A memoir from New York City’s first female lifeguard chief, this coming-of-age story plunges into the rough-and-tumble, sun-soaked world of Rockaway Beach in the 1970s and 1980s.
Writing with the journalist Clio Chang, Fash is great company ... The book’s big turn, from a fun beach read to a shocking saga of corruption and the author’s crusade to stop it, comes after Fash watches a boy get sucked out to sea by a rip current ... The event left her shaken. She vowed to implement her own safety measures to prevent such an incident from happening again ... An inside source to this gripping, essential tale, Fash also lucidly explains why her fight to end preventable drownings is unfinished. She doesn’t want teenage lifeguards to feel like murderers ever again.
As Ms. Fash recalls in Lifeguard: A Love Story she was placed at the most dangerous post, Rockaway Beach in Queens ... Conveys the rowdy atmosphere of her early years on the job ... A third of the way into the narrative, Ms. Fash turns her attention to Peter Stein—who for years held the city’s top lifeguard position ... The shift is slightly jarring, akin to settling in for an episode of Baywatch and suddenly finding yourself watching On the Waterfront ... Yet Lifeguard, true to its subtitle, pays as much attention to the magic of the beach as its dangers.
This heartfelt memoir moves along like a strong current, balancing tender life milestones with eye-opening experiences in a profession responsible for ensuring public safety. With unabashed determination, Fash worked wherever she could to effect positive change in a dysfunctional system and stood firm when officials retaliated against her. Fash should be celebrated as a champion and advocate for the ocean lifeguarding profession. Highly recommended, especially before heading to the beach.
