Lynne Cox is internationally famous for swimming the world’s most difficult waterways without a wet suit. When she saw a video of a Newfoundland dog leaping from an airborne helicopter into Italian waters to save someone from drowning, she was transfixed by the rescue, and captivated by the magnificence, physicality and daring of the dog. TALES OF AL is the moving, inspiring story of Cox’s adventures on Italy’s picturesque Lake Idroscalo, as witness to the rigorous training of one of these spectacular dogs at SICS, the famed school that has taught hundreds of dog owners how to train their dogs --- Newfoundlands, German shepherds and golden retrievers --- for this rescue operation.

A celebrated athlete who set swimming records around the world, Lynne Cox achieved astonishing feats of strength and endurance. But in a short period of time, she loses her father, followed by her mother, and then Cody, her beloved Labrador retriever. Soon after, Lynne herself is diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition that leaves her unable to swim and barely able to walk. But against all odds, and with the support of her friends and family, Lynne begins the slow pull toward recovery. What follows is a beautifully poignant meditation on loss and an exhilarating celebration of life.

Lynne Cox started swimming almost as soon as she could walk. By age 16, she had broken all records for swimming the English Channel. Her daring eventually led her to the Bering Strait, where she swam five miles in 38-degree water in just a swimsuit, cap and goggles. In between those accomplishments, she became the first to swim the Strait of Magellan, narrowly escaped a shark attack off the Cape of Good Hope, and was cheered across the 20-mile Cook Strait of New Zealand by dolphins. She even swam a mile in the Antarctic.