Swimming Lessons

by Lynne Hugo, Anna T. Villegas

Terrified of the water but needing to learn how to swim, Laurel convinces Marna, a former swimming champion who had given up her Olympic dreams for marriage, to give her lessons, a request that marks the beginning of an extraordinary friendship. Tour.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published July 8, 1998

About the author

Lynne Hugo is an American author whose roots are in the northeast. A National Endowment For The Arts Fellowship recipient, she has also received repeat individual artists grants from the Ohio Arts Council and the Kentucky Foundation for Women. Her publications include eight novels, one volume of creative non-fiction, two books of poetry and a children’s book. She lives with her husband, a former Vice President for Academic Affairs of a liberal arts college and now a professional photographer, in the Midwest. They have two grown children, three grandchildren, and a yellow Labrador retriever.

Ms. Hugo has taught creative writing to hundreds of schoolchildren through the Ohio Arts Council’s renowned Arts in Education program. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Connecticut College, and a Master’s from Miami University.

When an editor asked her to describe herself as a writer, she responded:

“I write in black Wal-Mart capri sweatpants. They don’t start out as capris, but I routinely shrink them in the drier by accident. And I always buy black because it doesn’t show where I’ve wiped the chocolate off my hands. Now that my son and daughter are grown, my previous high grade of ‘below average’ in Domestic Achievement has dropped somewhat. But I’m less guilty about it now. I lose myself in crafting language by a window with birdfeeders hanging in the branches of a Chinese elm towering over the house. When I come up for air, I hike by the ponds and along the river in a nearby forest with my beloved Lab. My husband, with whom I planted that elm as a bare root sapling, joins us when he can.”

Reviews

[Sharon Wildfang · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was a little predictable and one of the characters was pretty one dimensional at the beginning. But, I enjoyed the story and the process of the two women becoming friends.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books. It was so good I stayed up all night reading it

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

When my husband read the description of this book, he said "Sounds like a Lifetime movie." I later found out that the book was indeed made into a Lifetime movie. It is that kind of a book, I guess, all about women and their relationships with men and each other. I enjoyed it, though. I liked both of the main characters, who meet and become friends when one gives the other swimming lessons. And, as a stereotypical woman, I enjoyed reading about how both characters grew and became stronger women over the course of the story. Not great literature, but an enjoyable read.

[Lynne]

A movie was made of this one, still shown frequently on Lifetime. "Another Woman's Husband." (Worst title change ever!) This is about the friendship between women! Coauthor Anna Tuttle Villegas and I never met until after this book was sold! See my website for how this happened: www.LynneHugo.com

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book awhile ago but somehow it's stuck with me and I was glad I found it again recently so that I can re-read it.
Interesting story about two women's lives and overcoming fears.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has an unexpected twist.

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a quick, interesting read. The story was a little predictable, but the characters were engaging.

Part of a bookcrossing bookring. Read and passed on.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historia sobre la amistad: dos mujeres con vidas totalmente diferentes, con una sola cosa en común.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow.

I've always said that out of all the silly fears, Fear of water is the least silly

[Fern Boyle]

Loved it