Review of "Just Add Water"

Just in time for the Paris Olympics, swimming champion Katie Ledecky has published her memoir.  For someone who is only 27, it contained a lot of memorable material.  Here is my review of "Just Add Water."

 

Title/Author:

“Just Add Water: My Swimming Life” written and narrated by Katie Ledecky

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

It isn’t often that I want to get a book immediately on the date of publication as I usually prefer to wait at least a couple weeks and see what the initial reviews look like.  But when it came time to get this memoir by Olympic and world swimming champion Katie Ledecky, something told me that I needed to read or listen to this ASAP.  And I am glad I did as it was a very enjoyable listen.

Something to note is that this memoir follows the tried-and-true format of talking about the author’s youth, their family and those who inspire them and their rise to the top of their sport or profession.  Ledecky talks in great detail about her family, especially in the early chapters.  Her brother Michael and she were both attracted to swimming early and while Michael hit the proverbial “wall” in his teens, Katie kept on swimming.  There are also chapters about her parents and grandparents.  The story of her grandfather who was from the Czech Republic was especially inspiring.

What made this memoir so good was the positivity expressed by Ledecky throughout the book.  This was quite refreshing when she talked about her experiences during the worst of the COVID pandemic in 2020 that led to the postponement of that year’s Olympic games in Tokyo.  Any disruption like that will lead to issues for Olympic athletes but between good fortune, good luck and a positive attitude, Ledecky was able to continue her training.  No matter the subject, even when it is a very hard training session, she keeps an upbeat vibe to the book.  One part of this attitude that I really enjoyed is when she was questioning why so many reporters were asking her about “disappointed” she was when winning a sliver medal in Tokyo instead of gold.  She asks how can one be disappointed when you realize you are the second-best athlete in this race in the world? 

I am glad that I listened to the audio version of this book instead of reading the physical copy or the e-book.  Hearing Ledecky’s story in her own voice was powerful, energizing and meant a great deal more than simply reading the text.  One will even learn more about the sport of swimming – great material for those who only follow the sport during Olympic years.

Link: Just Add Water by Katie Ledecky - Audiobook - Audible.com