Archive for August, 2016

Media Center: ‘Swimming in the Sink’ by Lynne Cox

August 31st, 2016

WHO: Lynne Cox

WHAT: SWIMMING IN THE SINK:
An Episode of the Heart

WHEN: Published by Knopf September 9, 2016

WHERE: Author tour to Boston, Miami, NY, San Diego, SF, and more…

WHY: “A simple, inspiring memoir…A celebration of mindful living and a reminder that few things are ever permanently out of reach.
“Born covered in hair that made her look like ‘a little seal’ and possessed of the remarkable ability to acclimatize easily to cold, often freezing water, Lynne Cox seemed destined for the aquatic pursuits that defined her later life. As an adult, she successfully swam across the Bering Strait, the Beagle Channel, Disko Bay, and Lake Titicaca and became an unofficial goodwill ambassador between nations. Her metabolism was so efficient that she became the subject of numerous medical studies.
“But in 2012, Cox’s amazing body began to falter. First, her feet began to swell. Then she developed an irregular heartbeat and severe cramping in both hands. At first, she thought her symptoms were stress-induced. Her mother had passed away a year earlier, and for 25 years, she had cared for her parents. Doctors told her that her prognosis for recovery was poor and that if her body did not respond to medication, she would need a heart transplant.
“Unwilling to ‘have my heart cut out of my body,’ Cox examined everything in her life, from her diet and personal habits to her friendships. She dispensed with all negative thinking and became more aware of ‘the things that were stressing me’ so that she could handle them more appropriately. A few months later, her heart rate had become more normal and she was reacclimatizing her body to the cold by moving her hands and arms in a kitchen sink filled with ice water. Six months later, she had completely recovered. Not only was she able to swim again, but she also loved it more deeply than ever before.” —KIRKUS REVIEWS

“Cox brings both the unique perspective of an athlete who spent a lifetime exploring her physical limits and the determination of someone who braved painful research into the body’s ability to survive cold.”
—Bridget Thoreson, in a starred review for BOOKLIST

“Inspiring and engaging…This book is a reminder that for even the strongest and most solitary among us — and long-distance swimmers certainly qualify — the support of friends and family is crucial.”
—Valerie Hamra, in a starred review for LIBRARY JOURNAL

“Straightforward and intimate…This satisfying journey through a world-class athlete’s heart-centered crisis is a warm tale of recovery and even finding love.”
—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Jacket photo

Media Resources:
About the book and author | Author tour | Read an excerpt | Download the jacket | Download the author photo

Knopf. 225 pages. $25 ISBN 978-1-101-94762-3

Publicist for this title:
Katie Schoder | 212-572-2103 | kschoder@penguinrandomhouse.com