Swimming in the Dark cover art

Swimming in the Dark

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Swimming in the Dark

By: Tomasz Jedrowski
Narrated by: Robert Nairne
Try Premium Plus free

Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $21.99

Buy Now for $21.99

About this listen

You were right when you said that people can't always give us what we want from them.

Poland, 1980. Anxious, disillusioned Ludwik Glowacki, soon to graduate university, has been sent along with the rest of his class to an agricultural camp. Here he meets Janusz - and together, they spend a dreamlike summer swimming in secluded lakes, reading forbidden books - and falling in love.

But with summer over, the two are sent back to Warsaw, and to the harsh realities of life under the Party. Exiled from paradise, Ludwik and Janusz must decide how they will survive; and in their different choices, find themselves torn apart.

Swimming in the Dark is an unforgettable debut about youth, love, and loss - and the sacrifices we make to live lives with meaning.

©2018 Tomasz Jedrowski (P)2019 Audible, Ltd 20th Century Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literature & Fiction Romance
All stars
Most relevant  
Having already read this book. I was excited to listen to it and revisit the story again. A wonderful story and brilliantly read.

A wonderful story. Very well read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Beautifully written and read. It’s a very typical gay love story where everyone ends up broken and traumatised by a terrible homophobic system they are living in. If this is your thing then it’s probably for you - personally I prefer positive stories these days without the pain and anguish.

Beautifully written

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A beautifully moving soft and powerful story. Highly recommend if you want to better understand the pain and beauty of queer love.

Outstanding

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book had me emotionally connected all the way through. I identified with Ludwik and felt for him. Well done.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Jedrowski’s work really captures the sting of shame and how of manifests in differently in people. He deftly describes both the inner world of Ludwig and life under an oppressive régime. I loved this book and can see my returning to it repeatedly.

Achingly beautiful.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Difficult to stop the story. Beautifully written and highly engaging. So warming to see the attraction grow between the two main characters, but will it last... I have an hour to go and will find out soon.

Enthralling

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I thank you for this book and the voice actor. I cried a little. I wish I knew if he ended up finding something new, though I'm glad he got to where he could be more free. Not trying to spoil here.

A tearful end

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I just re-listened to this stunning little novel again after first hearing it last year. I wanted to experience it anew, and it loved me as deeply as it did the first time. There are moments so tender, so perfectly written, and an ending that made me weep. It’s a damn near perfect novel, and brilliantly narrated by Robert Nairne. Bravo Tomasz Jedrowski.

Deeply Moving & Beautiful Novel

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Really enjoyed this novel - it's very touching, romantic and tugs on the heartstrings. A reminder for those of is that live openly gay, proudly, many haven't been able to do so all throughout history.

Moving reas

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is one of the best books I've read in the past few years. It's interestingly written, with a captivating story and a poetic ending. I would recommend this book to anyone.

An incredible read. Truly special in its own way and beautifully articulated.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.