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Board
David Flanagan came from a long line of seafarers and thought learning to surf would be easy, despite the fact he was scared of the ocean and fast approaching middle age. As a journalist living in an island community, he had intended to write a light-hearted account of his progress towards surfing nirvana, but instead found himself facing danger, doubt and the spectre of childhood bereavement in an often wild and unwelcoming sea.
Meanwhile on land, and back riding a skateboard after a 30-year-gap, David found himself facing bemusement, ridicule and the wrath of the medical profession. But his decision to turn back the clock to the 1970s would also prove remarkably life changing and, occasionally, utterly catastrophic.
Warm, funny, touching and honest - with a strong dose of adrenalin - Board explores loss, ego, fear and fatherhood, charting a quest for inner peace against a backdrop of thundering Atlantic waves. At its heart, Board is an inspiring story about accepting some limitations and overcoming others, while completely ignoring common sense and social convention.
Meanwhile on land, and back riding a skateboard after a 30-year-gap, David found himself facing bemusement, ridicule and the wrath of the medical profession. But his decision to turn back the clock to the 1970s would also prove remarkably life changing and, occasionally, utterly catastrophic.
Warm, funny, touching and honest - with a strong dose of adrenalin - Board explores loss, ego, fear and fatherhood, charting a quest for inner peace against a backdrop of thundering Atlantic waves. At its heart, Board is an inspiring story about accepting some limitations and overcoming others, while completely ignoring common sense and social convention.
204 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 16, 2015
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About the author
David C. Flanagan
5 books4 followersDavid C. Flanagan is a writer and journalist based in the Orkney Islands, Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 10, 2020
An easy, enjoyable and funny read about David's experience learning to surf as a middle aged, not quite fit enough man. Would have bumped it up to 4, if it had a bit more substance but that's not really the point of the book.
November 10, 2022
Auch wenn er auf einer Insel lebt und seine Vorfahren Seeleute waren, hat David Angst vor dem Wasser. Trotzdem träumt er schon seit Jahren davon, surfen zu lernen. Als sich sein Traum endlich erfüllt, muss er sich seinen Ängsten stellen.
Meine Meinung
Es heißt zwar, dass Kleider Leute machen, trotzdem machen Surferklamotten einen noch lange nicht zum Surfer. In Davids Fall schafft es auch kein Surfkurs oder ein eigenes Brett. Es dauert lange, bis er sich wie ein echter Surfer fühlt und dieses Gefühl dauert genau so lange, wie er es das erste Mal schafft, im Meer vor den Orkney-Inseln auf dem Brett zu stehen (also nur wenige Sekunden). Er fühlt sich nie wirklich dazugehörig und hat das Gefühl, immer schlechter als die anderen Surfer zu sein.
Aber man sollte nie sein Inneres mit dem Äußeren anderer Leute vergleichen. Das wird deutlich, als er das erste Mal bewusst einen anderen Surfer auf den Orkneys sieht, der so viel erfahrener aussieht als er selbst und der nicht zu den anderen Surfern gehören scheint. Ich finde die Geschichte, wie er diesen Surfgott (so nennt er ihn heimlich) fast schon stalkt, bis er sich endlich traut, ihn anzusprechen, einfach rührend. David erzählt offen über seine Unsicherheit und seine Zweifel, das hat ihn mir von Anfang an sympathisch gemacht. Übrigens ist der Gott auch nur ein Sterblicher, der genauso unerfahren ist wie David selbst. Die beiden werden erst Boardbuddies, dann Freunde. Diese Freundschaft übersteht auch die Tatsache, dass Marc nach Australien auswandert.
Es gibt noch ein anderes Brett, das Davids Leben bestimmt: sein Skateboard. Hier ist er ganz anders. Wo er im Wasser überängstlich ist, ist er an Land draufgängerisch und saust die Straßen hinunter. Das geht nicht immer gut aus.
David schafft es nicht nur, seine Leser zu begeistern, sondern auch seinen Sohn. Bei ihm sieht er, was ihm fehlt: die Leichtigkeit. Aber in meinen Augen braucht er die nicht, denn seine Hartnäckigkeit und seine authentische Art haben mir sehr gut gefallen.
Meine Meinung
Es heißt zwar, dass Kleider Leute machen, trotzdem machen Surferklamotten einen noch lange nicht zum Surfer. In Davids Fall schafft es auch kein Surfkurs oder ein eigenes Brett. Es dauert lange, bis er sich wie ein echter Surfer fühlt und dieses Gefühl dauert genau so lange, wie er es das erste Mal schafft, im Meer vor den Orkney-Inseln auf dem Brett zu stehen (also nur wenige Sekunden). Er fühlt sich nie wirklich dazugehörig und hat das Gefühl, immer schlechter als die anderen Surfer zu sein.
Aber man sollte nie sein Inneres mit dem Äußeren anderer Leute vergleichen. Das wird deutlich, als er das erste Mal bewusst einen anderen Surfer auf den Orkneys sieht, der so viel erfahrener aussieht als er selbst und der nicht zu den anderen Surfern gehören scheint. Ich finde die Geschichte, wie er diesen Surfgott (so nennt er ihn heimlich) fast schon stalkt, bis er sich endlich traut, ihn anzusprechen, einfach rührend. David erzählt offen über seine Unsicherheit und seine Zweifel, das hat ihn mir von Anfang an sympathisch gemacht. Übrigens ist der Gott auch nur ein Sterblicher, der genauso unerfahren ist wie David selbst. Die beiden werden erst Boardbuddies, dann Freunde. Diese Freundschaft übersteht auch die Tatsache, dass Marc nach Australien auswandert.
Es gibt noch ein anderes Brett, das Davids Leben bestimmt: sein Skateboard. Hier ist er ganz anders. Wo er im Wasser überängstlich ist, ist er an Land draufgängerisch und saust die Straßen hinunter. Das geht nicht immer gut aus.
David schafft es nicht nur, seine Leser zu begeistern, sondern auch seinen Sohn. Bei ihm sieht er, was ihm fehlt: die Leichtigkeit. Aber in meinen Augen braucht er die nicht, denn seine Hartnäckigkeit und seine authentische Art haben mir sehr gut gefallen.
June 15, 2019
This is not so much a book about surfing, as a story of life and maturity and a man's journey set against the punishing learning curve of learning to surf, that should resonate with people whether they have set unsteady foot on a board or not. I'm no surfer, nor even a great swimmer, but loved it as a funny, moving and above all optimistic story about the process of growing up, and the value of determination and passion. By chance, I read it on a beach, which is the closest I'll be getting to the waves, but had a tear in my eye at various stages, part from laughing, part from the descriptions of life and loss. A recommended read for any young man or woman setting foot in the wider world, I reckon.
June 11, 2019
This book is a bizarre account of total ineptitude from start to finish. Do not buy this book if you'd like to gain a little insight about learning to surf, it's quite the opposite. It's a clueless account of what not to do at every turn, and that continues from start to finish. After failure after failure, from jumping onto rocks damaging a brand new board, to taking continual beatings by attempting to learn to surf at an advanced wave, or failing to grasp even the basics after months and months of doing the same things, it seems the author totally fails to seek out or follow any advice in relation to how to learn to surf. He claims to be a journalist. Research certainally isn't his strong point. It's everything about how not to learn to surf. No-one attempts to learn to surf (and pop-up) at an advanced rock infested reef break, they go to a sandy bottom beach with mellow waves. That is the simplest most fundamental thing that the author fails to even consider.
It's dire. It's so bad I've asked amazon for a refund!
It's dire. It's so bad I've asked amazon for a refund!
February 26, 2021
As someone that has spent many of my favourite memories on a board of some description this book really appealed to me and so in the digital basket it flew.
From the first chapter i knew that this book was already looking like an eerie reflection of parts of my own history with pieces of wood and foam that we choose to try and balance on. Its a masterful and honest piece of writing that doesn't try to be anything its not. It absorbs you into these moments that obviously were very defining for the author and its comes alive from the page as if you are standing right there, smelling the concrete or seaweed scented air.
I cant recommend this book enough and not just for the like minded, it has something for everyone.
From the first chapter i knew that this book was already looking like an eerie reflection of parts of my own history with pieces of wood and foam that we choose to try and balance on. Its a masterful and honest piece of writing that doesn't try to be anything its not. It absorbs you into these moments that obviously were very defining for the author and its comes alive from the page as if you are standing right there, smelling the concrete or seaweed scented air.
I cant recommend this book enough and not just for the like minded, it has something for everyone.
June 10, 2017
This book is jumping on the growing surf book bandwagon. It is unique in the sense that is written by someone who is not a particularly competent surfer. It is a great story life story with interesting insights, but if you are a surfer then you may not find it very exciting. If you are just beginning to learn to surf (by this I mean still battling in the white water) then it could be interesting for you to follow David's struggles.
April 10, 2020
This was a quick and enjoyable read, one which will easily be enjoyed by any adult that has continued to “live and grow” into middle age. As a 40 something who took up surfing and skateboarding, which resulted in myriad conversations that started off with “You’re too old to do that”, this book resonated deeply with me.
February 6, 2021
Very, very funny
As I long-timeish and very average surfer and ex downhill skateboarder I downloaded this expecting cliche and bullshit. I didn't get any bullshit, and I got cliche but not at all in the way I was expecting. What I did get was a very well written, enjoyable and heartening story with thumps of solid comedy gold thrown in on nearly every page. Cracking little read.
As I long-timeish and very average surfer and ex downhill skateboarder I downloaded this expecting cliche and bullshit. I didn't get any bullshit, and I got cliche but not at all in the way I was expecting. What I did get was a very well written, enjoyable and heartening story with thumps of solid comedy gold thrown in on nearly every page. Cracking little read.
February 6, 2022
An interesting, but predictable, story of fining yourself by learning surf. Why did I read it? Because there are no waves where I am and my surfing skill progression is moving backwards. It was nice to remember the sensation of being on a board for a bit.
August 11, 2021
No reflection on the skill of the writer I enjoyed the writing - don’t use this book as instructional. Not the way to learn to surf how he didn’t kill himself I just don’t know! How to be a total kook. David certainly captures what keeps us coming back for more beatings! That’s surfing!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews