Just Add Water

My Swimming Life

By: Katie Ledecky

Narrated by: Katie Ledecky

A New York Times bestselling memoir from Olympic gold medalist, world champion, and the most decorated US female Olympian in history: Katie Ledecky.

Katie Ledecky has won more individual Olympic races than any female swimmer in history. She is a four-time Olympian, a nine-time gold medalist, a twenty-one-time world champion, eight-time NCAA Champion, and a world record-holder in individual swimming events. At the 2024 Olympics in Paris, she became the most decorated US female Olympian of all time. Time and again, the question is posed to her family, her coaches, and to her—what makes her a champion? Now, for the first time, she shares what it takes to compete at an elite level.

Again and again, Ledecky has broken records: those of others and, increasingly, her own. She is both consistent and innovative—consistent at setting goals and shattering them, and innovative in the way she approaches her training. A true competitor, she sets her goals by choosing the ones that feel the scariest. But, crucially, she never sacrifices the joy of competition, even in the face of adversity. Her positive mental outlook and a great support system provides the springboard to her success.

Just Add Water charts Ledecky’s life in swimming. It details her start in Bethesda, Maryland, where she played sharks and minnows and first discovered the joy of the pool; her early foray into the Olympics at the tender age of fifteen where, as the youngest member of the American team, she stunned everyone by winning her first gold medal; her time balancing competition and her education at Stanford University; how she developed a champion’s mindset that has allowed her to persevere through so many meets, even under intense pressure; and how she has maintained her dominance in a sport where success depends on milliseconds. You learn how every element of her life—from the support of her family to the tutelage of her coaches, from her childhood spent in summer league swimming to the bright lights of Olympic pools in London, Rio, and Tokyo—set her up to become the champion she is.

In the end, Katie’s story is about testing yourself against the difficult, and seeing who you become on the other side.

Critic reviews

"Olympic swimming star Katie Ledecky narrates her own work, recounting her time in pools ranging from the East Coast (she grew up in Bethesda, Maryland) to the West (she attended Stanford) and across the globe (she has competed in four Olympics)...Her genuine tone and general likability remain endearing even if the listener isn’t a fan of competitive swimming. Ledecky’s story is a pleasant and honest one worth hearing."

Fantastic Book!

Katey’s life story is unique and motivating! Her commitment to her sport and family is incredible. I especially enjoyed the last chapter. Thank You!

Just add Katie!

Discovering the kind of person Ms. Ledecky is as much as learning about her swimming prowess made this book more enjoyable than it otherwise would have been. Her humility, integrity and devotion to her Catholic faith inspired me as much as all those medals. Audio books are also always better when the author reads them which Ms. Ledecky does this one. She is an inspiration champion and one our young people can try to emulate in many ways! Thank you for Just Add Water!

Swimmers are THE BEST!

I loved that Katie did the speaking of her own book. It made the book more authentic. It’s amazing how ow genuine Katie is.

Embracing and Inspiring Story!

I love this audiobook! One of my favorite athletes, she is an example of perseverance, tenacity, and discipline. I bet once you listen to this audiobook, you will be inspired to get out straight to the pool!

I highly recommend this book for those who want to find out what discipline and hard work can give you through life. Ledeky’s life is a role model of women's empowerment and determination.

A wholesome GOAT

Katie Ledecky is the greatest female swimmer of all time (GOAT). She is also very kind, thoughtful, and down to earth. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to her story, which she read herself. The book includes enjoyable stories about her extended family with separate chapters about each of her grandparents. She also pays tribute to each of her coaches from youth teams through her current current coach. She also identifies others who helped her at each stage of development. Her love of teammates and competition also comes through. I was awed by the sacrifices her parents made to support Katie’s development as demonstrated by getting her to daily practice hours before sunrise and traveling with her to competitions. It’s clear that her family was a critical influence in ensure that she remained down to earth despite her early fame.

I don’t often read or listen to biographies, but I am very glad that I didn’t miss this one.