Helpful Score: 5
I'm glad I listened to this audio book. It was interesting and gave me a new perspective on ocean swimmers, human and marine. However, it's obvious the narrator is the author rather than an actor. Cox's voice is nice, but her annunciation is not polished like a professional's would be. If the book were long, this might have annoyed me but it was not much of a distraction. I only had to rewind a couple of times. Regarding the writing itself, Cox really needed a good editor. Minor changes could have made for much better prose. All in all, though, a short, satisfying read.
Helpful Score: 3
Beautifully written story of an ocean long-distance swimmer experiencing the colors, sounds, feelings of existing in the sea a short distance off shore. The true tale of a morning when the author encounters a baby whale separated from his mother and how the two swimmers establish a relationship while working against time to reunite the infant with his mother. A happy ending for all is a foregone conclusion; this story's beauty lies in the experience of an oceanic world -- the animals, the currents, the sights and sounds -- and the developing relationship between this young girl and baby whale and then his mother. I thoroughly enjoyed becoming submerged in a world completely alien to me. The author has marvelous descriptive talent.
Helpful Score: 2
After having heard great things about this little book, I eagerly popped it in the player on a trip. Unfortunately, we never finished it. The narrator's voice, enunciation, inflections, were annoying, distracting from the story, but worse, this book needed a serious editing. Too much description of the water, the sky, nothing that mattered to the story. It went on forever, it seemed, with nothing happening. Trying to build suspense with words was grossly overdone, and seriously, it can only go on so long before someone asks wearily, "Can we shut this off now?" We all agreed...
Helpful Score: 2
What a wonderful way to spend three hours; Grayson is a delightful (true story) encounter a swimmer has with a baby gray whale. It really keeps you hooked too; waiting to see what happens. It is ready by the author/swimmer also. A once-in-a-life-time, life changing experience.
Helpful Score: 1
Absolutely wonderful true story. This would be great for kids also. Especially nice for teachers. Story of Lynne Cox training in the ocean and is befriended by a baby gray whale that has lost his mother and if Lynne goes to shore to get out of water the baby whale will follow her and die. He will also die if mother is not found, as baby whales have to have milk very often. Lynne and the baby whale "Grayson" come to trust each other and as close as a animal and human can get to communicating--they do. I loved every minute of the time spent with this cd.
