Dear Great Book Guru, One of my favorite pastimes (after reading, of course!) is swimming. My friends and I meet regularly at a local pool, and one of them mentioned a book about swimming - a novel that she said reminded her of us.  Do you know the book she is talking about, and would you recommend it?   Pool and Book Fan

Dear Pool and Book Fan, THE SWIMMERS by Judith Otsuka is a beautifully written short novel (192 pages) that can be enjoyed on many levels.  The story opens with a group narrator – a Greek chorus of sorts - who briefly recounts the stories of a group of men and women who have been swimming together for many years. The pleasure each experiences, regardless of age or skill, is exquisitely described. The story shifts as a crack in the pool is discovered and then another and then another.  It becomes clear that the pool must be closed for repair but soon it is announced that it will be closed permanently.  The damage is irreparable … and the damage to the swimmers is also catastrophic. The story shifts once again, focusing on one of the swimmers whose decline is as rapid and irreversible as the fate of the pool.  The reader is left wondering whether the pool is a metaphor for our world - is the crack political or perhaps a symbol of the pandemic?  Does change inevitably bring an end to the things that give comfort and security?  The author leaves us with much to ponder. Highly recommended!