Overview

""If you're not strong enough to swim fast, you're probably not strong enough to swim 'pretty,'"" said a young Esther Williams to theater impresario Billy Rose. Since the nineteenth century, tensions between beauty and strength, aesthetics and athleticism have both impeded and propelled the careers of female swimmers-none more so than synchronized swimmers, for whom Williams is often considered godmother. In this revelatory history, Vicki Valosik traces a century of aquatic performance, from vaudeville to the Olympic arena, and brings to life the colorful cast of characters whose ""pretty swimming"" not only laid the groundwork for an altogether new sport but forever changed women's relationships with water. Williams, who became a Hollywood sensation for her splashy ""aquamusicals,"" was just one in a long, bedazzled line of swimmers who began their careers as athletes but found greater opportunity, and often social acceptance, in the world of show business. Early starlets like Lurline the Water Queen performed ""scientific"" swimming, a set of moves previously only practiced by men-including Benjamin Franklin-that focused on form and exhibited mastery in the water. Demonstrating their fancy feats in aquariums and water tanks rolled onto music hall stages, these women stunned Victorian audiences with their physical dexterity and defied society's rigid expectations of what was proper and possible for their sex. Far more than bathing beauties, they ushered in sensible swimwear and influenced lifesaving and physical education programs, helping to drop national drowning rates and paving the way for new generations of female athletes. When a Chicago physical educator matched their aquatic movements to music in the 1920s, young girls flocked to take part in ""synchronized swimming."" But despite overwhelming love from audiences and the Olympic ambitions of its practitioners, ""synchro"" was long perceived as little more than entertaining pageantry, and its athletes would face a battle against the current to earn a spot at the highest echelons of sport. Now, on the fortieth anniversary of synchronized swimming's elevation to Olympic status, Swimming Pretty honors its incredible history of grit, glamor, and sheer athleticism.

