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The World in the Curl: An Unconventional History of Surfing
The thinking-person's guide to surfing and the world it has created.
For several semesters, the most popular course at the University of California at Santa Barbara was a team-taught lecture course on the history of surfing and, specifically, the cultural, political, economic, and environmental consequences of surfing's evolution from a sport of Hawaiian kings to a billion-dollar worldwide industry. Peter Westwick and Peter Neushul weren't surprised by the popularity of the class (UC Santa Barbara is a surfing school, after all, and together they have more than a century of experience in the water), but they were surprised that their non-surfing students outnumbered the surfers. There is something about surfing that people yearn to understand--and this is the book that examines the enduring worldwide appeal of the sport both in myth and reality.
Drawing on the authors' expertise as, respectively, a cold war historian and a historian of environmental history, The Surfing Professors Explain the World brings alive the colorful history of surfing by drawing readers into the ideas that have fueled the sport's expansion: colonialism, the military-industrial complex, globalization, capitalism, and race and gender roles. In a highly readable and provocative narrative history of the sport's signal moments--from the spread of surfing to the US, to the development of surf culture, to the introduction of women into the sport--Neushul and Westwick draw an indelible portrait of surfing and surfers as actors on the global stage.
For several semesters, the most popular course at the University of California at Santa Barbara was a team-taught lecture course on the history of surfing and, specifically, the cultural, political, economic, and environmental consequences of surfing's evolution from a sport of Hawaiian kings to a billion-dollar worldwide industry. Peter Westwick and Peter Neushul weren't surprised by the popularity of the class (UC Santa Barbara is a surfing school, after all, and together they have more than a century of experience in the water), but they were surprised that their non-surfing students outnumbered the surfers. There is something about surfing that people yearn to understand--and this is the book that examines the enduring worldwide appeal of the sport both in myth and reality.
Drawing on the authors' expertise as, respectively, a cold war historian and a historian of environmental history, The Surfing Professors Explain the World brings alive the colorful history of surfing by drawing readers into the ideas that have fueled the sport's expansion: colonialism, the military-industrial complex, globalization, capitalism, and race and gender roles. In a highly readable and provocative narrative history of the sport's signal moments--from the spread of surfing to the US, to the development of surf culture, to the introduction of women into the sport--Neushul and Westwick draw an indelible portrait of surfing and surfers as actors on the global stage.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionSports
416 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
36 people are currently reading
493 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 18, 2013
As a surfer living in Humboldt County, California, this book lifted my soul. Most of what I have heard about legends, politics, and surfers throughout history was included by Westwick, as well as many interesting topics I have not heard much about. The World in the Curl allowed me to become more educated on the sport that I live and breathe, and for that Westwick, I truly thank you.
Darcee Kraus
Mckinleyville, CA
http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlassGlass
Darcee Kraus
Mckinleyville, CA
http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlassGlass
May 24, 2013
I received this book free from Library Thing for review.
I really enjoyed this book. The authors, Peter Westwick & Peter Neushul, are both historians with the University of California system and their professionalism shows in this book. The first third of the book is a conventional history of surfing from ancient times in Polynesia to events in this decade. I loved this section. Their ability to make history readable and enjoying is commendable. I wish they had written the history textbooks I had to read in college.
The middle is kinda preachy and I got a little uncomfortable at being lectured about environmental concerns and misogyny. If you're not defensive about these topics I'm sure you'll enjoy this as well. Being an older white male made me too much of a target here. The discussion of Title IX is particularly illuminating.
The last section of the book analyzes the business of surfing and also addresses current trends in surfing and related sports. It's interesting how the authors trace how the sport of surfing has influenced extreme sports and so much of youth-oriented fashion.
All in all a very interesting book though the initial history section is the part that I liked the most.
I really enjoyed this book. The authors, Peter Westwick & Peter Neushul, are both historians with the University of California system and their professionalism shows in this book. The first third of the book is a conventional history of surfing from ancient times in Polynesia to events in this decade. I loved this section. Their ability to make history readable and enjoying is commendable. I wish they had written the history textbooks I had to read in college.
The middle is kinda preachy and I got a little uncomfortable at being lectured about environmental concerns and misogyny. If you're not defensive about these topics I'm sure you'll enjoy this as well. Being an older white male made me too much of a target here. The discussion of Title IX is particularly illuminating.
The last section of the book analyzes the business of surfing and also addresses current trends in surfing and related sports. It's interesting how the authors trace how the sport of surfing has influenced extreme sports and so much of youth-oriented fashion.
