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Roger Deakin

Biography

Roger Deakin

Roger Deakin was an English writer and celebrated environmentalist. WATERLOG, the only book he published in his lifetime, became a UK bestseller and founded the wild swimming movement. He also authored two other acclaimed works of nonfiction: WILDWOOD: A Journey Through Trees and NOTES FROM WALNUT TREE FARM. Deakin lived in Suffolk, England, and died there in 2006.

Roger Deakin

Books by Roger Deakin

Waterlog: A Swimmer's Journey Through Britain
by Roger Deakin - Memoir, Nature, Nonfiction

In an attempt to discover his island nation from a new perspective, Roger Deakin embarks from his home in Suffolk to swim Britain --- the seas, rivers, lakes, ponds, pools, streams, lochs, moats and quarries. Through the watery capillary network that braids itself throughout the country, Deakin immerses himself in the natural habitats of fish, amphibians, mammals and birds. And as he navigates towns, private property, and sometimes dangerous waters and inclement weather, Deakin finds himself in precarious situations: he’s detained by bailiffs in Winchester, intercepted by the coast guard at the mouth of a river, and mistaken for a dead body on a beach. The result of this surprising journey is a deep dive into modern Britain, especially its wild places.