MIDSTREAM
A Life Remade in 50 Swims
A memoir of jumping feet first into a new life, reclaiming long-forgotten joys, and discovering a renewed sense of self after divorce, offering a fresh vision of midlife to women who have abandoned themselves in service of others
As Kate Washington approached her 50th birthday, she was also contemplating ending a 23-year marriage in which she had become so focused on serving others that she’d lost her sense of self. To find herself again, she embarked on what she calls the 50 Dunks Project.
The rules: Go to 50 different bodies of water—swimming holes, hot springs,
A memoir of jumping feet first into a new life, reclaiming long-forgotten joys, and discovering a renewed sense of self after divorce, offering a fresh vision of midlife to women who have abandoned themselves in service of others
As Kate Washington approached her 50th birthday, she was also contemplating ending a 23-year marriage in which she had become so focused on serving others that she’d lost her sense of self. To find herself again, she embarked on what she calls the 50 Dunks Project.
The rules: Go to 50 different bodies of water—swimming holes, hot springs, rivers, lakes, creeks, and oceans. Immerse fully, head under water. Chronicle the dunk with a picture and a post. Complete the challenge by the time she turned 50.
Largely set in Kate’s native California but taking us as far as southern France, dunking us in the waters of the American River, Lake Tenaya, Big Chico Creek, the Rive Gard, and beyond, Kate shares the highlights of her 50 Dunk challenge—including dozens of fantastic, semi-secret places to swim.
Along the way, she combines self-examination, wry humor, lyrical description, and cultural critique to illuminate the factors that so often cause women to lose themselves. Midstream makes the case for embracing joy and pleasure as a necessary act of resistance, both for individuals and for the culture at large.
- Beacon Press
- Hardcover
- July 2026
- 216 Pages
- 9780807023549
Buy the Book
$27.95
About Kate Washington
Kate Washington is the author of Already Toast and a frequent speaker about her experience as a caregiver. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Time, Huffpost, and many other publications. She lives in Sacramento. Connect with her at kawashington.com.
Praise
“[Washington] writes candidly of her anger, pain, and menopause, and she explores her identity in aging with curiosity and tenderness. Her writing flows smoothly—and often with humor, as when she notes, ‘I want to swim like I did as a kid, not like Katie Ledecky.’ In this book, Washington crafts a winning narrative of a woman reaching her prime, guided by a road map for joy. A poignant portrait of a woman stepping into her power in middle age.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“[An] openhearted memoir . . . Funny, heartbreaking, and inspirational, it’s an invigorating account that will strike a chord with readers of all ages who are looking to refresh their lives.” —Publishers Weekly
“A heartfelt, feminist memoir that tackles the messiness of divorce, coping with tweens, and the author’s inspirational journey to revive her inner joy, ‘one swim at a time.’” —Booklist
“A raw and honest look at an imploding marriage and a courageous woman making the changes she needs in her life, this book will resonate with women undergoing transformation and with those who find catharsis in water.” —Library Journal
“Ultimately empowering, Midstream is perfect for anyone at midlife asking themselves: ‘Is this all there is?’” —BookPage
Discussion Questions
- As Kate approaches 50, she realizes how much of her identity has become tied to caring for other people. How did you see her sense of self change over the course of the memoir?
- How did the swims help her understand what she wanted from the next stage of her life? Do you think she began the project because she was already ready for change, or did the project help make change possible?
- How did Kate’s willingness to acknowledge conflicting feelings affect the way you viewed her decision to leave? Did your feelings about the marriage or its ending change as the book progressed?
- Kate writes about wanting to rediscover her “self-self”—the person she is apart from her responsibilities and relationships. How easy or difficult do you think it is to separate that self from the roles we accumulate over a lifetime? What parts of ourselves are most vulnerable to being lost?
- The 50 Dunks Project gives Kate permission to prioritize something simply because it brings her pleasure. What did you make of the book’s argument that seeking joy can itself be an act of resistance?
- How did the meaning of water evolve for you as Kate’s journey progressed? Was there a particular swim or setting that seemed especially significant?
- How does the memoir grapple with the tension between taking responsibility for your own happiness and taking responsibility for the people who depend on you?
- How does Kate’s experience complicate the idea of midlife as a period of decline or loss? What possibilities does she discover at 50 that might not have been available—or visible—to her earlier?
- Kate turns an enormous, emotionally complicated life transition into a concrete challenge: 50 bodies of water before turning 50. Why do you think giving herself a specific goal was so effective?
- The title Midstream suggests being neither at the beginning nor the end, but somewhere in the middle of an ongoing journey. Do you think Kate arrives at a new version of herself, or is the point that she is still becoming?