All in all a very interesting book though the initial history section is the part that I liked the most.
April 1, 2025
A fascinating character-driven history of surfing, told through a sociological and technological lens. Westwick explores the ways in which surfing influenced key social movements of the 20th century (e.g., feminism, sexual liberation, music), and benefited by wartime technological advancements.
I was surprised to learn that, despite the vein of anti-intellectualism that runs through the very heart of surf culture, many of our most revered surf legends (e.g., Bob Simmons) were complete physics dorks. Indeed, Bob Simmons' revolutionary Simmons Spoon surfboard design was inspired by the work of an MIT fluid dynamicist named Lindsay Lord, who wrote a book called Naval Architecture of Planing Hulls. As something of a physics dork myself, I found this revelation beautiful and vindicating.
It was also cool to discover the extent to which surfing's cultural and technological foundations are fundamentally rooted in my own backyard. In the 1930's Redondo Beach became a hub for aerospace companies like Douglas Aircraft, Lockheed, and North American Aviation. As it turned out, the same engineers responsible for designing faster, safer planes at work were also designing designing lighter, stronger surfboards at home -- using the same basic prototyping materials. To this day, surfboards are still built using polyurethane foam, balsa wood, fiberglass, and polyester resin.
I loved learning about Hugh Bradner's invention of the wetsuit, and how this story dovetailed with advances in ocean modeling and surf forecasting enabled by physicists like Willard Bascom and Walter Munk at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Amazing book. A must read for the erudite surfer!
I was surprised to learn that, despite the vein of anti-intellectualism that runs through the very heart of surf culture, many of our most revered surf legends (e.g., Bob Simmons) were complete physics dorks. Indeed, Bob Simmons' revolutionary Simmons Spoon surfboard design was inspired by the work of an MIT fluid dynamicist named Lindsay Lord, who wrote a book called Naval Architecture of Planing Hulls. As something of a physics dork myself, I found this revelation beautiful and vindicating.
It was also cool to discover the extent to which surfing's cultural and technological foundations are fundamentally rooted in my own backyard. In the 1930's Redondo Beach became a hub for aerospace companies like Douglas Aircraft, Lockheed, and North American Aviation. As it turned out, the same engineers responsible for designing faster, safer planes at work were also designing designing lighter, stronger surfboards at home -- using the same basic prototyping materials. To this day, surfboards are still built using polyurethane foam, balsa wood, fiberglass, and polyester resin.
I loved learning about Hugh Bradner's invention of the wetsuit, and how this story dovetailed with advances in ocean modeling and surf forecasting enabled by physicists like Willard Bascom and Walter Munk at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Amazing book. A must read for the erudite surfer!
March 23, 2022
Westwick and Neushul take the reader through a series of answers to the things that we all question about surfing: Why is the "stoke" reserved for just a few? Why does the surfing environment seem so exclusive (or rather hermetic)? Why have female surfers been left behind for so long? Why do we barely see POC competing in the elite tier of the sport?
As an outsider or even a life-long surfer, it's hard to unravel the reality of surfing as a sport without digging deeper. That's where books like "The World in the Curl" come in handy; because surfing needs to go back to its roots if it wants to push forward.
From discovering that the world's most famous surf spot in Waikiki is man-made (such as its waves) to realizing how influential was the surfing industry in WW2, this book is meant for those who are interested in sports beyond the court - in this case, beyond the lineup.
It's a satisfying piece of work, and whether or not you concur with the vision of the authors regarding the history of surfing (I was not convinced of some approaches myself), it is undeniable how it contributes to a more comprehensive conversation and understanding of the issues, qualities, and opportunities of the sport.
Who would know that surf, as small as it is from a marketing point of view compared to other sports, is probably the most influential in modern society? My overall takeaway from this book is that, without the rebirth of surfing, we would be living in a completely different world today, regardless of whether we have ever surfed or not.
As an outsider or even a life-long surfer, it's hard to unravel the reality of surfing as a sport without digging deeper. That's where books like "The World in the Curl" come in handy; because surfing needs to go back to its roots if it wants to push forward.
From discovering that the world's most famous surf spot in Waikiki is man-made (such as its waves) to realizing how influential was the surfing industry in WW2, this book is meant for those who are interested in sports beyond the court - in this case, beyond the lineup.
