One Breath: Freediving, Death, and the Quest to Shatter Human Limits

A captivating book that I couldn't put down. I'm a busy working mom but was so riveted by this book that I finished it in 3 days. Skolnick is a gifted writer who makes you feel as though you are there witnessing and experiencing the life of Nick Mevoli, his explosion onto the competitive free diving scene and his tragic & untimely death. The book is so thoroughly researched that it is clear Skolnick left no stone unturned in his quest to find out who Mevoli truly was as a person, the fascinating characters in his life, and the medical answers to his death. Skolnick's work demonstrates not only a pure and educated understanding of the sport, the individual athletes who participate in it and what drives them, but serves as a safeguard to prevent future tragedies in the growing sport. Whether you are interested in free diving or know nothing about it, the compelling narrative which reads like a novel will keep you fully engaged from beginning to end. A must read!

It would seem like this could have been written as an article rather than a whole book but I'm half way through it and loving it. VERY WELL WRITTEN and researched. I plan to look for more from this author. I've learned so much about this sport that I didn't know, but there is much more to the book than just the sport.

Excellent book about an intriguing sport and highly interesting, flawed, yet intense and brilliant man. This book is very well written and impossible to put down.

It's so nice for a book to arrive in the condition expected!

The story was interesting. I did not know much about free diving and enjoyed learning about this sport. The book focused on a particular athlete. I thought the book had too much detail and was too long. I lost interest and it took some effort to finish but I enjoyed the first 60% or so. There were a few typos and wrong words (Spell-check type errors) that a better editor would have caught. There were a few factual errors in the medical discussions which, as a medical professional, I find glaring (such as a bone biopsy for cervical cancer). The author captured much of the beauty of the watery world of the sport and the draw of the deep for the divers.

I have read books about extreme sports -- climbing mountains, deep sea diving,etc & they intrigued me even though I think people are plain crazy for doing them. I got to page 120 of this book & I just didn;t want to read anymore. A foolish way to die -- & yes we;re entitled to do what we want, how we want etc etc but I don;t have to read about it. I felt sorry for Nick's family -- & maybe the second 1/2 of the book emphasizes the need for more safety in this "sport" -- as someone who has zero risk taking in the gene pool I understand that most people need more excitement in life than I can handle but I do not understand why you would risk your life to free dive 100 meters or more if you don;t have to to make a living or escape from some prison. So I guess this book isn;t for me. I can't relate even enough to be able to read about some young man dying so he could say he could hold his breath for 4-5-9 minutes. This is more like a cult than a sport. The writing is repetetive & not especially enjoyable. Kind of a slog. I'll recycle this book to friends & I hope someone else will get more out of it than I did/

A great read. Thoroughly enjoyable. Skolnick has a gift for writing and makes you feel like you are there hanging with Nick, enjoying his success yet analyzing his personal issues and wanting to help. The insight into the beautiful sport of freediving is deep in many ways - even experienced freedivers will benefit and probably be safer as a result. The story is tragic but it carries life saving messages that stay with you.

Exactly what I ordered in great condition and delivered quickly.

Chegou em bom estado. O livro foca-se mais na vida de Nicholas Mevoli do que na modalidade de freediving. É uma boa biografia.

Not only the story of Nick is told here... you will find a lot of details about the big names of the sport here. Also the spirit of freediving too. What they feel, what they think. And also the tragedy that comes from unpreparedness of both sides...

Great read. Heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time.Exceptional writing and storytelling. Reminiscent of books like “Into the wild.”

This book has opened my eyes to a sport I knew very little about and was told so clearly and frankly. The book takes you on the life journey of one individual whose passion is free diving alongside an informative insight into the world of free diving and development of the sport. It is such a detailed account of the world of free diving, the commitment it takes, the risks but also the sheer joy this sport can bring. Not a book I would have picked up from the shelf but I am so pleased I have read it........

A great book for learning about free diving. But it's really about more than just that. It is about passion and the risks we are willing to take!Very educational and moving!