The Swimmer

The Swimmer, short story by John Cheever, published in The New Yorker (July 18, 1964) and collected in The Brigadier and the Golf Widow (1964). A masterful blend of fantasy and reality, it chronicles a middle-aged man’s gradual acceptance of the truth that he has avoided facing—that his life is in ruins.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.

Citation Information

Article Title: The Swimmer

Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

Date Published: 02 May 2016

URL: https://www.britannica.comhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Swimmer-story-by-Cheever

Access Date: February 22, 2025