It's a satisfying piece of work, and whether or not you concur with the vision of the authors regarding the history of surfing (I was not convinced of some approaches myself), it is undeniable how it contributes to a more comprehensive conversation and understanding of the issues, qualities, and opportunities of the sport.
Who would know that surf, as small as it is from a marketing point of view compared to other sports, is probably the most influential in modern society? My overall takeaway from this book is that, without the rebirth of surfing, we would be living in a completely different world today, regardless of whether we have ever surfed or not.
July 27, 2021
When I added this book to my "want to read" list, I was skeptical that anyone could legitimately fill 300+ pages with surfing history. Boy, was I wrong!
I've never surfed, but I've seen others surfing. For an outside observer like me, the authors did a good job of describing (and analyzing) surfing's origins and development over the past century or so, as well as its place in the broader culture.
I say "good" instead of great because the text frequently includes surfing jargon/slang and there is no explanation of these surfing-unique terms for an outsider like myself. It's possible to make an educated guess at the meaning of some terms, but that still left me wondering if there's a nuance I missed. The book also would have benefited from a brief description of the mechanics of surfing/surf boards/waves and a map or two to help readers understand locations referred to in the text (this is especially true of Hawaii and California).
But those quibbles aside, this was a great read and well researched. You could tell that the authors are passionate about the subject, even while (to my outside eyes) presenting competing perspectives neutrally.
One additional quibble - the authors misuse "beg the question" multiple times. That two PhD historians (and their editors!) managed to miss this is surprising and disappointing.
I've never surfed, but I've seen others surfing. For an outside observer like me, the authors did a good job of describing (and analyzing) surfing's origins and development over the past century or so, as well as its place in the broader culture.
I say "good" instead of great because the text frequently includes surfing jargon/slang and there is no explanation of these surfing-unique terms for an outsider like myself. It's possible to make an educated guess at the meaning of some terms, but that still left me wondering if there's a nuance I missed. The book also would have benefited from a brief description of the mechanics of surfing/surf boards/waves and a map or two to help readers understand locations referred to in the text (this is especially true of Hawaii and California).
But those quibbles aside, this was a great read and well researched. You could tell that the authors are passionate about the subject, even while (to my outside eyes) presenting competing perspectives neutrally.
One additional quibble - the authors misuse "beg the question" multiple times. That two PhD historians (and their editors!) managed to miss this is surprising and disappointing.
June 11, 2019
I picked up this book from a bookshelf at a 'local' bookstore (Probably Green Apple Books - I have developed a habit to browse Sports section to find books about surfing). As I already have an 'official' or 'conventional' history of surfing book which I haven't finished yet since it's too thick, the title itself was interesting enough to pick it up.
In the developing of surfing history, obviously, 'socio-economic-cultural' (I don't like these jargons but what can I say otherwise here?) elements were important. For instance, Southern California has become a mecca of surfing since the 1950s' with all the middle-class kid with the defense industry. There was a chapter on surfing tourism, as it would change on the local culture while all the visitors are main surfers on these spots, but it'd be hard to make it any conclusion here.
This book was written by two college professors at UC Santa Barbara. Both are surfers and they're using this book for their class, History of Surfing. I think while it was interesting to read, it also shows the 'limitation' of an academic book for a class course.
In the developing of surfing history, obviously, 'socio-economic-cultural' (I don't like these jargons but what can I say otherwise here?) elements were important. For instance, Southern California has become a mecca of surfing since the 1950s' with all the middle-class kid with the defense industry. There was a chapter on surfing tourism, as it would change on the local culture while all the visitors are main surfers on these spots, but it'd be hard to make it any conclusion here.
This book was written by two college professors at UC Santa Barbara. Both are surfers and they're using this book for their class, History of Surfing. I think while it was interesting to read, it also shows the 'limitation' of an academic book for a class course.
October 28, 2025
As a surfer of over 60 years who has read just about every book on the market about surfing (and even written my own — Surfing in Heaven), I can say without hesitation that this is a truly remarkable book. My hat is off to both Peter's for producing the most comprehensive and thoroughly researched history of the sport I’ve ever encountered. Amazing.
What really sets this book apart is its clear, historical perspective rather than the usual first-person narrative by a surfer who’s lived it. The section on World War II alone — and its lasting impact on surfing — is absolutely fascinating. The depth of research and the way the story is told make it both authoritative and engaging.
This book deserves an award. It’s a masterpiece that, in my opinion, hasn’t yet received the recognition it truly deserves within the surfing community. Well done guys.