Full Product Details

9781324096894

Table of Contents

Reviews

""In Swimming Pretty, Valosik puts the sport in a wide historical frame, showing how the very idea of women going into the water has both reflected and driven social change . . . Swimming Pretty features plenty of ‘who knew?’ moments and a teeming cast of characters."" -- Jennifer Schuessler - New York Times ""[An] enlightening, well-researched history . . . As [Valosik's] book reveals in fascinating detail, although women’s access to the water has been mired for centuries in gender politics . . . women have transformed swimming for everyone in fundamental ways."" -- Sarah L. Kaufman - Wall Street Journal ""An astonishingly comprehensive account of women’s aquatic pursuits . . . Valosik interrogates the porous boundary between sport and spectacle, a thin line that women’s swimming, in particular, has always navigated . . . By swimming ‘pretty,’ Valosik shows, women were able to subtly showcase their prowess, helping normalize women’s physical activity—and athletic excellence."" -- Sophia Stewart - Atlantic ""Valosik, a masters synchronized swimmer and writing instructor, delves into the history of a sport that has long been seen as more beautiful than athletic. Her book shows that it is both."" -- Washington Post ""Journalist Vicki Valosik, herself a master synchronized swimmer, knows that the sport involves more than waterproof makeup and spangled costumes. Her new book, Swimming Pretty: The Untold Story of Women in Water, traces the history of the sport with the precision and grace of an Esther Williams tableau . . . As the 2024 Games begin next month in Paris, Swimming Pretty can be a great primer on a spectacular, strenuous sport."" -- Bethanne Patrick - Los Angeles Times ""[Valosik] admirably unravels a centuries-spanning narrative about synchronized swimming’s rise from music-hall water tanks to the Olympics . . . A timely tribute to the glamour and athleticism of the pioneering women of synchronized swimming and their efforts to legitimize it as a sport."" -- Library Journal ""Vicki Valosik's mesmerizing new history of synchronized swimming...traces the origins of aquatic performance, from vaudevile stages to the Olympics."" -- Emily Burack - Town & Country ""Swimming Pretty...[is] a feminist look at a sexist history."" -- Sarah Vincent - Good Housekeeping ""Groundbreaking . . . This is a must read for any aquatic athlete, but also for those hoping to learn more about a beautiful sport . . . a perfect read in an Olympic year."" -- Swimming World ""Swimming Pretty unearths the history of female swimmers... the author probes the push and pull between beauty and strength, art and athletics, and performance and sport. Synchronized swimming, she contends, encompasses them all."" -- Emily Gaines Buchler - John Hopkins Magazine ""Captivating, multifaceted . . . Thanks to Valosik’s extensive research and gift for illustrating the ways in which her titular women in water have influenced history, culture and athletics, readers surely will be inspired to view synchronized swimming in a new light—and perhaps even attempt a ‘rocket split bent knee twirl hybrid’ themselves."" -- BookPage ""With Swimming Pretty, Valosik set out to tell the origin story of synchronized swimming . . . It’s been 40 years since synchronized swimming became an Olympic sport, yet some people still dismiss it as pageantry. I can tell you now that it isn’t."" -- Washingtonian ""Brush the sand off your bottom and dive in, knowing that this book isn't just about taking to the water: within its pages, you'll wade into world attitudes, women's suffrage, the rise of American interests in exercise and fitness, and a look at the way we like our vacations and our leisure . . . If you enjoy reading about movies, theater, and other pop culture, this is the book to have; if you like history, you'll be right in your depth. Pack Swimming Pretty and a waterproof bookmark in your beach tote and jump right in."" -- Bradford Era ""[Valosik] uncovers much . . . aquatic history in her new book, Swimming Pretty: The Untold Story of Women in Water . . . [S]he dug through archives at the International Swimming Hall of Fame and pored through physical education journals and the scrapbooks and personal effects of early Olympians and aquatic performers of the carnival world. She interviewed swimmers who went on State Department missions to spread the sport internationally, former coaches, and top athletes and leaders in artistic swimming today.”"" -- Georgetown University ""I picked up Swimming Pretty expecting it to be a history of synchronized swimming, but was delighted to learn it was so much more...there’s so much to learn."" -- What to Read If Substack ""This deep dive is refreshing... Vasolik follows the evolution of women in water...their gritty femininity—the capability to master water, demonstrate strength and defy gender expectations—is thought-provoking."" -- Nathalie Atkinson - Everything Zoomer ""The long path to female equality has involved many byways, and one of them has been in the pool . . . Throughout this fascinating narrative, the author emphasizes the necessary blend of physicality, creativity, and grace, making readers want to pay special attention to the sport in the forthcoming Paris Olympics. With firsthand knowledge, diligent research, and colorful prose, Valosik provides an engaging, energetic history."" -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review ""Mention ‘swimming pretty,’ and readers of a certain age may associate it with classic Hollywood pageantry in which synchronized swim performances featured glamorous mermaids creating intricate patterns on the silver screen. In this fascinating, extensively researched history, Valosik (who took up synchronized swimming as an adult) addresses a longstanding question: is it art, show business, or sport? . . . a plethora of fascinating facts combined with groundbreaking developments throughout the years will captivate readers curious about a sport that requires skills, stamina, and strength and that deserves respect."" -- Booklist, starred review ""‘Women swimmers have navigated tensions between athletics and performance, sport and spectacle, for generations,’ according to this comprehensive debut history . . . An incisive marriage of sports and cultural history, this is well worth diving into."" -- Publishers Weekly ""An amazing story about the evolution of swimming, how synchronized swimming became a kaleidoscope of political and social change, and how artistic swimming became recognized as an incredibly athletic, beautiful, and world-renowned sport. I loved this fascinating book."" -- Lynne Cox, author of Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer ""Swimming Pretty is so much more than a history of a sport—it’s also an engrossing account of how society has controlled and contained women’s bodies and ambitions throughout history. In deft prose filled with bizarre, often startling details, Valosik reveals the trailblazing athletes and entertainers who, in soggy corsets and petticoats, encouraged generations of women to find empowerment in the water."" -- M. G. Lord, author of Forever Barbie ""I have long been a fan of movie star synchronized swimmer Esther Williams but never knew she was just one of many pathbreaking pretty swimmers who date as far back as the nineteenth century. . . . Chock-full of history and personal stories, this is a fascinating, eye-opening book."" -- Ann Hood, author of Fly Girl ""Swimming Pretty plunges into the colorful, entertaining, inspiring, and sometimes enraging history of strong women who fought for athletic joy and the right to compete—cloaking their power in traditional femininity to do so. It will leave you breathless (and googling synchro videos)."" -- Danielle Dreilinger, author of The Secret History of Home Economics

'Women swimmers have navigated tensions between athletics and performance, sport and spectacle, for generations, ' according to this comprehensive debut history . . . An incisive marriage of sports and cultural history, this is well worth diving into.-- ""Publishers Weekly"" [An] enlightening, well-researched history . . . As [Valosik's] book reveals in fascinating detail, although women's access to the water has been mired for centuries in gender politics . . . women have transformed swimming for everyone in fundamental ways.--Sarah L. Kaufman ""Wall Street Journal"" [Valosik] admirably unravels a centuries-spanning narrative about synchronized swimming's rise from music-hall water tanks to the Olympics . . . A timely tribute to the glamour and athleticism of the pioneering women of synchronized swimming and their efforts to legitimize it as a sport.-- ""Library Journal"" An amazing story about the evolution of swimming, how synchronized swimming became a kaleidoscope of political and social change, and how artistic swimming became recognized as an incredibly athletic, beautiful, and world-renowned sport. I loved this fascinating book.--Lynne Cox, author of Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer An astonishingly comprehensive account of women's aquatic pursuits . . . Valosik interrogates the porous boundary between sport and spectacle, a thin line that women's swimming, in particular, has always navigated . . . By swimming 'pretty, ' Valosik shows, women were able to subtly showcase their prowess, helping normalize women's physical activity--and athletic excellence.--Sophia Stewart ""Atlantic"" Captivating, multifaceted . . . Thanks to Valosik's extensive research and gift for illustrating the ways in which her titular women in water have influenced history, culture and athletics, readers surely will be inspired to view synchronized swimming in a new light--and perhaps even attempt a 'rocket split bent knee twirl hybrid' themselves.-- ""BookPage"" Groundbreaking . . . This is a must read for any aquatic athlete, but also for those hoping to learn more about a beautiful sport . . . a perfect read in an Olympic year.-- ""Swimming World"" I have long been a fan of movie star synchronized swimmer Esther Williams but never knew she was just one of many pathbreaking pretty swimmers who date as far back as the nineteenth century. . . . Chock-full of history and personal stories, this is a fascinating, eye-opening book.--Ann Hood, author of Fly Girl Mention 'swimming pretty, ' and readers of a certain age may associate it with classic Hollywood pageantry in which synchronized swim performances featured glamorous mermaids creating intricate patterns on the silver screen. In this fascinating, extensively researched history, Valosik (who took up synchronized swimming as an adult) addresses a longstanding question: is it art, show business, or sport? . . . a plethora of fascinating facts combined with groundbreaking developments throughout the years will captivate readers curious about a sport that requires skills, stamina, and strength and that deserves respect.--Booklist, starred review The long path to female equality has involved many byways, and one of them has been in the pool . . . Throughout this fascinating narrative, the author emphasizes the necessary blend of physicality, creativity, and grace, making readers want to pay special attention to the sport in the forthcoming Paris Olympics. With firsthand knowledge, diligent research, and colorful prose, Valosik provides an engaging, energetic history.--Kirkus Reviews, starred review This deep dive is refreshing... Vasolik follows the evolution of women in water...their gritty femininity--the capability to master water, demonstrate strength and defy gender expectations--is thought-provoking.--Nathalie Atkinson ""Everything Zoomer"" Valosik, a masters synchronized swimmer and writing instructor, delves into the history of a sport that has long been seen as more beautiful than athletic. Her book shows that it is both.-- ""Washington Post"" Vicki Valosik's mesmerizing new history of synchronized swimming...traces the origins of aquatic performance, from vaudevile stages to the Olympics.--Emily Burack ""Town & Country"" Swimming Pretty is so much more than a history of a sport--it's also an engrossing account of how society has controlled and contained women's bodies and ambitions throughout history. In deft prose filled with bizarre, often startling details, Valosik reveals the trailblazing athletes and entertainers who, in soggy corsets and petticoats, encouraged generations of women to find empowerment in the water.--M. G. Lord, author of Forever Barbie Swimming Pretty plunges into the colorful, entertaining, inspiring, and sometimes enraging history of strong women who fought for athletic joy and the right to compete--cloaking their power in traditional femininity to do so. It will leave you breathless (and googling synchro videos).--Danielle Dreilinger, author of The Secret History of Home Economics Swimming Pretty unearths the history of female swimmers... the author probes the push and pull between beauty and strength, art and athletics, and performance and sport. Synchronized swimming, she contends, encompasses them all.--Emily Gaines Buchler ""John Hopkins Magazine"" Swimming Pretty...[is] a feminist look at a sexist history.--Sarah Vincent ""Good Housekeeping"" [Valosik] uncovers much . . . aquatic history in her new book, Swimming Pretty: The Untold Story of Women in Water . . . [S]he dug through archives at the International Swimming Hall of Fame and pored through physical education journals and the scrapbooks and personal effects of early Olympians and aquatic performers of the carnival world. She interviewed swimmers who went on State Department missions to spread the sport internationally, former coaches, and top athletes and leaders in artistic swimming today.""-- ""Georgetown University"" Brush the sand off your bottom and dive in, knowing that this book isn't just about taking to the water: within its pages, you'll wade into world attitudes, women's suffrage, the rise of American interests in exercise and fitness, and a look at the way we like our vacations and our leisure . . . If you enjoy reading about movies, theater, and other pop culture, this is the book to have; if you like history, you'll be right in your depth. Pack Swimming Pretty and a waterproof bookmark in your beach tote and jump right in.-- ""Bradford Era"" I picked up Swimming Pretty expecting it to be a history of synchronized swimming, but was delighted to learn it was so much more...there's so much to learn.-- ""What to Read If Substack"" In Swimming Pretty, Valosik puts the sport in a wide historical frame, showing how the very idea of women going into the water has both reflected and driven social change . . . Swimming Pretty features plenty of 'who knew?' moments and a teeming cast of characters.--Jennifer Schuessler ""New York Times"" Journalist Vicki Valosik, herself a master synchronized swimmer, knows that the sport involves more than waterproof makeup and spangled costumes. Her new book, Swimming Pretty: The Untold Story of Women in Water, traces the history of the sport with the precision and grace of an Esther Williams tableau . . . As the 2024 Games begin next month in Paris, Swimming Pretty can be a great primer on a spectacular, strenuous sport.--Bethanne Patrick ""Los Angeles Times"" With Swimming Pretty, Valosik set out to tell the origin story of synchronized swimming . . . It's been 40 years since synchronized swimming became an Olympic sport, yet some people still dismiss it as pageantry. I can tell you now that it isn't.-- ""Washingtonian""

Author Information

Vicki Valosik is a masters synchronized swimmer whose writing has appeared in publications such as the Atlantic, Smithsonian magazine, and Slate. She is an editorial director and teaches writing at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and lives in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available