Dryland

One Woman's Swim to Sobriety

By: Nancy Stearns Bercaw

Narrated by: Donna Postel

For swimming champion Nancy Stearns Bercaw, the pool was a natural habitat. But on land, she could never shake the feeling of being a fish out of water. Starting at age two, Nancy devoted her life to swimming, even qualifying for the 1988 Olympic Trials in the fifty-meter freestyle event. But nearly two decades later, when she hung up her cap and goggles, she was confronted with a different kind of challenge: learning who she was out of the lanes.

In this honest, intimate memoir, Nancy reflects on her years wandering the globe, where tragic events and a lost sense of self escalate her dependence on booze. Thirty-three years after her first sip of alcohol, the swimmer comes to a stunning realization while living with her husband and son in Abu Dhabi - she's drowning in the desert. Nancy looks to the Bedouin people for the strength to conquer one final opponent: alcohol addiction.

©2017 Nancy Stearns Bercaw (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Honest, straightforward ho-hum

A bit egotistical about the swimming prowess. Though she does self refer to her narcissistic trait about 95% of the way in.
Straightforward style. Nothing like the literary insights of say Caroline Knapp. But ANY quit lit is Good quit lit!

Real and amazing story of determination and resilience running away from a powerful addiction

Determination, resilience and consistency towards a powerful addiction.
What a son and a good husband can do to change to course of someone’s life away from alcoholism.

Great story!

Great story of reflection and overcoming. Proud of Nancy for her resilience and vulnerability in her expression. Much respect!

World travel

I did enjoy the descriptions of the foreign countries that she traveled quite a bit. Nice voice.

Very Whiny (with lots of wine)

It seemed more like a travel book from someone who feels sorry for themselves, is overly dramatic and sees every event through a lens of how it impacts them (total Boomer). I’m glad she got sober, and appreciate some of the details about Abu Dhabi as I’m heading there, plus it was a free audible book.