What really sets this book apart is its clear, historical perspective rather than the usual first-person narrative by a surfer who’s lived it. The section on World War II alone — and its lasting impact on surfing — is absolutely fascinating. The depth of research and the way the story is told make it both authoritative and engaging.
This book deserves an award. It’s a masterpiece that, in my opinion, hasn’t yet received the recognition it truly deserves within the surfing community. Well done guys.
November 28, 2022
An awesome map of everything connected to surfing. From history to tech to popular culture, it seemed like everything about Surfing was covered. Learning about local lifestyles in different areas was especially intriguing.
November 21, 2025
Densely comprehensive but enjoyable
February 4, 2015
While surfing on a warm day near Santa Barbara, two senior surfers, each having surfed over thirty years, and who were also scholars and historians, thought it would be fun and informative to teach a class on the history of surfing to students at U.C. Santa Barbara, known for its easy access to good surfing sites. The class was "inundated" with students and most of them were non-surfers. This book evolved from the class and covers the modern history of surfing as it originated in Hawaii. There are other parts of the world (Peru, West Africa, and Polynesia) where people surfed, but Hawaii is the link to today’s sport.
Whatever the season or weather, “Surf’s up!” are words that bring joy to passionate surfers. If the waves are flat, then a fair substitute is skateboarding, which on its own has become a common land sport that evolved from the water sport. Modern surfing is a leisure activity, but also a fierce, sometimes deadly one, that originated in Hawaii, and went through many ups and downs because of explorers, missionaries, and the sandalwood and whaling trades. Early missionaries to Hawaii were appalled at the sight of native surfers riding the waves completely nude, or wearing very little clothing. It was not the zealous missionaries who caused the sport to take a downturn, but contact with a mix of Europeans who brought a horrific group of diseases that killed off large numbers of the indigenous people. The Hawaiians were healthy, fit and isolated, but during the mid-nineteenth century their death rate was very high. In the early part of the twentieth century, three key people helped to revive the sport: George Freeth, Alexander Hume Ford, and Jack London were enthusiastic boosters. Along with Duke Kahanamoku who is the father of modern surfing, the annexation of Hawaii, tourism, and the 1916 cover of Sunset magazine, the sport was jump started into the popular activity it is today, plus created a multi-billion dollar industry.
The unconventional aspect of this history is that Peter Westwick and Peter Neushul bring their scholarship and joy to a sport they love. Most surfing books write about modern personalities and places, but these two surfer dudes give us so much more: in a tightly arranged work they cover the worldwide popularity of the sport; how invasive water-pollution and climate change have affected surfing; the influence of modern technology, from the smallest advancement such as surfing leashes to improvement of boards, has helped popularize the sport; the attendant growth of clothing, paraphernalia, music and films; racism and sexism; the unique culture of the surfing world which has created its own jargon and mystique where people live to follow the waves. And they do answer a question many have asked as they visit our beaches or drive along the coast, and see bobbing bodies, straddling boards: What are they waiting for? Of course, it is the next wave, the perfect wave, and another after that, and another and . . .
Reviewed by Sheryn Morris, Librarian, Central Library
Whatever the season or weather, “Surf’s up!” are words that bring joy to passionate surfers. If the waves are flat, then a fair substitute is skateboarding, which on its own has become a common land sport that evolved from the water sport. Modern surfing is a leisure activity, but also a fierce, sometimes deadly one, that originated in Hawaii, and went through many ups and downs because of explorers, missionaries, and the sandalwood and whaling trades. Early missionaries to Hawaii were appalled at the sight of native surfers riding the waves completely nude, or wearing very little clothing. It was not the zealous missionaries who caused the sport to take a downturn, but contact with a mix of Europeans who brought a horrific group of diseases that killed off large numbers of the indigenous people. The Hawaiians were healthy, fit and isolated, but during the mid-nineteenth century their death rate was very high. In the early part of the twentieth century, three key people helped to revive the sport: George Freeth, Alexander Hume Ford, and Jack London were enthusiastic boosters. Along with Duke Kahanamoku who is the father of modern surfing, the annexation of Hawaii, tourism, and the 1916 cover of Sunset magazine, the sport was jump started into the popular activity it is today, plus created a multi-billion dollar industry.
