Big Drop

by John Long

32 classic big wave surfing stories from the sport's pioneers John Long's classic collection of big wave surfing stories heralded a new era in surfing literature. Focusing on those elite athletes who live to challenge the ocean's fury, The Big Drop is more than just another surfing book. It is both an extraordinary collection of thirty-two true tales and a treasure-trove of insight into the evolution of big-wave surfing―with particular focus on the pioneers of the 1950s and 1960s and the skills necessary to challenge huge waves. Providing a comprehensive look at the sport's eras, locations, and legends, with a host of stunning images and a glossary of surfing terms, it is a truly unforgettable look at the obsession of those who face down monstrous waves. Revealing the tantalizing and terrifying truth about riding big waves, The Big Drop is a must for any surfer inclined to tackle large surf in thought or in fact.

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

John Long is an American rock climber and author.

Reviews

[Jessica Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a compilation of great big wave triumphs and tragedies told mostly by the surfers themselves. There also accounts from the great surf journalists Bruce Jenkins, Matt Warshaw and Ben Marcus. A must read for anyone who wants the non- Hollywood version of what big wave surfing is really like. "The Death Of Dickie Cross" is one the most terrifying and sad accounts of a surfing death you'll ever read.

[Russ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of John Long's work, as a direct writer as well as curator (editor).

In particular the collection of short stories he writes or edits. A beautiful blend of the raw moment combined with emotion and often humor. Some travel/adventure tales can be one dimensional; Long's work is not.

[Kathryn Hurst · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another book I had to read for class, but this one I did not enjoy. The compilation of stories felt extremely repetitive and the surfing terminology was not explained enough for me to ever understand what was going on.

[Dak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crazy stories about big wave surfing written by guys who aren’t writers. Content was cool, and There were some pieces of journalism that I liked a lot, but the rest weren’t as compelling.

[Blake Uyehara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waves, the size of buildings, thrashing down upon the minute surfers in the water. A reader interested in compelling and action packed stories about famous surfers and waves should definitely read The Big Drop. There is no specific author of the book due to the multiple tales of individual surfers being pulled together. The collection of many authors also gives readers an extreme advantage rather than reading just one book. While this may confuse some readers, I though the use of descriptive and in depth writing made up for the jumping around style of writing. I like the use of pictures to entice the readers; a good way to keep them focused.

The book begins with two maps picturing the big wave surf contests of the world. Because the book is solely written about Hawaiian big wave surfers, it goes into greater detail about the Hawaiian surfers rather than the other worldwide surfers. The most famous surfers being Greg Noll, the dominant rider in the Waimea Bay, Eddie Aikau, another rider from Hawaii who passed away in the ocean, and Jose Angel, who died during a deep sea diving expedition. Some of the authors re-tell the lives of the famous surfers and their tragic deaths, including their last days alive. The stories collaborated in the book mostly involve how the surfers tried pushing their physical capabilities and ended up not being able to make it.

The tales of the big wave surfers proved to be a hard read due to the constant change of writing style and story line. Most readers may find this a horrible book because of the demand of concentration associated with reading The Big Drop. I thought the constant change of stories helped the book and made it interesting. Every author seemed to have conducted a lot of research because all the stories were in depth and accurate. The book is recommended for teenagers; the use of high level vocabulary is the reason for this evaluation. Overall I believe it was a great but challenging read and would recommend it to a friend.

[Jason Irvine · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Impression about this book is that it really interests me. I remember my dads stories about the Northshore of Oahu and how he used to surf Pipeline and Sunset Beach.Reading these stories is super entertaining to me and im looking forward to finishing the book.

Currently reading stories about Waimea Bay intrigues me. Seeing how much adrenaline goes through these surfers minds as they paddle for 20 feet plus waves is really radical. This book has multiple surf stories on the North Shore and its seems to get better after every one. It takes alot of courage to paddle out in those waves becase it could be the end of your life if you fall or get cleaned up by a huge set.

I recently read a passage about Ken Bradshaw surfing the biggest wave ever ridden. It intrigued me on how big the wave really was, it was recoreded to be about a 40 foot wave. That is a huge wave and can even begin to think how heavy that wave was.I also saw a photo of the wave and it looks massive. If he were to have fallen on that wave it would have been the heaviest wipeout in the world.

[Kateri · Rating 3 out of 5]

i learned so much from this book. the way the surfers connect to the ocean is extrodinary! they always learn so much.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this book. Some of the stories are ones I'll never forget. It's something I would like to reread someday in the near future. Great book about surfing

[Jacob Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of stories enjoyable for someone who surfs or not. The detailed accounts put you right there on the rising swell. Very exciting book.

[Shannon Mccabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

FUN

[Daveg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big waves, Big characters, Big balls