The Memory Pool

Swimmingis a central part of most Australian childhoods. We idealise beaches and surf,but for many kids the local pool – whether it's an ocean, tidal or achlorinated pool – is where they pass summer days. Pools are places ofimagination, daring, belonging, freedom, friendship and romance. For some theyare places of hard-core swimming training. This delightful, nostalgic anthologybrings together reflections and recollections about the swimming pools ofchildhood from a range of Australians of diverse ages and backgrounds, wellknown and not-so-famous — including Trent Dalton, Leah Purcell,Shane Gould, Bryan Brown and Merrick Watts.Evocative,funny and sometimes bittersweet, almost 30 people remember the pools that shaped theirchildhoods. Everyone who has ever dived into their local olympic pool, bushwaterhole or saltwater baths will want to submerge themselves in this beautifulbook.