The unconventional aspect of this history is that Peter Westwick and Peter Neushul bring their scholarship and joy to a sport they love. Most surfing books write about modern personalities and places, but these two surfer dudes give us so much more: in a tightly arranged work they cover the worldwide popularity of the sport; how invasive water-pollution and climate change have affected surfing; the influence of modern technology, from the smallest advancement such as surfing leashes to improvement of boards, has helped popularize the sport; the attendant growth of clothing, paraphernalia, music and films; racism and sexism; the unique culture of the surfing world which has created its own jargon and mystique where people live to follow the waves. And they do answer a question many have asked as they visit our beaches or drive along the coast, and see bobbing bodies, straddling boards: What are they waiting for? Of course, it is the next wave, the perfect wave, and another after that, and another and . . .
Reviewed by Sheryn Morris, Librarian, Central Library
June 18, 2013
The World in the Curl is a social history of surfing, but like many good studies of a micro-subject, it's about more than just surfing.
Surfers and university professors Westwick and Neushul have written this book as a textbook for the course they teach at UC Santa Barbara. They found that most of the people who take their class, even at a campus that is right on the beach, are not surfers. But like many of us, the students are mildly fascinated by the surfing culture they've seen on TV and in movies over the years.
The book is not written like a textbook, but like a popular history (a fairly rigorous one, so be prepared), and covers many aspects of surfing that I had not even considered, such as environmentalism and the influence the military and war has had on surfing (and vice versa). It also covers expected topics, such as surfing in mass media, sexism in surfing, and surfing's influence on fashion.
Most unexpected for me was that surfers, as a group, unlike their reputation as a counterculture, are much like the rest of the population as a whole. There are a few exceptional characters who further the sport and make it better for everyone, but most are unwilling to take action to preserve the beaches and oceans, and most are reluctant to welcome those they see as outsiders.
Surfers and university professors Westwick and Neushul have written this book as a textbook for the course they teach at UC Santa Barbara. They found that most of the people who take their class, even at a campus that is right on the beach, are not surfers. But like many of us, the students are mildly fascinated by the surfing culture they've seen on TV and in movies over the years.
The book is not written like a textbook, but like a popular history (a fairly rigorous one, so be prepared), and covers many aspects of surfing that I had not even considered, such as environmentalism and the influence the military and war has had on surfing (and vice versa). It also covers expected topics, such as surfing in mass media, sexism in surfing, and surfing's influence on fashion.
Most unexpected for me was that surfers, as a group, unlike their reputation as a counterculture, are much like the rest of the population as a whole. There are a few exceptional characters who further the sport and make it better for everyone, but most are unwilling to take action to preserve the beaches and oceans, and most are reluctant to welcome those they see as outsiders.
August 16, 2013
Summer may be receding. But here's a book to keep the sun glowing in your bosom: SURFING! "The World in the Curl" seeks to explain surfing’s transcendent appeal while putting the sport in its social and historical context. Peter Westwick and Peter Neushul trace surfing from its ancient Polynesian roots to its current incarnation as a "global commercial and cultural phenomenon." Along the way, they look at the connections between surfing and, among other things, colonialism, technology, Hollywood, advertising, fashion, real estate development, pollution, climate change — even Islamic fundamentalism. This grab-bag approach has its shortcomings, but the overall result is provocative and highly entertaining, if not always flattering to surfers.
Read our review:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinion...
Read our review:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinion...
October 24, 2013
This is a great book that takes a look at surfing culture from it's Hawaiian roots through it's bad-boy days in the late 20th century, to the present, where surfers and the industry that caters to them must respond positively to environmental and economic hard times, or perish. Much like a textbook (which it undoubtably is) the authors draw a broad line around surfing's history, culture, and make suggestions for participatory responsibility to steward the shores at which it is practiced. I learned about so much more than "surfing" per se, including the history of Hawaii, the start of the aeronautical industry in California, and worldwide environmental issues that both drive and threaten tourism at beaches in the U.S. and around the world. This was a very easy and enjoyable read.
September 7, 2015
I went to UCSB and kind of like that Westwick is a real historian dealing with the story of Hawaii and what really happened since it's exposure to Western culture. The Hawaiian's got screwed and they knew it way long time ago. This a balanced, and fair account of the loss of water skills by a dominant culture taken over by a technological one.
The Hawaiians were not surfing after the turn of the century because they were working the equivalent of 7/11. Not that there is anything wrong with working at 7/11, but that before contact, most Hawaiians had time to go surf and still make a living planting, fishing and generally living the good life. I liked that Westwick put to rest the false blame on the religious proselytizers and put is square on the Western culture of greed.
