Although naturally inquisitive about other people and especially any outstanding achievements they attain, I often find memoirs and autobiographies disappointing. However, from the outset, this had me gripped. I lived each of Tom's goals and achievements with him, despite being a very late swimmer who is still pretty terrified of deep water.
The transitions between the two different stages of Tom's life is a very successful way of accounting for his progress and this made for more interesting reading. His references to elements from that time, such as Walkmans and CB radios, gave this even more colour and also served as a constant reminder of his young age and the fact that he was also a normal boy with normal aspirations - and yet he was to achieve something that I can barely even imagine.
The closing chapters are highly emotive and concluded a beautifully emotional journey for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this copy in return for an honest review.

In 1984, Tom aged 7, had gone to the swimming club at Eltham, London for the first time. He was barely able to swim so started a lesson as his Mum and older sister, Anna, were encouraging him to try out new hobbies at the start of the school summer holidays. On the first night he met John Bullet who became his coach, inspirer, friend and second father. Over the next four years John took Tom and lot of other children on numerous training outings to the sea, outdoor lakes and pools and a week in the Lake District each year where they learned to swim long distances in cold water. Finally in 1988, aged 11, Tom was ready to attempt a crossing of the English Channel.

The writing intersperses this swim in the English Channel with the previous four years where Tom trains several days a week and gets to know John and the other members of the Eltham Swimming Club very well. It’s as much a story about the remarkable John Bullet, who inspired all this, as about Tom’s achievements.

Reading about John Bullet and how he inspired those children is a tale in itself and sadly one that would be hard to replicate these days with more rules, regulations and suspicion of allowing your children to spend time with other adults. And yet these were simpler times and this is a wonderful, heartwarming story of the immense difference John Bullet made to so many young lives. There’s lots of great details of life in the 80s, especially the music.

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me absorbed from the very first page
Follow the triumphs and lots of a small boy who wants to be the youngest swimmer to swim across the channel.
Tom and his coach John had an inspiring relationship and was touching and motivational throughout the book

I would recommend this book Without It a doubt

A fantastic memoir of a young swimmer and his world record crossing the English Channel.

I actually remember this being in the news so it was nice to read the background.

I really enjoyed this book, not only was it interesting but educational too. The training for a cross channel swim isn't something people are aware of and it was a real eye opener. I was mentally cheering Tom on as I was reading.

A beautiful story of determination which reduced me to tears in places.

This book is fabulous, I need to be completely honest and say that I hadn't read the description of the book and as it was an advance kindle copy that I read, I hadn't spotted that the cover said 'a memoir'. So I'm reading the book and just thought it was brilliant... it had me gripped and I finished it in less than a day as I just couldn't put it down!! It was as I got to the end that I thought 'maybe this is a true story' and indeed it was.

The way in which it was written was really moving, Tom has clearly retained the emotions from that time and they come across perfectly, I will admit that I did cry towards the end.
It truly is an amazing story.

1984, Eltham swimming baths and an 8 year old boy is staring his swimming career. The swimming baths he has joined is run by John Bullett who expects his swimmers to give their all. In return, he nurtures them and becomes like a second father to them. There are weekends away to Dover and camps at Windermere.
Four years later and the boy is swimming the Channel hoping to become the youngest person ever to achieve it.
This is a story of a past time and would it ever be allowed to happen today?. It is the story of the friendship between coach and pupil and childhood. It made me laugh and cry and very pleased that I was a child who grew up pre-digital!

An amazing and emotional story which is heart warming, endearing and a fantastic read. I've never really been into swimming and you certainly don't need to, to thoroughly enjoy this book.
An easy read which brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye. You need to read it.

Thank you Netgalley, the warmth of this story is going to be with me for a while

I would like to thank both Penguin Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘A Boy in the Water’ in exchange for my honest unbiased review.

As biographies go this was ok. Nothing really special. Young boy who’s fear of swimming becomes his passion.
Bond shown between coach and him.
Easy read.

The memoirs of a young boy who achieves a swimming first. Following Tom from the age of 7 to 11, it describes his swimming journey. A pleasant enough, quick read with no great surprises .

An amazing story, it's hard to keep in mind that this is about an eleven-year old boy. The grit, courage and determination in one so young who faces the most extreme physical and mental challenges is awe-inspiring. The book is written in a style that carries you along with each person, putting you fully in tune with their perspective on an incredible achievement. And in front of all of this is the love and support of so many given and recorded with total modesty. A story to give you faith in the young and those who make life good.

Loved this, a quick, gripping read. On the surface this didn't seem like something that I would enjoy as much as I did but I really loved the way Tom Gregory writes, the way he tells his story and the details of the swimming club and his record attempt. Great book!

A slow biographical tale. Well written, but not particularly gripping. More interesting if you research his story.

It is seldom that an autobiography keeps me reading well into the night. Despite knowing the outcome, the telling of this snapshot of life in the 1980's is written so well with great insight into the resulting relationships and trials endured. I was so unaware of what goes into the training of a long distance open water swimmer. So different from the racing training in most swimming clubs. This is a great story, good literature and overall most enjoyable to read. Please, please give it a better cover and title strip, it deserves so much more!

This is a fascinating memoir! It recounts Tom Gregory's story from his first swimming lesson at the age of 8 to his great accomplishment of becoming the youngest person ever to swim the English Channel at the age of 11. I know very little about cross-channel swimming so it was interesting to get an insight into that world and to learn of all the effort Tom had to put in to accomplish his goal.
The story switches back and forth between Tom's record-breaking swim and the earlier parts of this story and I found this an effective technique.
Although the end of the story is no surprise the vivid descriptions of the characters and events kept me reading. It is an inspiring story of perseverance and determination and an easy and enjoyable read.

This must be one of the most enjoyable memoirs I have ever read.

The writing was great and the structure of the narration, jumping back and forth between the actual swim and the journey up to and shortly after this amazing feat, worked perfectly.

The story was concise whilst still conveying the gravitas of this monumental accomplishment as well the intricacies of relationships and growing up.

I will opt to not discuss the ending, lest to spoil the book, but the emotion that builds up through the journey the book takes you on is felt no more stronger then in those last few pages.

I am left with a feeling that I have been touched by the characters and circumstances of what is now a bygone era. I can only imagine what it must have been like being a part of any one of the amazing journeys that was made real by John Bullet.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books for a review copy.

People who are interested in Biographies / Autobiographies and Memoirs will want to read this book! This book was very well written and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I give this book 5 stars. Provided to me through NetGalley. Thank You!

This is an astute reminiscence of a boy's struggle to win an international swimming first. It is well written but is a fairly slow biographical tale with an obvious outcome. No sensations,no surprises apart from an unexpected death.

What an amazing book. As a distance swimmer when younger, this book really resonated with me.

The author summed up the relationship between coach and swimmer so well.

The preparation for distance swimming, along with the moods and isolation -the mental battle and the physical challenges, along with the cold and the tides and other factors that come into play are so accurate.

In today's risk averse society, some of the scenarios seem so odd- but it is a true reflection of the way things were.

That you, Net Gally for giving me the opportunity to review this book. Highly recommended.

Great memoir from the youngest boy to swim the English Channel. Draws on the era and his experience at school and swimming club and coping with the pressure of expectation and training required to pull this achievement off. Drawing on the music and personalities around him Gregory weaves a charming tale.

What an amazing book, I loved every minute of the trials and tribulations of Tefal. The way it interspersed the "swim" with how Tom reached that point was very cleverly done and I read late into the night to the finale.
I knew nothing about channel swimming before and feel somewhat enriched to have been party to this information. Thank you for sharing your memoirs.