'There are many reasons why [this book is] worth buying. First, and simplest, it's the 13th in the English Heritage Played in Britain series, all of which are superb. All working to the broad remit of tracing Britain's sporting and recreational heritage, the books are full of warm nostalgia, but in a serious, meaty way: absorbing detail and ... Read morefascinating social history. Second, with Great Lengths, authors Dr Ian Gordon and series editor Simon Inglis pull off the usual Played in Britain trick - luring you into their world and making you care as much as they do about something to which you'd barely given a thought before. And third, the quality of the photography is superb.' 'Impeccably researched, beautifully produced and sumptuously illustrated, this paean to a popular pleasure deserves high praise.' "Wonderfully evocative, hugely informative and entertaining illustrated history of 'the provision of facilities for swimming' with a resonance far beyond the architecture of 'the baths' into the very heart of Britain's social and cultural history." "Elegantly written and beautifully illustrated, Great Lengths evokes the power of historic pools to create a sense of community" Show Less