Swimming Sydney with Chris Baker

Come join us for a sunny summer afternoon with Chris Baker, in conversation with Steph Beck, a glass of sparkling in hand, as we celebrate Swimming Sydney! Swimming Sydney is a valentine to the beautiful obsession of swimming in the world’s most beautiful city. It’s a book for everyone who loves swimming, who loves Sydney, and who understands that storytelling is the best way to navigate life’s emotional currents. ‘Part travel guide and part memoir, these 52 immersive essays – one a week – remind us how inextricably Australian culture is linked to water and our bodies. Immerse yourself and emerge invigorated, like the best swims leave you feeling.’ – Benjamin Law A lifelong swimmer, educator and writer, Chris was born and raised in Sydney. He has spent much of his professional life overseas, living and working in Vancouver, Prague, Hong Kong and Berlin. Chris was lured back to Sydney by its beautiful beaches, superb municipal pools, wild swimming holes and world-famous ocean baths. He is the author of Swimming Sydney: A tale of 52 Swims (NewSouth). Chris’ work has been published by the Sydney Morning Herald, Weekend Australian, The Guardian Australia, Time Out, SBS Online and Vogue Australia. Steph Beck is our Director and the Events and Marketing Manager! She is a History and Aboriginal Studies teacher at a local high school, and has been a bookseller since she was 17. She is of Lebanese and German descent, and lives on Gadigal land. Her favourite genres are Australian fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction and graphic novels. Drinks and nibblies provided.