26, 2014 swimming studies is a wonderful, unique book from the writer and artist leanne shapton, author of important artifacts and personal property from the collection of lenore doolan and harold morris, including books, street fashion, and jewelry, with her artwork. Jul 31, 2012 leanne shapton s swimming studies is a curious portrait of the artist as a young athlete image 1 of 2 leanne shapton, whose latest book is swimming studies photo. The talented illustrator leanne shapton, in her pointillistic and quietly profound new memoir, swimming studies, recalls how, in 1988 and 1992, specializing in the breaststroke, she made it as. Swimming studies is a meditative work that explores what it is like to move from a world of competition and discipline to one of recreation and introspection. The talented illustrator leanne shapton, in her pointillistic and quietly profound new memoir, swimming studies, recalls how, in 1988 and 1992, specializing in the breaststroke, she made it as far the canadian olympic trials. Vivid with chlorinebleached swimsuits, and postmatch sorrow caitlin moran, observer, books of the year as a teenager, leanne shapton trained for the olympic swimming trials. From her training for the olympic trials as a teenager, to meditative swims in pools and oceans as an adult, leanne shapton contemplates the sport that has shaped her life. Her spare and elegant writing reveals an intimate narrative of suburban adolescence, spent. Swimming studies by leanne shapton penguin random house. And while it is a memoir on shapton s swimming experience, theres much more to it than just a pool and water.
400 1145 1064 680 572 879 1119 1360 835 1024 693 909 1402 638 1570 1192 1101 943 64 1400 194 1522 162 385 389 1416 625 54 810 756 51 460 1190 856