Young Woman and the Sea

How Trudy Ederle Conquered the English Channel and Inspired the World

By: Glenn Stout

Narrated by: Gisela Chipe

The exhilarating true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel, and inspire a “wave of confidence and emancipation” for women in sports (Parade).

By age twenty, at the height of the Jazz Age, Trudy Ederle was the most accomplished swimmer in the world. She’d won Olympic gold and set a host of world records. But the greatest challenge remained: the English Channel. Only a few swimmers, none of them women, had ever made the treacherous twenty-one mile crossing. Trudy’s failed first attempt seemed to confirm what many naysayers believed: No woman could possibly accomplish such a thing.

In 1926, Ederle proved them wrong. As her German immigrant parents cheered her, and her sister and fellow swimmer Meg helped fashion both her scandalous two-piece swimsuit and leak-proof goggles, Trudy was determined to succeed. “England or drown is my motto,” she said, plunging into the frigid Channel for her second attempt at the crossing. Fourteen hours later, two hours faster than any man, and after weathering a gale and waves that approached six-feet, she stepped onto Kingsdowne Beach as the most famous woman in the world.

Based on years of archival research that unearthed Ederle’s memory from obscurity, Young Woman and the Sea brings to life the real Trudy Ederle, the challenges that came with her fame, and the historic mark her achievement made for all women athletes who followed.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

A very plucky woman

This wonderful book introduces the modern reader to Gertrude Ederle. She was the OG of American women’s swimmers at a time when women were discouraged from athletics and exertion that did not involve housework or having babies. If you have an interest in swimming, women’s sports and American history in the early 20th century, this is your book. The narrator was fantastic, as well.

An exceptional historical recounting of an amazing accomplishment!

I highly enjoyed this book finishing it in a little over one day. I saw it out after watching the movie based upon the book. Both were very entertaining. Of course the book was so much more than the movie. Many historical facts certainly of interest to anyone who swims in any endurance sport. Truly a movie about an athletic feet and even more so, breaking gender barriers. Inspirational!

A great, inspiring story

It is an awesome, important story that has not gotten nearly the attention it deserves. I enjoyed it quite a bit. The Disney movie is also good, but a little looser with the facts.

A lesson in women’s rights history

Detailed but worth it. Great story- brutal truth of women’s fight for dignity. Proof that fame in any generation is paid for with a high price.

The description of just how treacherous the channel was, and how many people had attempted to cross.

Loved everything. The enormity of the impact Gertrude Ederle had on history is astounding, yet she is relatively unknown today. I hope with the movie and this book gaining popularity will change that. This should be required reading in schools. Definitely not boring!