In 2012, after his father suffered a stroke, Alan Corcoran ran 35 marathons in 35 consecutive days around his home country of Ireland. He raised €15,000 for charity and found the material for his debut memoir, Marathon Man. After his father died of cancer in 2016, Alan set out to swim the length of Ireland. He completed this feat in 2019, raising an additional €30,000 for charity. He chronicles the adventure in his new book, Unsinkable: Cancer, Five Boats, and My 500 710-Kilometre Sea Swim, as well as in a 2022 film he co-directed. Corcoran answered our questions about Unsinkable—chosen by our editors as one of the best Indie Books of 2023—by email.

What inspired you to tell your story in both a book and a film?

I read a book about multistage sea swimming, and the challenge intrigued me: I dreamt of swimming the length of Ireland. When my dad died of cancer, that adventure pulled me in like a whirlpool. In all likelihood, my most significant achievements wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the experiences of others—the distance running of Eddie Izzard, Terry Fox, Dean Karnazes, and Gerry Duffy, shared through inspiring films and books. The idea that sharing my stories might encourage others to pursue their passions drove me to create Marathon Man and Unsinkable. If I can entertain and make people laugh or cry along the way, that’s a bonus.

What was the writing experience like?

I’m an urban planner by profession, used to writing within the confines of structured descriptive reports. I found the creative freedom of memoir writing to be challenging, fun, and exciting. I’d caught the bug and had a fire in my belly to build on my experience and develop my writing and publishing skills with Unsinkable. I took about three months off [from] writing while promoting Marathon Man and then dove headfirst into creating Unsinkable.

Who is the ideal reader for your book?

The Irish Times described Unsinkable as “part memoir, part travelogue, coming-of-age, and over-the-odds tale.” The ideal reader is a fan of nonfiction memoirs. My story will probably resonate most with readers affected by cancer, people who’ve lost loved ones, those who want uplifting stories, swimmers, adventure lovers, and people intrigued by the ins and outs of accomplishing a challenging goal—with an Irish slant on it.

Were you able to do live events for the book this year? Any memorable highlights?

Sadly, I had to publish Marathon Man in isolation during Covid. It was extra special to experience my first in-person book launch for Unsinkable, sharing stories and beers with friends in Canmore, Alberta.

What book (or books) published in 2023 were among your favorites?

Besides Unsinkable, the only 2023 book on my shelf is Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn’t Food by Chris van Tulleken. I’m looking forward to it but have yet to read it. The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self by Michael Easter; Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey; Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design by Charles Montgomery; and The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel are recent reads I’ve enjoyed.

Katherine King is an editorial intern.