Katharine Whitney Curtis: Mother of Synchronized Swimming

How do you invent an Olympic sport? For Katharine Whitney Curtis, it took the right idea, great talent, some good timing, and the determination to make it happen. The originator of synchronized swimming as we know it today, she even wrote the first book on the subject in 1936. But there was much more to her life and career. After the start of World War II, Curtis became a recreational director in the American Red Cross and followed the troops wherever the course of war took them, serving under Generals Patton and Eisenhower, before becoming a director of travel for the U.S. Army in Europe during the Cold War. Unbound by fear or the narrow expectations of society, this was a woman who lived ahead of her time, making things happen along the way. As her first biography, this book generously features Curtis's own words, selected from more than 2,000 pages of letters, and contextualized by her surviving friends and family members.

1132325203
Katharine Whitney Curtis: Mother of Synchronized Swimming

How do you invent an Olympic sport? For Katharine Whitney Curtis, it took the right idea, great talent, some good timing, and the determination to make it happen. The originator of synchronized swimming as we know it today, she even wrote the first book on the subject in 1936. But there was much more to her life and career. After the start of World War II, Curtis became a recreational director in the American Red Cross and followed the troops wherever the course of war took them, serving under Generals Patton and Eisenhower, before becoming a director of travel for the U.S. Army in Europe during the Cold War. Unbound by fear or the narrow expectations of society, this was a woman who lived ahead of her time, making things happen along the way. As her first biography, this book generously features Curtis's own words, selected from more than 2,000 pages of letters, and contextualized by her surviving friends and family members.

39.95 In Stock
Katharine Whitney Curtis: Mother of Synchronized Swimming

Katharine Whitney Curtis: Mother of Synchronized Swimming

by Jordan Whitney-Wei
Katharine Whitney Curtis: Mother of Synchronized Swimming

Katharine Whitney Curtis: Mother of Synchronized Swimming

by Jordan Whitney-Wei

Paperback

$39.95 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    In stock. Ships in 2-4 days.
  • PICK UP IN STORE

    Your local store may have stock of this item.

Related collections and offers


Overview

How do you invent an Olympic sport? For Katharine Whitney Curtis, it took the right idea, great talent, some good timing, and the determination to make it happen. The originator of synchronized swimming as we know it today, she even wrote the first book on the subject in 1936. But there was much more to her life and career. After the start of World War II, Curtis became a recreational director in the American Red Cross and followed the troops wherever the course of war took them, serving under Generals Patton and Eisenhower, before becoming a director of travel for the U.S. Army in Europe during the Cold War. Unbound by fear or the narrow expectations of society, this was a woman who lived ahead of her time, making things happen along the way. As her first biography, this book generously features Curtis's own words, selected from more than 2,000 pages of letters, and contextualized by her surviving friends and family members.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781476664583
Publisher: McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date: 01/14/2020
Pages: 208
Product dimensions: 7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.42(d)
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

Jordan Whitney-Wei is the great-grandnephew of Katharine Whitney Curtis. His previous writing and research focused on philosophy and poetry. He lives in Columbus, Ohio.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface
The First Diversion: Beauty (1897–1942)
 1. Noble Diversions
 2. Out of Madison
 3. Making History
 4. A Change of Plans
The Second Diversion: Hope (1942–1946)
 5. She’s Over There
 6. Lifting Morale
 7. Victory Lap
 8. Loved and Lost
The Third Diversion: Harmony (1946–1980)
 9. Rebuilding
10. Passing the Torch
11. A Rolling Stone
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews