Best known for his book Waterlog, which is the ur text of wild swimmers everywhere, Deakin was a fascinating and complicated character who, after his death has gone on to take on mythic proportions in the eyes of nature enthusiasts everywhere. Barkham produces an interesting biography. A lot of Deakin's own autobiographical material, interposed with Barkham writing as Deakin and undercut along the way by interviews with friends, lovers and relatives. Deakin was always fascinating but not always a nice person. This is an interesting dive into the man behind the myth and a tour de force from Barkham.