
Dryland
One Woman's Swim to Sobriety
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Narrated by:
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Donna Postel
About this listen
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.Listeners also enjoyed...
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What listeners say about Dryland
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Carol Nain
- 05-08-19
World travel
I did enjoy the descriptions of the foreign countries that she traveled quite a bit. Nice voice.
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- Sally SlapTear
- 12-27-22
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!
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- victoria
- 11-05-23
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.
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Overall
- L T White
- 05-31-21
Great story!
Great story of reflection and overcoming. Proud of Nancy for her resilience and vulnerability in her expression. Much respect!
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- montagealexander
- 02-14-20
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.
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