The Hawaiians were not surfing after the turn of the century because they were working the equivalent of 7/11. Not that there is anything wrong with working at 7/11, but that before contact, most Hawaiians had time to go surf and still make a living planting, fishing and generally living the good life. I liked that Westwick put to rest the false blame on the religious proselytizers and put is square on the Western culture of greed.
September 13, 2013
The history of surfing seems like it would be a one dimensional topic, however Peter Westwick and Peter Neushul do a good job of incorporating world events into the discussion. This book follows surfing beginning with its Polynesian roots to the present day. Along the way the book details the development of Hawaii and the Californian coast, two World Wars, Hollywood beach movies and the role of sex and race in surfing. There were a couple of really "dry" chapters, including a very long history of the wetsuit, that I really could have done without but overall this is a fascinating look at surfing and the industry that surrounds it.
This book was a Goodreads Firstreads Giveaway.
This book was a Goodreads Firstreads Giveaway.
April 11, 2015
I won this book in a Goodreads Contest. I am not a surfer but regardless found this book enjoyable. It does not focus much about the waves, boards, and emotions like a typical surfer but the history, technology, world events, and other topics that propel the sport into the world. Despite being text based, considering it being about its history, it was interesting to keep my attention. I can see this book not being for someone who dislike history being heavy with facts and statements, or who is not a fan of surfing in any form. After finishing this book I had a deeper understanding of the foundation of surfing and a better respect for the sport in general.
July 20, 2013
Rather academic, you'd have to be a serious surf fan to plow through it. (It is a text book after all). Interesting sections on Hawaii, and big wave surfing, reminded me of Shoal of time,by Gavan Davis, and The Wave, by Susan Casey. I am a windsurfer, and kitesurfer, and spend a fair amount of time kitesurfing Kailua on Oahu. Even with this interest level, I found myself skimming large sections of the book.
Good textbook, interesting, but not compelling read on surfing.
Good textbook, interesting, but not compelling read on surfing.
August 24, 2014
Many thanks to Peter & Peter for writing this exceptional history of surfing.
I gagged at the chapter on ocean pollution and was amazed at how much money the surfing apparel industry makes.
The two Peters guide you through "the tension between the romantic and the modern, the natural and the artificial, the communal and the commercial.. ultimately, between the heart and the mind."
Well worth reading.
I gagged at the chapter on ocean pollution and was amazed at how much money the surfing apparel industry makes.
The two Peters guide you through "the tension between the romantic and the modern, the natural and the artificial, the communal and the commercial.. ultimately, between the heart and the mind."
Well worth reading.
July 31, 2013
I don't know how unconventional it is, but this book is quiet enjoyable. It approaches the history of surfing from a number of different perspectives, most of them external to the sport itself. I especially found fascinating the associated history of swimming. But really, the cultural and social history of the sport were excellent, as was the environmental history.
November 14, 2013
"[S]ome of Waikiki's sand came from Manhattan Beach in California. That was only fair. Waikiki had already sent surfing to California, which helped turn coastal towns like Manhattan Beach into their own slices of paradise, in which surfing figured prominently. Hawaii gave California the beach lifestyle, and California gave back the beach itself." (64)
August 22, 2015
The best historical review of surfing that I've read. It avoids cliches and indolent research and sets the avocation in a plausible and well-argued cultural/historical context. I was especially glad the authors didn't surrender to lazy and prosaic observation when commenting on the relationship between the Christian missions and early Hawaiian surf culture.
June 20, 2016
This book is awesome. I don't think there are enough great books about surfing. I've gained new context for WSL commentary and the allusions to surfing legacies. I loved reading this and it has stuck with me.
May 9, 2015
Great book. As surfers we have had our culture's history so wrong for so long. We are not nearly as righteous as we think.
March 24, 2015
Great history
I learned a lot from this book. I have studied so much about the sport and it's roots I was blown away by how much more I learned from this book.
I learned a lot from this book. I have studied so much about the sport and it's roots I was blown away by how much more I learned from this book.
March 25, 2015
A linear history of surfing and how it all came together, packed with info and every line is interesting, leading to the next. All of Surfings history in one place, very well done.
April 16, 2017
An intellectual, socio-economic, political, cultural...and sporty...history of surfing. Loved it from cover to cover.
(Or from title page to acknowledgments, to be exact---no covers on a kindle!)
(Or from title page to acknowledgments, to be exact---no covers on a kindle!)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews