Dora Lives: The Authorized Story Of Miki Dora

by C.R. Stecyk III (Contributor), Drew Kampion (Editor)

The definitive record of the surfing iconoclast who became an icon The surfing iconoclast who became an icon, Miki Dora was the epitome of 1960s beach culture. His dark good looks were the envy of Malibu. His talent earned him trophies (which he disdained) and the nickname “Da Cat.” And in the end, when he didn't like the commercial direction of the sport he helped define, he turned his back on the beach, wandered the world, served time in jail, and, finally in 2002, suffering from pancreatic cancer returned to his father's house in Montecito, California to die at age 67. A Malibu graffiti that appeared during his years on the road sums up his role in the surfing imagination and still holds “Dora Lives.” Years in the making and compiled with the cooperation of Dora while he was alive and his family after his death, Dora Lives is the definitive record of the legend. Transcribed interviews with Dora and texts by former Surfer magazine editor Drew Kampion and writer C.R. Stecyk are combined with nearly 100 photos and stills from photographers, filmmakers, and Dora's personal albums.

The story starts out in Budapest, Hungary, where Miklos Dora was born in 1934, follows the child émigré to Hollywood High (except when the surf was up), and finds him at the center of the post- Gidget surf boom of the 60s. At that time, Dora stunt-doubled in a few films and competed when he felt like it, but mostly he embraced the hedonist milieu and burnished his antihero legend, culminating in a mid-wave mooning of the judges at the 1967 Malibu Invitational. Shortly after, he left for points (and point breaks) abroad in France, Indonesia, Australia and Madagascar until 2001, when he returned to the West Coast to die.

142 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2005

Reviews

[Tosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Researching Miki Dora and this is a very interesting book on the rebel surfer. Illustrated, but not really a photo book, but more of a memoir told through images but with lots of text as well.

[Matt reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

To me the era that Dora lived was the golden age of surf culture. His exploits have been legendary and sporadically documented. This collection of stories and photographs give some perspective to not only his amazing but troubled life, but to the lifestyle that was to emerge of the "free" surfer - one whom shuns contests and industry limelight in favor of traveling the world for adventure and endless search for the perfect wave. Beautifully edited this reads like coffee table book from Surfers Journal, that inspires me to pick up and flip through just for the sake of getting stoked...

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you surf and fancy the boho life read this book, or read it anyway