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Surfen met Sartre. Filosoferen op de golven van het leven
From the bestselling author of Assholes: A Theory, a book that--in the tradition of Shopclass as Soulcraft, Barbarian Days and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance--uses the experience and the ethos of surfing to explore key concepts in philosophy.
The existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre once declared "the ideal limit of aquatic sports . . . is waterskiing." The avid surfer and lavishly credentialed academic philosopher Aaron James vigorously disagrees, and in Surfing with Sartre he intends to expound the thinking surfer's view of the matter, in the process elucidating such philosophical categories as freedom, being, phenomenology, morality, epistemology, and even the emerging values of what he terms "leisure capitalism." In developing his unique surfer-philosophical worldview, he draws from his own experience of surfing and from surf culture and lingo, and includes many relevant details from the lives of the philosophers, from Aristotle to Wittgenstein, with whose thought he engages. In the process, he'll speak to readers in search of personal and social meaning in our current anxious moment, by way of doing real, authentic philosophy.
The existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre once declared "the ideal limit of aquatic sports . . . is waterskiing." The avid surfer and lavishly credentialed academic philosopher Aaron James vigorously disagrees, and in Surfing with Sartre he intends to expound the thinking surfer's view of the matter, in the process elucidating such philosophical categories as freedom, being, phenomenology, morality, epistemology, and even the emerging values of what he terms "leisure capitalism." In developing his unique surfer-philosophical worldview, he draws from his own experience of surfing and from surf culture and lingo, and includes many relevant details from the lives of the philosophers, from Aristotle to Wittgenstein, with whose thought he engages. In the process, he'll speak to readers in search of personal and social meaning in our current anxious moment, by way of doing real, authentic philosophy.
440 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2018
83 people are currently reading
850 people want to read
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Aaron James
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 7, 2018
It's a million years of hell ago.
Dawn.
Laguna.
Why you're up, you don't know. If it is the sudden-close sound of the Pacific, then it is a promise intruding on your dreams; the lush, seductive western sea that called to every pioneer toiling in the East. It's better here, she said. Come see. It's a strong song. Hollywood. Silicon Valley. The earth moves. It's dawn in Laguna, and this is the way your thoughts arrange.
You tug the door across and step out onto the balcony, adding volume to the lure, and scent, and chill. Grey. All grey, still. The sand, the stones, the smoky mist; the gently heaving slate of her chest, the foamy trail of her breathing. Even the palms, the ruddy palms, are stark shadows still. You've been onstage, you know the feel; it's the pensive hour before curtain. And yet, and yet...
Your eye rounds the cove and falls to the fact that you're not alone. There, bobbing in the surf, sit six slick, wet-suited sentinels straddling their boards. They are both together and alone; solitary in their intent yet so a piece of the landscape that they feel mutually omnipresent. The Zen of the moment is astonishing. You succumb to the karmic insistence and pull out a chair in solidarity. An hour will pass in the quiet of your sitting with them. And, though it shouldn't need to be said, nobody was waiting on the sun.
Surfing begs a philosopher. Then defies him.
Aaron James begins with the flow, the physicality and the meaning, but soon turns to climate change and its effect on the surfer. He advances a solution of moving our heretofore capitalist society to a twenty-hour work week and an expansion of leisure activity that would lessen the collective carbon footprint. His is a diligent argument motivated in no small degree by the lusty promise of increasing the time he, himself, might spend catching those waves.
Which is the aim of every true surfer, philosophy be damned.
Dawn.
Laguna.
Why you're up, you don't know. If it is the sudden-close sound of the Pacific, then it is a promise intruding on your dreams; the lush, seductive western sea that called to every pioneer toiling in the East. It's better here, she said. Come see. It's a strong song. Hollywood. Silicon Valley. The earth moves. It's dawn in Laguna, and this is the way your thoughts arrange.
You tug the door across and step out onto the balcony, adding volume to the lure, and scent, and chill. Grey. All grey, still. The sand, the stones, the smoky mist; the gently heaving slate of her chest, the foamy trail of her breathing. Even the palms, the ruddy palms, are stark shadows still. You've been onstage, you know the feel; it's the pensive hour before curtain. And yet, and yet...
Your eye rounds the cove and falls to the fact that you're not alone. There, bobbing in the surf, sit six slick, wet-suited sentinels straddling their boards. They are both together and alone; solitary in their intent yet so a piece of the landscape that they feel mutually omnipresent. The Zen of the moment is astonishing. You succumb to the karmic insistence and pull out a chair in solidarity. An hour will pass in the quiet of your sitting with them. And, though it shouldn't need to be said, nobody was waiting on the sun.
Surfing begs a philosopher. Then defies him.
Aaron James begins with the flow, the physicality and the meaning, but soon turns to climate change and its effect on the surfer. He advances a solution of moving our heretofore capitalist society to a twenty-hour work week and an expansion of leisure activity that would lessen the collective carbon footprint. His is a diligent argument motivated in no small degree by the lusty promise of increasing the time he, himself, might spend catching those waves.
Which is the aim of every true surfer, philosophy be damned.
September 22, 2025
if you like this review i now have website: www.michaelkamakana.com
240718: i have never learned to surf or indeed to board of any kind. when we visited the islands was too short, when we lived there we were in school, though of course cousins surfed and there were surfers who came to class very infrequently, but i never got in that subculture, never swam much, never just floated out there waiting for righteous waves...
i may have been too much a serious student but though the beaches were close, so was school, though this study of ways of becoming gracefully integrated with the waves, the ocean, the tropical world in general- makes me wonder what i missed. this is a great, sympathetic, philosophy text that you can probably read ‘cold’, though it is fun to see many classic continental thinkers applied, though it is a different sort of inquiry than the analytics might launch, far from logical arguments and dismissal of this nonsense of play...
there is only one invocation of ‘if and only if’ so i am interested....
there is as promised some Sartre but also Heidegger, Husserl, favorite Merleau-Ponty, though university was close (though somehow i got this at the city library!) so is the next time i go to mom’s hometown of Waimea, Kauai (yearly), and as the author progresses he talks about climate change and rising sea level, even the best rise of a metre dooms the town, if it works out worse that would doom much of islands and city...
but we are here to be in the ‘flow’, we are here to learn how the surfers’ lives can help us, and here is a awareness similar to Buddhist monks in meditation, that ‘doing nothing’ is the way to gather experience of everything, and maybe everyone can surf...
240718: i have never learned to surf or indeed to board of any kind. when we visited the islands was too short, when we lived there we were in school, though of course cousins surfed and there were surfers who came to class very infrequently, but i never got in that subculture, never swam much, never just floated out there waiting for righteous waves...
i may have been too much a serious student but though the beaches were close, so was school, though this study of ways of becoming gracefully integrated with the waves, the ocean, the tropical world in general- makes me wonder what i missed. this is a great, sympathetic, philosophy text that you can probably read ‘cold’, though it is fun to see many classic continental thinkers applied, though it is a different sort of inquiry than the analytics might launch, far from logical arguments and dismissal of this nonsense of play...
there is only one invocation of ‘if and only if’ so i am interested....
there is as promised some Sartre but also Heidegger, Husserl, favorite Merleau-Ponty, though university was close (though somehow i got this at the city library!) so is the next time i go to mom’s hometown of Waimea, Kauai (yearly), and as the author progresses he talks about climate change and rising sea level, even the best rise of a metre dooms the town, if it works out worse that would doom much of islands and city...
but we are here to be in the ‘flow’, we are here to learn how the surfers’ lives can help us, and here is a awareness similar to Buddhist monks in meditation, that ‘doing nothing’ is the way to gather experience of everything, and maybe everyone can surf...
June 25, 2017
"Surfers go along with the flow of a wave by intuitive sensing, by attuning to their surroundings with their whole bodies...This turns out to be the highest expression of human perceptual capacity, the human's way of at once being and doing"
As someone who, quite frankly, knows little to nothing about surfing, I still found this book interesting. And boy is it a surf-heavy read. The author makes plenty of lofty claims about the sport, even including that if more people surfed than worked 40 hours a week, humanity as a whole would become greater. I agree that the 40-hour workweek is bogus but you won't find me on a surfboard for the betterment of humanity.
The thing I enjoyed most about this book is the sections discussing different philosophers, how the state of "flow" impacts our lives, and what life really means. I found all of that great. I genuinely felt like I learned a lot about philosophy, which is, again, this book's strong point.
I'd recommend this to anyone who really likes surfing and also academic prose-heavy books. Otherwise you are only getting part of the picture.
I'd like to thank Doubleday books and Aaron James for the ARC of "Surfing with Sartre". Quotes from uncorrected proofs are subject to change.
As someone who, quite frankly, knows little to nothing about surfing, I still found this book interesting. And boy is it a surf-heavy read. The author makes plenty of lofty claims about the sport, even including that if more people surfed than worked 40 hours a week, humanity as a whole would become greater. I agree that the 40-hour workweek is bogus but you won't find me on a surfboard for the betterment of humanity.
The thing I enjoyed most about this book is the sections discussing different philosophers, how the state of "flow" impacts our lives, and what life really means. I found all of that great. I genuinely felt like I learned a lot about philosophy, which is, again, this book's strong point.
I'd recommend this to anyone who really likes surfing and also academic prose-heavy books. Otherwise you are only getting part of the picture.
I'd like to thank Doubleday books and Aaron James for the ARC of "Surfing with Sartre". Quotes from uncorrected proofs are subject to change.
May 6, 2018
I think I read this one too fast. Maybe it was because it drove me a little bonkers. I am not a surfer by any means, and this post-hoc justification of a lifelong hobby, even to the level of heroism, felt off-key a bit. I am an open water swimmer, and I felt that at times I could find/replace swimmer over surfer in many parts of the book and it still applied.
I have a very hard time with the philosophy books nowadays. Having become far more skeptical in my later years, when “facts” are pulled out and justified by authority (Kant said this and Hegel said that) it tends to go in one ear and out the other. Maybe when I was younger the philosophy books had a bigger impact, but now I find myself arguing against the book more than enjoying it.
That’s not to say it’s a bad exercise to argue with a book. It’s just that at points I’d get so angry that I’d have to put the book down, calm down, try to see the other side.
So what was I upset about? Well, that less work is the way to solve climate change for example. This kind of hand-waving solution always makes me mad. For example, flying to Indonesia to catch the primo waves burns as much fuel as your 10 mile commute over the course of a year. I was upset about workaholics being called parasites (spending longer at work sometimes reduces your commute and helps fight climate change), this claim that the best way to a flow state is through surfing alone (obviously this guy is not a coder or open water swimmer). And that whole thing about science being just another philosophy is something a philosopher would say, who’s a little sad about “watching psychology move out of the house”.
Do I think that he doesn’t have points? Of course not. I do think we can get away with working a little less. And I do ultimately think that UBI is the future. But work to live versus live to work is a false dichotomy. I really wish some of those points were debated more.
Overall I found that the book was well written but too self-serving. Maybe I need to reread it. Or maybe I should reread Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance which was a better book, not as self-serving, and a better delivery of the same philosophical points that this book had.
I have a very hard time with the philosophy books nowadays. Having become far more skeptical in my later years, when “facts” are pulled out and justified by authority (Kant said this and Hegel said that) it tends to go in one ear and out the other. Maybe when I was younger the philosophy books had a bigger impact, but now I find myself arguing against the book more than enjoying it.
That’s not to say it’s a bad exercise to argue with a book. It’s just that at points I’d get so angry that I’d have to put the book down, calm down, try to see the other side.
So what was I upset about? Well, that less work is the way to solve climate change for example. This kind of hand-waving solution always makes me mad. For example, flying to Indonesia to catch the primo waves burns as much fuel as your 10 mile commute over the course of a year. I was upset about workaholics being called parasites (spending longer at work sometimes reduces your commute and helps fight climate change), this claim that the best way to a flow state is through surfing alone (obviously this guy is not a coder or open water swimmer). And that whole thing about science being just another philosophy is something a philosopher would say, who’s a little sad about “watching psychology move out of the house”.
Do I think that he doesn’t have points? Of course not. I do think we can get away with working a little less. And I do ultimately think that UBI is the future. But work to live versus live to work is a false dichotomy. I really wish some of those points were debated more.
Overall I found that the book was well written but too self-serving. Maybe I need to reread it. Or maybe I should reread Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance which was a better book, not as self-serving, and a better delivery of the same philosophical points that this book had.
January 30, 2018
I enjoyed the first half of this book immensely. The part on Political Philosophy I did not enjoy so much. I agreed with the author on a number of points, particularly his rationale for changing course with respect to our political and economic policies on climate change, and I even agreed with him regarding a universal basic income to incentivize the pursuit of leisure activities to curb carbon emissions related to work.
I think the book represents a beautiful synthesis of the author's major life interests: philosophy and surfing, and his passion for both was apparent throughout. The book is full of citations and yet they don't interrupt the flow of the book.
Surfing was a great read, however I doubt the practicality of his thesis; a universal basic income to support surfing? James mentions nothing of entitlement reforms and very little of tax reforms to support such a measure. His are beautiful thoughts, but I lack the imagination required to see a world that this book proposes.
I think the book represents a beautiful synthesis of the author's major life interests: philosophy and surfing, and his passion for both was apparent throughout. The book is full of citations and yet they don't interrupt the flow of the book.
Surfing was a great read, however I doubt the practicality of his thesis; a universal basic income to support surfing? James mentions nothing of entitlement reforms and very little of tax reforms to support such a measure. His are beautiful thoughts, but I lack the imagination required to see a world that this book proposes.
August 22, 2019
I'm a fan of Aaron James' work, especially Assholes: A Theory. Existentialism was a huge influence on me as a young man, especially through the words of Albert Camus. So I was quite eager to read this book on Sartre and surfing. And it's quite good. In fact, I'm still turning it over in my mind, having only finished it last night.
James touches on many topics in his quest to legitimize a definition of "the good life" that is based on "attunement" to the physical world in pursuits which are ends in themselves. For him, as both a surfer and a philosopher, surfing provides both a real-world example and an apt metaphor. Since I'm a musician, among other things, I found myself translating the concept into musical equivalents. It works quite well. In fact, in several places, James references jazz musicians as a similar case. His point isn't only to justify surfing. His larger project is to justify life spent well, outside of work, engaged in activities that create something similar to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's famous "flow state." James' state of attunement is not identical with Csikszentmihalyi's flow state, because there is not--and, really, cannot be--the same loss of self.
Another goal of the book is to take this idea that we should be spending more of our time in fulfilling, leisure pursuits, is to convince us that carving out more time from work for leisure is both an admirable societal goal and a way to, possibly, help stave off ecological collapse due to overconsumption. To me, that argument was less convincing in its particulars, though I think, overall, it's quite a sound idea.
Personally, James' book has been valuable to me, providing a healthy antidote to a culture based too much on work and productivity. Merely putting fort the idea that some things are worth doing for their own sake, purely for the pleasure and well-being they provide, was helpful to me and would likely be helpful to many. It's quite easy to turn leisure activity into yet another productivity-focused job. James' book is the antidote to that sort of thinking because he frames things in a much healthier way.
James touches on many topics in his quest to legitimize a definition of "the good life" that is based on "attunement" to the physical world in pursuits which are ends in themselves. For him, as both a surfer and a philosopher, surfing provides both a real-world example and an apt metaphor. Since I'm a musician, among other things, I found myself translating the concept into musical equivalents. It works quite well. In fact, in several places, James references jazz musicians as a similar case. His point isn't only to justify surfing. His larger project is to justify life spent well, outside of work, engaged in activities that create something similar to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's famous "flow state." James' state of attunement is not identical with Csikszentmihalyi's flow state, because there is not--and, really, cannot be--the same loss of self.
Another goal of the book is to take this idea that we should be spending more of our time in fulfilling, leisure pursuits, is to convince us that carving out more time from work for leisure is both an admirable societal goal and a way to, possibly, help stave off ecological collapse due to overconsumption. To me, that argument was less convincing in its particulars, though I think, overall, it's quite a sound idea.
Personally, James' book has been valuable to me, providing a healthy antidote to a culture based too much on work and productivity. Merely putting fort the idea that some things are worth doing for their own sake, purely for the pleasure and well-being they provide, was helpful to me and would likely be helpful to many. It's quite easy to turn leisure activity into yet another productivity-focused job. James' book is the antidote to that sort of thinking because he frames things in a much healthier way.
August 24, 2017
http://www.themaineedge.com/adventure...
Some of the best works of pop philosophy are built around finding the connections between big thought systems and everyday tasks. Perhaps the most famous of these works blending the metaphysical and the mundane is Robert Pirsig’s 1974 bestseller “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” though there are plenty of other examples out there.
But until now, none of them asked you to hang 10.
Aaron James – best known for his brilliant 2012 book “A—holes: A Theory” – is back with another work that invites the reader to think deeply with both intent and whimsy. “Surfing with Sartre: An Aquatic Inquiry into a Life of Meaning” is a thought-provoking and clever deep dive into the connections between the surfer’s outlook and the complex philosophical leanings of some of our greatest thinkers.
Sounds weird, right? And it definitely is. It’s also incredibly intelligent and compelling, doing a remarkable job of rendering complicated ideas easily comprehensible by way of a context of surfing attitude and general brah-isms.
