"I suppose I've been chasing after perfect waters all my life, pursuing some platonic ideal, some holy grail of liquid performance," writes John Jerome in this well-written and intriguing collection of essays. The author of Stone Work is convinced that the Earth is beautiful primarily because of water.
Jerome reveals his lifelong love affair with rivers, lakes, oceans, creeks, and swimming spots. For him, water represents a kind of freedom. It enchants him. Jerome effortlessly explores the pleasures of diving, swimming, board sailing, and canoe paddling. In the end, he notes:
"Clearly we who love water feel we are loved by it: dive into it and it touches you all over, instantly, in your most private places. The ultimate mouth, or womb. It seems to love your skin; your skin certainly loves it."
This erotic tribute to water perfectly conveys the exuberance of the rest of Blue Rooms," a book that savors the beauties and pleasures of the natural world.