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Big Wednesday
This is the book form of the famous surf flick, Big Wednesday. Since the book follows the movie exactly, a short synopsis of the film's plot explains the book just as well:
"John Milius charts a decade of social change as three surfing buddies use the sport as a personal touchstone for their lives while growing up in the turbulent 1960s. Irresponsible hot-dogging legend Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent), serious and stable Jack (William Katt), and mad misfit Leroy, a.k.a. "Masochist" (Gary Busey), are teenage surf bums in 1963, living at the beach in a perpetual summer under the sway of surfboard-maker Bear (Sam Melville), guru, mentor, and keeper of the lore. But the times they are a changin' and boys grow up in the shadow of Vietnam while adulthood pushes them into hard decisions." (By Sean Axmaker on Amazon.com)
"John Milius charts a decade of social change as three surfing buddies use the sport as a personal touchstone for their lives while growing up in the turbulent 1960s. Irresponsible hot-dogging legend Matt (Jan-Michael Vincent), serious and stable Jack (William Katt), and mad misfit Leroy, a.k.a. "Masochist" (Gary Busey), are teenage surf bums in 1963, living at the beach in a perpetual summer under the sway of surfboard-maker Bear (Sam Melville), guru, mentor, and keeper of the lore. But the times they are a changin' and boys grow up in the shadow of Vietnam while adulthood pushes them into hard decisions." (By Sean Axmaker on Amazon.com)
214 pages
First published January 1, 1978
61 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 2, 2020
A heartfelt look at a very specific time (the sixties) of a very specific group of people (surfers) in a very specific place (Malibu beach). By no means in depth, but I enjoyed this visit with a past I've never experienced.
August 22, 2009
Loved the movie too!
October 13, 2020
Surprisingly heartwarming! It's a great and well-plotted story surrounding a group of surfers in the 60s. It's about parties, found family, taking risks, and legacy. It did take a second for me to get used to listening to the lingo; it feels completely bizarre to hear the word "radical" etc used in a very different way than I'm used to, but it totally feeds the universe. Not to mention, it ultimately feels authentic given the author's real-life experience with the surfing community of the time.
The narrator, A.T. Chandler, didn't feel remotely out of place and his reading had a dignity for lack of a better term, that was appropriate and felt organic. He was excellent.
I recommend this audiobook to anyone who wants to be swept away into a tale of friendship and loss and youth.
I received a copy of this audiobook for free from NetGalley, RB Media, and HighBridge Audio in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.
The narrator, A.T. Chandler, didn't feel remotely out of place and his reading had a dignity for lack of a better term, that was appropriate and felt organic. He was excellent.
I recommend this audiobook to anyone who wants to be swept away into a tale of friendship and loss and youth.
I received a copy of this audiobook for free from NetGalley, RB Media, and HighBridge Audio in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.
February 28, 2021
Best book ever written about surfing.
September 3, 2021
Stoked on this book!
January 15, 2023
No la recordo gaire bé, però la meva obsessió amb el personatge de Milius fa que la novel·la se'm presentes com un relat èpic sobre el surf, i mai l'havia vist d'aquesta manera. Avui en dia seria necessari potser que aquest xamanisme tornes a la disciplina... Però mai he fet surf ni crec que en faci.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews