Swimming On Sunday

The perfect summer read from the international bestselling author of the Shopaholic novels. On a shimmeringly hot Sunday in May, Louise is at a neighbour's pool with her daughters - and glaring at her resentfully is her estranged husband Barnaby. While the children splash and shriek in the cool blue waters, she lies blissfully back in the sun and dreams of Cassian, the charismatic new lawyer in her life. The day seems perfect. But suddenly the bliss is shattered. The consequences of a terrible accident develop into a drama of recriminations, jealousy and legal power-play. Friendships crumble, the village is split, and the needs of a child become secondary to the dangerous contest in which the grown-ups are engaged.

“Look, for people who’re going to be dead soon, we’re not doing too badly.” “The novel of the year” is what La Presse called this extraordinary book, a love story that takes place in the days leading up to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. A first work of fiction by one of French Canada’s most admired journalists, Gil Courtemanche, it was first published in Quebec in 2000, spent more than a year on bestseller lists and won the Prix des Libraires, the booksellers’ award for outstanding book of the year. Rights were sold to publishers in over twenty countries in Europe and around the world. This humanist story of an unlikely love affair set against a holocaust has become an internationally acclaimed phenomenon, worthy of comparison with the work of Graham Greene and Albert Camus. The swimming pool of the Mille-Collines hotel, Kigali, in the early 1990s, draws a regular crowd of assorted aid workers, strutting Rwandan officials, Belgian businessmen, French paratroops and Canadian expats. Among them is Bernard Valcourt, a documentary filmmaker from Quebec, on a mission to set up a television station in the capital. Valcourt, who for two decades has earned his living from wars and famines, lingers around the pool drinking warm beer and watching football; but most of all, watching Gentille, a beautiful young waitress, who is a Hutu but often mistaken for a Tutsi because of her family’s strange history. The trouble coming stems from a long conflict, instigated in colonial times by Whites who treated Tutsis as superior to Hutus. The Hutu government is now openly encouraging violence against Tutsis. The physical traits of the Tutsis make them easy prey, but they are not the only ones in danger. Too many people are already dying in Rwanda daily: of AIDS, of malaria, and increasingly at roadblocks at the hands of drunken militia, or pulled from their homes. The hotel staff and prostitutes sense trouble and death drawing closer as they continue providing drinks and meals and sex. The story of this developing catastrophe is revealed through the lives of a handful of Rwandans who befriend Valcourt. They confide in him because he listens, and because his interviews offer them a chance to try to change the way things are by telling the world. Their candour and warmth begin to make his heart glow. He meets people like Méthode, who knows a bloodbath is brewing and would rather die of AIDS in the comfort of a hotel room than by a machete. Threatened, frightened, sick, they don’t want to talk and act like they’re dying. Poor as they are, they want to have some moments of pleasure and celebrate life. As Kigali life continues in its resourcefulness and persistence, Valcourt is falling in love with Rwanda, and with Gentille, who loves him because he sees her as no-one has seen her before. Even as the worst horrors begin, as friends are raped and murdered, he starts to feel a strange peace in this land of a thousand hills, though he repudiates the outside world for its failure to intervene. Because Gentille is thought to be Tutsi, her life is in danger. Still, no-one can believe that the extremists will go too far, that brothers and sisters will kill brothers and sisters, and that 800,000 civilians will be massacred. A hard-hitting chronicle of an overlooked chapter of recent history, told with skill and compassion, A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali is also a celebration of living in the moment, of the integrity of friendship and the courage of everyday heroes. Harrowing, unsettling, challenging, but beautiful and moving, it is a book that cannot leave the reader untouched; as a Quill & Quire reviewer said, it is “full of real people that demand to be remembered.”

A clear, practical guide to swimming freestyle better than you ever thought possible. Not only to swim well enough to breeze through a triathlon swim leg with ease and confidence; but to reach a Nirvana where the swim is your favorite part. If you're not aiming to do a triathlon, but would simply like to swim with ease, efficiency and confidence, TSME will turn you into a beautiful freestyler with the freedom to swim in any body of water.

Swimming - Training Program sets out the 300 swimming schedules and 115 weight schedules making up a single six- month training cycle, each week's program, which in most cases involves thirteen swimming schedules and five weight schedule, also includes a description of how the week's program is compatible with and contributes to Lydiard's ......

Swimming Wild in Scotland by Alice Goodridge is an informative and inspiring book for both new and experienced wild swimmers, featuring over 100 of the best wild swimming spots across the Scottish mainland and islands. Drawing on her vast experience as a long-distance swimmer and open water swimming coach, Alice has hand-picked locations to help you experience Scotland at its wild and rugged best. Scotland has a plethora of choice when it comes to wild swimming – you could take a dip in one of the stunning lochs of the Cairngorms, splash around in the river pools on Arran, step out from a deserted white sand beach on remote Great Bernera, swim right up to a waterfall on the River Pattack, or, for something a little different, swim in flooded quarries on Easdale or delight in the easily accessible tidal pools in Fife. Alice digs into the detail of what makes a fantastic wild swimming location, sharing her in-depth knowledge of exactly where to get in the water, where to safely swim once you're in, the best time to swim if tides are a consideration, what to expect underfoot as you get in for your swim, and, just as importantly, you'll be aware of any potential hazards. Armed with all this essential knowledge, you can relax and enjoy your swim, with all the preparation and research taken care of. This is all backed up by clear Ordnance Survey and custom maps, information on parking and public transport, and details of enticing cafes to enjoy a post-swim hot chocolate. Flick through this book, drawing inspiration from the stunning photography, as Alice brings each fantastic swimming location to life. Whether you're an experienced wild swimmer or just dipping your toes in the water for the first time, you'll find plenty to inspire your next adventure.

Swim better—and enjoy every lap—with Total Immersion, a guide to improving your swimming from an expert with more than thirty years of experience in the water. Terry Laughlin, the world’s #1 authority on swimming success, has made his unique approach even easier for anyone to master. Whether you’re an accomplished swimmer or have always found swimming to be a struggle, Total Immersion will show you that it’s mindful fluid movement—not athletic ability—that will turn you into an efficient swimmer. This new edition of the bestselling Total Immersion features: -A thoughtfully choreographed series of skill drills—practiced in the mindful spirit of yoga—that can help anyone swim more enjoyably -A holistic approach to becoming one with the water and to developing a swimming style that’s always comfortable -Simple but thorough guidance on how to improve fitness and form -A complementary land-and-water program for achieving a strong and supple body at any age Based on more than thirty years of teaching, coaching, and research, Total Immersion has dramatically improved the physical and mental experience of swimming for thousands of people of all ages and abilities.

1001 Outdoor Swimming Tips by Calum Maclean is a light-hearted and informative guide to all kinds of outdoor and wild swimming. This is no standard instruction manual – it is much more useful than that. This is a huge collection of small tips to make a real difference to your outdoor swimming, whether you're planning your first forays into swimming outdoors or enjoy icy swims in the depths of winter – this book will take you through everything you need to know. The vast range of topics covered includes everything from biosecurity and the safety of others to cold-water swimming, recovery, night swimming, swimming with children, the essential gear you'll need, training and how to get that perfect underwater photo. Whether you're a wild swimming novice or have plenty of experience in water, Calum's entertaining and knowledgeable advice will inspire you and help to enrich your time in the water.