It’s Only Drowning: A True Story of Learning to Surf and the Pursuit of Common Ground

In this affable memoir, former Obama speechwriter Litt (Democracy in One Book or Less) reflects on the value of stepping outside of one’s ideological comfort zone. When Covid hit, Litt’s political optimism was replaced by a conviction that “a world on fire was not a challenge to be overcome but a permanent condition to be endured for the rest of our lives.” Meanwhile, his brother-in-law, Matt—Litt’s political opposite—appeared to thrive. When Litt decided to take up surfing as a pandemic activity, he turned to the Joe Rogan–loving Matt for help and discovered unexpected commonalities between them. As Litt’s affinity for surfing grew, so did his and Matt’s tentative friendship: “For the most part, I treated his views on current events the way he treated mine about swell direction and fin placement—by saying, ‘Hmm, maybe,’ and changing the subject.” Wisely, Litt never preaches nor purports to offer secrets to finding common ground. Instead, he illustrates the virtues of “neutral ground,” which allowed him and Matt to experience “so much more together than we ever would have apart.” This buddy adventure packs a surprisingly substantial punch. Agent: David Greenberg, Levine Greenberg Rostan. (June)