James tells the reader right off the bat – this is not your everyday philosophical tract. He takes a good-natured paddle through some large concepts, constantly seeking the tasty waves that will allow his points to glide freely and easily across the surface. He even goes so far as to let you know that you don’t even have to read the thing in order if you don’t want to; skip from chapter to chapter as the spirit moves you, even as the surfer wanders from beach to beach in his constant quest for a great ride.
In essence, “Surfing with Sartre” is an effort by James to communicate across history with Jean-Paul Sartre himself. As he puts it, if he were to have the opportunity to sit down in a French café with that brilliant existentialist philosopher, this book is what he would want to say.
It’s not all about Sartre, though. While that framework of existential ideas certainly features prominently, James is unafraid to address other thinkers and other thought systems. Notions of epistemology and neurochemistry, ethics and religion – he shoots the curl on every one, tying it all to the mindset and techniques of the surfer. The mindful flow of a man and his board – that’s what James uses to tie it all together, even as he offers up connections to the works of thought giants like Kant, Wittgenstein and Aristotle.
The surfer-philosophy dichotomy might seem like an odd one – especially when you’re dealing with someone as academically accomplished as James. But in one way, that’s kind of his point; all manner of people are surfers. The pop culture archetype of the surfer as dude-speaking layabout might be ubiquitous, but it isn’t accurate. Most surfers are like James – gainfully employed contributing members of society who just so happen to be enamored of the flashes of surfboard satori they experience when the pieces all fall into place.
“Surfing with Sartre” is a heady book, but at no point does it venture into the realm of being over one’s head. It’s not an easy read, necessarily – you definitely have to invest your attention in order to really connect with the ideas being put forth – but it certainly isn’t saddled with the density you might expect from a book exploring such challenging concepts.
So if you’ve ever wondered how to connect the rich tapestry of philosophical constructs with the blissed-out joy of riding the tube of a perfect wave, then this book is for you. In “Surfing with Sartre,” Aaron James has combined his seemingly disparate passions into something provocative and pure.
Aaron James is no Barney. He’s no hodad. He’s not a kook or a jake or a Stu. He’s a gnarly dude whose book is totally tubular.
Some of the best works of pop philosophy are built around finding the connections between big thought systems and everyday tasks. Perhaps the most famous of these works blending the metaphysical and the mundane is Robert Pirsig’s 1974 bestseller “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” though there are plenty of other examples out there.
But until now, none of them asked you to hang 10.
Aaron James – best known for his brilliant 2012 book “A—holes: A Theory” – is back with another work that invites the reader to think deeply with both intent and whimsy. “Surfing with Sartre: An Aquatic Inquiry into a Life of Meaning” is a thought-provoking and clever deep dive into the connections between the surfer’s outlook and the complex philosophical leanings of some of our greatest thinkers.
Sounds weird, right? And it definitely is. It’s also incredibly intelligent and compelling, doing a remarkable job of rendering complicated ideas easily comprehensible by way of a context of surfing attitude and general brah-isms.
James tells the reader right off the bat – this is not your everyday philosophical tract. He takes a good-natured paddle through some large concepts, constantly seeking the tasty waves that will allow his points to glide freely and easily across the surface. He even goes so far as to let you know that you don’t even have to read the thing in order if you don’t want to; skip from chapter to chapter as the spirit moves you, even as the surfer wanders from beach to beach in his constant quest for a great ride.
In essence, “Surfing with Sartre” is an effort by James to communicate across history with Jean-Paul Sartre himself. As he puts it, if he were to have the opportunity to sit down in a French café with that brilliant existentialist philosopher, this book is what he would want to say.
It’s not all about Sartre, though. While that framework of existential ideas certainly features prominently, James is unafraid to address other thinkers and other thought systems. Notions of epistemology and neurochemistry, ethics and religion – he shoots the curl on every one, tying it all to the mindset and techniques of the surfer. The mindful flow of a man and his board – that’s what James uses to tie it all together, even as he offers up connections to the works of thought giants like Kant, Wittgenstein and Aristotle.
The surfer-philosophy dichotomy might seem like an odd one – especially when you’re dealing with someone as academically accomplished as James. But in one way, that’s kind of his point; all manner of people are surfers. The pop culture archetype of the surfer as dude-speaking layabout might be ubiquitous, but it isn’t accurate. Most surfers are like James – gainfully employed contributing members of society who just so happen to be enamored of the flashes of surfboard satori they experience when the pieces all fall into place.
“Surfing with Sartre” is a heady book, but at no point does it venture into the realm of being over one’s head. It’s not an easy read, necessarily – you definitely have to invest your attention in order to really connect with the ideas being put forth – but it certainly isn’t saddled with the density you might expect from a book exploring such challenging concepts.
So if you’ve ever wondered how to connect the rich tapestry of philosophical constructs with the blissed-out joy of riding the tube of a perfect wave, then this book is for you. In “Surfing with Sartre,” Aaron James has combined his seemingly disparate passions into something provocative and pure.
Aaron James is no Barney. He’s no hodad. He’s not a kook or a jake or a Stu. He’s a gnarly dude whose book is totally tubular.
August 15, 2017
"Everything has been figured out, except how to live." - Jean Paul Sartre
.
Lucky enough to be able to listen to this audiobook courtesy of PRHAudio and paired with Tofino Brewery's Tuff Session Ale with a great surfboard on the label!
.
First off let me say that if you surf you should listen to this book. I think the connection will be instant! For me, being landlocked in the prairies, I was more intrigued by the title and connection to Sartre. As an amateur student of philosophy and the idea of building a base of knowledge on how to live, Sartre provides some interesting thoughts through his existentialist views.
.
This book meanders through some interesting topics; especially the discussion as it pertains to flow. This stuff is fascinating and surfing is well known to be one of the sports that triggers flow states more than most. Aaron hones in on this discussion providing some really interesting insight into how to live and the ideas of these flow states and how they translate over into daily life.
.
The book covers a lot of topics that at times seems unnecessary (for me it was the section on how the economy should be transformed). It felt like a topic beyond the author's expertise but did tie back to the idea of a surfer providing his or her own idealized opinion.
.
Some gems in this one and especially for someone who has surfed. The first half of the book on how to live with tie-ins to Sartre was great; the second half wasn't for me.
.
Lucky enough to be able to listen to this audiobook courtesy of PRHAudio and paired with Tofino Brewery's Tuff Session Ale with a great surfboard on the label!
.
First off let me say that if you surf you should listen to this book. I think the connection will be instant! For me, being landlocked in the prairies, I was more intrigued by the title and connection to Sartre. As an amateur student of philosophy and the idea of building a base of knowledge on how to live, Sartre provides some interesting thoughts through his existentialist views.
.
This book meanders through some interesting topics; especially the discussion as it pertains to flow. This stuff is fascinating and surfing is well known to be one of the sports that triggers flow states more than most. Aaron hones in on this discussion providing some really interesting insight into how to live and the ideas of these flow states and how they translate over into daily life.
.
The book covers a lot of topics that at times seems unnecessary (for me it was the section on how the economy should be transformed). It felt like a topic beyond the author's expertise but did tie back to the idea of a surfer providing his or her own idealized opinion.
.
Some gems in this one and especially for someone who has surfed. The first half of the book on how to live with tie-ins to Sartre was great; the second half wasn't for me.
August 11, 2017
I won! I received the book today! I will update my review when I finish reading!
Thanks!
Thanks!
February 25, 2018
I was a little skeptical of this book at first, as I typically am with those that compare themselves to Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance on the inner sleeve. But James shows a broad understanding of the ideas of philosophers and the world in his writing. He doesn't simply accept all those ideas(which would be hard to do since the philosophy of ages isn't all compatible). What I like most is how the focus of this book is the most important and urgent question of all - How do we attune our own way of living and our capitalist system to the rapidly changing human and societal condition(largely the result of the fortunes that capitalism has bestowed upon us). That condition being one of great ecological devastation and a bleak future for our descendants, which will most likely be worsened by our refusal or inability to adapt. The answer, somewhat surprisingly and simplisticly, is to spend less time working and more time surfing(or other leisurely activities). It's a surprising answer in part because it goes against the work ethic and notion of "contributing to society" that seems to be ubiquitously accepted, at least in America. He's not the first to suggest that infinite growth is unsustainable, but this is one of the clearest and boldest assertions that I have personally read that we simply need to institutionalize a radically shorter work week in our culture.
The criticism I have is that argument doesn't go much beyond the surface in detail or implementation. It doesn't do much to address the obvious questions such as, what about for the vast numbers of people who can barely afford a meager living working 40 or more hours a week? Not everyone can simply cut back on luxuries and unneeded expenses enough to live on half of their present income. It seems that there are probably lots of holes one could poke in the idea of the 20 hr work week, however, but it is still probably better than just driving along full speed toward the cliff. Sometimes you just have to act before you have a fully detailed plan I guess.
The criticism I have is that argument doesn't go much beyond the surface in detail or implementation. It doesn't do much to address the obvious questions such as, what about for the vast numbers of people who can barely afford a meager living working 40 or more hours a week? Not everyone can simply cut back on luxuries and unneeded expenses enough to live on half of their present income. It seems that there are probably lots of holes one could poke in the idea of the 20 hr work week, however, but it is still probably better than just driving along full speed toward the cliff. Sometimes you just have to act before you have a fully detailed plan I guess.
January 31, 2024
If this book’s blurb appeals to you, you’ll probably like it. But, talk about a book with a limited target audience!!
To like this book - as I did - you need to (a) be a surfer, and (b) like reading philosophy. I know a bunch of surfers, but not many of them fall into that second category! And, you do need to be a surfer; you need some water time. He talks a lot about surfing. He literally relates every aspect of this philosophical treatise back to surfing. Metaphysics and the self relate back to surfing. Human organization, communism and capitalism, relate back to surfing. Global warming, the role of work in our lives, and our future with AI relate back to surfing.
If there’s one thing I didn’t like about the book was that he missed the opportunity of really considering some of surfing’s supporting activities. What about suiting up? paddling? Duck-diving? Or the meditative state of gazing at the ocean horizon, waiting for waves? What about nasal drip? Ear care? Post-surf burritos at Pedro’s in San Clemente? It seems to me he missed a lot of opportunities; focusing a little too exclusively on wave-riding itself, particularly in part one.
Also, if you’re looking for a general philosophy or ethics book, this is not it. Despite what the blurb says, he’s not really talking about Aristotle or Aquinas, here. This is a modern-era, post-scientific, existentialist philosophy. (the title is apropos.) Sartre and Camus are some of the main characters. We get a little bit about predecessors, mostly Descartes, and their antecedents, Marx, Rousseau, Smith, etc. And, then, we get a good bit of comparisons to Buddhism, Zen and Yogic philosophy (which is all over surfing, e.g. Gerry Lopez). But, there isn't a lot of classical type thinking, or pure reason, or anything like that, and 99% of it is nontheistic. (God gets an honorable mention on the last page, which suited me just fine).
But, it’s good. I can’t say I agreed with all his conclusions. I happen to like Buddhism, and I’m not sure his argument on work “holds water” for me. But, it was a fun “ride”.
To like this book - as I did - you need to (a) be a surfer, and (b) like reading philosophy. I know a bunch of surfers, but not many of them fall into that second category! And, you do need to be a surfer; you need some water time. He talks a lot about surfing. He literally relates every aspect of this philosophical treatise back to surfing. Metaphysics and the self relate back to surfing. Human organization, communism and capitalism, relate back to surfing. Global warming, the role of work in our lives, and our future with AI relate back to surfing.
If there’s one thing I didn’t like about the book was that he missed the opportunity of really considering some of surfing’s supporting activities. What about suiting up? paddling? Duck-diving? Or the meditative state of gazing at the ocean horizon, waiting for waves? What about nasal drip? Ear care? Post-surf burritos at Pedro’s in San Clemente? It seems to me he missed a lot of opportunities; focusing a little too exclusively on wave-riding itself, particularly in part one.
Also, if you’re looking for a general philosophy or ethics book, this is not it. Despite what the blurb says, he’s not really talking about Aristotle or Aquinas, here. This is a modern-era, post-scientific, existentialist philosophy. (the title is apropos.) Sartre and Camus are some of the main characters. We get a little bit about predecessors, mostly Descartes, and their antecedents, Marx, Rousseau, Smith, etc. And, then, we get a good bit of comparisons to Buddhism, Zen and Yogic philosophy (which is all over surfing, e.g. Gerry Lopez). But, there isn't a lot of classical type thinking, or pure reason, or anything like that, and 99% of it is nontheistic. (God gets an honorable mention on the last page, which suited me just fine).
But, it’s good. I can’t say I agreed with all his conclusions. I happen to like Buddhism, and I’m not sure his argument on work “holds water” for me. But, it was a fun “ride”.
March 10, 2023
"Swimming is not a sport. Swimming is what you do to keep from drowning".---Woody Allen
"The waves are where you lose yourself, find yourself".---Bohdi, POINT BREAK
Whoa, dude! What is it about sea water that so motivates comedians, cinema actors and philosophers?
Aaron James wants to persuade you that the Big Kahuna is both the perfect metaphor for life and thinking about life, AKA philosophy. The ocean. as Melville would be the first to tell you, is purposeless, merciless, meaningless and designed to kill you. For philosopher-surfista James those are its good qualities, since in that pitiless water world man and woman must make meaning out of absolute freedom. We will all drown, ultimately, and no one will ever know, and yet there is in surfing a constant choice, at times between life and death, that grants us temporary meaning. Freedom is confronting the waves that can drown the whole world without fear but also without hope that our choices will matter much. To surf is to define. What is surfing like? It's like mathematics; a self-referential system that yields no truth only beauty. What is surfing like? It's like linguistics. You can surf to stay afloat and not drown, or you can switch to another language-game and surf to show the universe who is master. The universe is the wave that will bury you but for now you conduct your own path down the pipeline. You really can make of your life an "endless summer" without ever forgetting that at the end dues must be paid and back to the bottom of the ocean we humans must crawl and fall.
"The waves are where you lose yourself, find yourself".---Bohdi, POINT BREAK
Whoa, dude! What is it about sea water that so motivates comedians, cinema actors and philosophers?
Aaron James wants to persuade you that the Big Kahuna is both the perfect metaphor for life and thinking about life, AKA philosophy. The ocean. as Melville would be the first to tell you, is purposeless, merciless, meaningless and designed to kill you. For philosopher-surfista James those are its good qualities, since in that pitiless water world man and woman must make meaning out of absolute freedom. We will all drown, ultimately, and no one will ever know, and yet there is in surfing a constant choice, at times between life and death, that grants us temporary meaning. Freedom is confronting the waves that can drown the whole world without fear but also without hope that our choices will matter much. To surf is to define. What is surfing like? It's like mathematics; a self-referential system that yields no truth only beauty. What is surfing like? It's like linguistics. You can surf to stay afloat and not drown, or you can switch to another language-game and surf to show the universe who is master. The universe is the wave that will bury you but for now you conduct your own path down the pipeline. You really can make of your life an "endless summer" without ever forgetting that at the end dues must be paid and back to the bottom of the ocean we humans must crawl and fall.
August 17, 2017
Goodness, I wish I had been able to pay attention more through this book.
My brother and my dad are both HUGE philosophy fans and they've each read tons of philosophy books. I appreciate their interest and the way it fuels interesting discussions, but I tend to read more straightforward books with clearer messages and more direct calls for action. Philosophy seems so vague and distant and unapplicable.
That being said, I really enjoyed this book. While I often found it difficult to pay attention (and would find that I'd read several pages without really processing what I was reading), I was benefitted when I was able to concentrate on what I was reading. This book really brought me back to some college classes I took years ago and prompted some interesting discussions with people around me. Even if I don't agree with everything the author discussed or if not all of it was interesting to me, I appreciate that this book was conversational, intriguing, and often quite funny (more so than I was really anticipating, honestly).
This is a book I wish I'd had more patience for and perhaps I'll give it another try in a few years. Recommended for those with an interest in philosophy or outdoor sports (because surfing isn't the only one discussed).
My brother and my dad are both HUGE philosophy fans and they've each read tons of philosophy books. I appreciate their interest and the way it fuels interesting discussions, but I tend to read more straightforward books with clearer messages and more direct calls for action. Philosophy seems so vague and distant and unapplicable.
That being said, I really enjoyed this book. While I often found it difficult to pay attention (and would find that I'd read several pages without really processing what I was reading), I was benefitted when I was able to concentrate on what I was reading. This book really brought me back to some college classes I took years ago and prompted some interesting discussions with people around me. Even if I don't agree with everything the author discussed or if not all of it was interesting to me, I appreciate that this book was conversational, intriguing, and often quite funny (more so than I was really anticipating, honestly).
This is a book I wish I'd had more patience for and perhaps I'll give it another try in a few years. Recommended for those with an interest in philosophy or outdoor sports (because surfing isn't the only one discussed).
September 28, 2025
This is the single best philosophy book I’ve ever read, and now one of my favorite books generally. I really enjoyed reading it and couldn’t help but share. A thorough and very persuasive exploration of the good life. While it focuses on surfing, my biggest hobby, any one’s preferred hobby could be substituted. But given human nature, those hobbies or work that involve use of the body, being in nature, skill in adapting to dynamic conditions, and social elements that include interacting with both close friends and acquaintances. So one could substitute lots of hobbies or work (foraging, gardening, kite flying, etc) and come to similar conclusions. Obviously the surf examples in the books won’t be as entertaining and meaningful to non-surfers, but I still think very worthy, inspiring, and thought provoking read.
My only significant critique or disagreement is in regards to climate change, the author doesn’t seem to consider the possibility of sucking carbon out of the atmosphere, something I think we will do soon. But even there, that doesn’t change his general argument conclusions about the importance and ethics of ecology.
My only significant critique or disagreement is in regards to climate change, the author doesn’t seem to consider the possibility of sucking carbon out of the atmosphere, something I think we will do soon. But even there, that doesn’t change his general argument conclusions about the importance and ethics of ecology.
March 31, 2020
OK...good book. But, if you think you want to read this book you need to consider what you know about surfing and philosophy. This is NOT a 101 anything book. The language is super complex if you're not used to hearing or using it.
This book is all-around a heavy read. It's ideas are on par with the depth of Huxley, if Huxley surfed. It's a dream. The dream of every surfer. It's about the very head, heart, and soul of those who master riding complex waves if existence for enjoyment. This book is also for the person shopping for a theory or two to fill the edges of one's floating raft called Purpose of Life. Theories soul surfers have adopted and perfected with every swell; under any weather conditions, for the joy of it all. Surfing feels good, because it's ideas are founded on the artistry of FLOW. This is a big component in this book...Mastering the FLOW of human elements for fulfillment. Sartre be damned.
This book also has a lot of economics in it. Theories worth considering. But far too complicated for me to make a call on it's validity.
This book is all-around a heavy read. It's ideas are on par with the depth of Huxley, if Huxley surfed. It's a dream. The dream of every surfer. It's about the very head, heart, and soul of those who master riding complex waves if existence for enjoyment. This book is also for the person shopping for a theory or two to fill the edges of one's floating raft called Purpose of Life. Theories soul surfers have adopted and perfected with every swell; under any weather conditions, for the joy of it all. Surfing feels good, because it's ideas are founded on the artistry of FLOW. This is a big component in this book...Mastering the FLOW of human elements for fulfillment. Sartre be damned.
This book also has a lot of economics in it. Theories worth considering. But far too complicated for me to make a call on it's validity.
March 24, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed James’ approach of contrasting several philosophers, mainly Sartre, to the surfer’s mindset of “going with the flow”. The author skilfully manages to find balance between introducing philosophical topics and surfing technicalities, keeping the reader engaged even if they are not familiar with certain concepts.
Nevertheless, I struggled with the proposition of how shifting towards a leisure capitalism would create a positive impact on the environment. It seems too idealistic to assume that the average individual will choose lower impact activities in their new found spare time, creating less pollution than while clogging in working hours? Maybe if you’re a surfer living by the beach, sure! I feel like an overall mind-shift needs to happen first, where we can seduce people away from “living fast and spending cash” on unnecessary consumer goods/experiences and orient them towards “simpler pleasures”.
All in all, I would definitely recommend surfer and non-surfer alike to have a read of this very refreshing discussion of existentialism’s most pressing questions.
Nevertheless, I struggled with the proposition of how shifting towards a leisure capitalism would create a positive impact on the environment. It seems too idealistic to assume that the average individual will choose lower impact activities in their new found spare time, creating less pollution than while clogging in working hours? Maybe if you’re a surfer living by the beach, sure! I feel like an overall mind-shift needs to happen first, where we can seduce people away from “living fast and spending cash” on unnecessary consumer goods/experiences and orient them towards “simpler pleasures”.
All in all, I would definitely recommend surfer and non-surfer alike to have a read of this very refreshing discussion of existentialism’s most pressing questions.
October 28, 2017
I got into this one knowing some of it might be over my head. I'm not a surfer, nor do I live near anywhere surfing takes place (so haven't picked up on anything by osmosis). But I admire the surfing lifestyle in some ways, at least what I have heard about it. So I figured this might be an interesting read, because you don't really think about meaning and philosophy and surfing in the same thought process.
I liked some of the ideas here, especially about working less, both for environmental reasons and for more leisurely reasons. Surfing was tied to many different ideas in a variety of ways, and I learned quite a bit about philosophy, while revisiting some of what I learned in college. But it was slow going for me at times. I also don't really know if I buy all the arguments about why surfing is meaningful and/or good for society. Not all of us are lucky enough to live near surf able waves, or even to the ocean, and I don't know how much we're left with to take away from this.
I liked some of the ideas here, especially about working less, both for environmental reasons and for more leisurely reasons. Surfing was tied to many different ideas in a variety of ways, and I learned quite a bit about philosophy, while revisiting some of what I learned in college. But it was slow going for me at times. I also don't really know if I buy all the arguments about why surfing is meaningful and/or good for society. Not all of us are lucky enough to live near surf able waves, or even to the ocean, and I don't know how much we're left with to take away from this.
October 21, 2018
i really think this book could have been a bit better written, a bit more clear. James states right up front what the book will be about and proclaims his thesis and all that, each section has a good lead in, the whole book is well organized, but once i started reading the book, it kind of meandered here and there, going from surfer bro speak to academic speak, and times i couldn't tell what the point was. it got muddled along the way. great outline, needed a bit of work on the meat of each chapter.
the book had lots of great ideas that got me thinking, it changed the way i think about some things, but overall, it didn't flow like the waves he talked about. i got something out of it, so that was great, i have no regrets reading it, but i think he could have done a slightly better job, made the book a bit shorter and clearer. not sure i would recommend, or recommend with reservations.
the book had lots of great ideas that got me thinking, it changed the way i think about some things, but overall, it didn't flow like the waves he talked about. i got something out of it, so that was great, i have no regrets reading it, but i think he could have done a slightly better job, made the book a bit shorter and clearer. not sure i would recommend, or recommend with reservations.
December 28, 2017
If you know zero about philosophy like me, the concepts at the beginning of Surfing With Sartre might be mind boggling. But keep going. There are some gems in this book, gems about the value of surfing more and working less. No. I'm not joking. James unpacks the construct of the 40 hour week and proposes reducing that, which in turn will reduce our environmental impact and increase our happiness. Whether you knit, hang out with your kids, or surf in those extra twenty hours, how do you think you will feel? James looks at how surfing is adaptive attunement and how that attitude can help us put the brakes on global warming. You will begin to understand how surfing is the ultimate in aquatic sports. Surfing With Sartre is a book you can dip in and out of, challenge your thinking, and reflect on that wave you had during the last swell.
December 18, 2019
"Surely most of us could learn to live lighter, by sliding over life's problems. If we wished to 'surf' through our daily business with easy efficacy, the surfer's way of being might even suggest something of a practical philosophy."
"the book's main thesis: what the surfer knows, in knowing how to ride a wave, bears on questions for the ages—about freedom, control, happiness, society, our relation to nature, the value of work, and the very meaning of life."
"So life is less thought than action, or rather thought *in* action, without too much thinking. Philosophy, as the saying goes, doesn't bake bread. So of course it can't teach you to surf. Surfing, in a word, must be lived."
"To surf, in general, is to be adaptively attuned to a changing phenomenon beyond oneself, for its own sake."
"the book's main thesis: what the surfer knows, in knowing how to ride a wave, bears on questions for the ages—about freedom, control, happiness, society, our relation to nature, the value of work, and the very meaning of life."
"So life is less thought than action, or rather thought *in* action, without too much thinking. Philosophy, as the saying goes, doesn't bake bread. So of course it can't teach you to surf. Surfing, in a word, must be lived."
"To surf, in general, is to be adaptively attuned to a changing phenomenon beyond oneself, for its own sake."
August 13, 2024
So, well, I have to give props to Aaron for writing in-depth about two completely different subjects in one book, Surfen met Sartre is a niche book.
I did not fully realise, partly because I do not enjoy reading too many reviews about one's book prior to reading it myself, that this book would be that much about surfing.
I have never gone surfing myself, I can say "not yet" now that I have read this book. Because he did make me curious!
Although, especially in the end, I had enough from the constant references to surfing and reading from a surfers' perspective. I am thrilled to read about new voices, especially philosophical constructs, but, for me, this was too much about surfing. Not only about surfing but putting the sport on a pedestal, making it the single most important thing.
Other than that, great philosophical starter book.
I did not fully realise, partly because I do not enjoy reading too many reviews about one's book prior to reading it myself, that this book would be that much about surfing.
I have never gone surfing myself, I can say "not yet" now that I have read this book. Because he did make me curious!
Although, especially in the end, I had enough from the constant references to surfing and reading from a surfers' perspective. I am thrilled to read about new voices, especially philosophical constructs, but, for me, this was too much about surfing. Not only about surfing but putting the sport on a pedestal, making it the single most important thing.
Other than that, great philosophical starter book.
November 4, 2023
I had high expectations but was somewhat disappointed. The author offers great insight into surfing and there is a great parallel to living in the analysis of surfing. However, for someone who wrote a book about assholes, there is a foul sense of entitlement coming from the book.
The entire thesis of working less as an ethical way to live is very interesting, but the argument had a messy structure and I found it unconvincing. I was disappointed that the author did not consider whether the 20 hour workweek is feasible or even possible. Lastly, there are 2 pages where the question “how to pay for all this” is addressed and answered feebly by using taxes.
The entire thesis of working less as an ethical way to live is very interesting, but the argument had a messy structure and I found it unconvincing. I was disappointed that the author did not consider whether the 20 hour workweek is feasible or even possible. Lastly, there are 2 pages where the question “how to pay for all this” is addressed and answered feebly by using taxes.
September 8, 2017
This is an excellent philosophical treatise, something we don't read often in our century. I am not a surfer, but being an avid cyclist, I could relate to most arguments. The only problem I had with this book is the author's insistence on defending capitalism. He makes many arguments against capitalism and greed, and praises many measures or theories that could be described as socialist, but in the end he refuses to outright criticize capitalism. Other than that this is a very enjoyable book.
November 21, 2017
The premise of this book -- explaining a philosophical premise ("adaptive attunedness") through surfing -- may sound like a gimmick, but Surfing With Sartre is an often rigorous examination of philosophical ideas. I often found myself adrift in references to philosophers both ancient and modern. The joy of this book comes from the frequent juxtaposition of James's know.edge of philosophy with his stokedness at also being a surfer. Ultimately, his argument leads to the conclusion that we can save the environment by working less and surfing more.
September 4, 2018
Got this book thinking it would be accessible and practical a'la The Consolations of Philosophy. Was wrong. Though early on he did hook me with the interesting argument we should all work less to save the planet and better enjoy life. On that I agree with him. At its best this book was really great, but at its worst I found it confusing and subsequently boring. (though maybe I just don't have the background).
I personally didn't like the surfer jargon.
I personally didn't like the surfer jargon.
September 19, 2020
felt like it took a long time to finish, good at parts but slow at others. the writing is partly to blame: felt too informal. grammatical mistakes like comma splicing and run-on sentences made for a difficult read at times. but still had some valuable insights and helped put today’s complex political, economical and ecological topics into perspective
November 30, 2020
This was an awfully long tome making the case for more surfing. As a reader, I just wanted to say “man, surf! You don’t need anyone else’s permission!”
There were a couple of interesting chapters on society and how luck is viewed, but 300 pages was entirely too long to say the same thing every chapter (surf more, work less!).
There were a couple of interesting chapters on society and how luck is viewed, but 300 pages was entirely too long to say the same thing every chapter (surf more, work less!).
August 31, 2017
A unique really interesting book about philosophy about life in a reader friendly style.
September 9, 2017
Surfing and philosophy interwoven in this insightful conversation that speaks to our world today, pick up this good read.
My copy was the gift through Goodreads First Reads.
My copy was the gift through Goodreads First Reads.
December 27, 2018
The writing was good, and at parts funny, but I'm not a philosopher or surfer. It would have been relevant to how I view leisure time if I was.
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