The History of Swimming essentially is part memoir and part biography, I found it more of an emotional mystery. I was drawn in and felt compelled to look over the author's literary shoulder to find out how deep and profound the twin bond was and also what was the essential chasm that separated them.
Often the brutality of the author's thoughts startled me. Often the author himself is surprised "Had I actually said any of that aloud? Silence from the Stanley staring at me in shock. That must mean I had." There was self revelation that left the author open to criticism. I felt alienated due to the often selfish thoughts and focus of the author, but also admiring the willingness to put his less noble thoughts and emotions out in print for dissection. Except for the brief moments of kindness toward his brother there was a complete lack of compassion for all the other people mentioned in the book.
I feel that the end portrays a vision that the brothers were actually more complete without one another. I felt that each brother was more free, but at the same time, a little diminished by the loss of the other.
The letters and essays from various moments during Tim's life and the analysis and meaning given by Kim made me feel sad about how much went unsaid between the brothers who were each others anchors in life in spite of the often toxic relationship between them. Also, the line "the popularity of the twins speaks for itself" was such a promising statement for lives that turned out become such a struggle for the twins.
The story line of swimming, while it does punctuate most of the pivotal points in the twins lives, it becomes a forced image in some of the later events, particularly during Kim's visit to the Mo Ranch.
I am left with lingering questions regarding the true relationship of the twins and what exactly caused their relationship to be so damaging to one another..