Krey20
15th April 2009, 09:23 AM
I was breaking new ground by picking this book up. I've never really given sports literature much thought in the past, but I had heard of this book as being one of the standout titles, not just concerning surfing (Yes, it's about surfing), but concerning sport as a whole.
I didn't start this book as a pleasurable read either, it was mainly for research. I was commissioned to design a range of t-shirt designs for a new surfwear label. If you are interested in such things, the first range is complete and should be on sale online in the summer.
Anyway, I was looking for an insight into surf culture to help spark a few ideas and give me a "feel" of things that I could try to transfer into my designs.
I got a lot more than I had bargained for.
Andy Martin is a Cambridge Don, and Journalist who has reported on Surfing for the Times and Independent on Sunday. He's always had an obsession with surfing, but never been as good at it as he would like.
The book is set on the North Shore of Hawaii and more specifically in Waimea Bay, the home of BIG waves. Martin's narrative gives you an insight in the history and geography of the North Shore, from Captain Cooks exploits to the reasons behind the formation of the titanic waves that crash upon the shores.
There are some great little personal stories that are like fables and legends in the surf community, like that of the talismanic lifeguard Eddie Aikau. If you don't know the story, I won't spoil it.
But the main narrative centres around two men Ken Bradshaw, a big bullish texan and Mark Foo, a slight, stylish surfer originating from singapore.
These two men want the same thing, to ride the biggest wave that has ever been, but they clash over how they go about it. Bradshaw is simple, hardworking and "old-school", Foo is young, exciting and risky.
I was impressed with everything about this book, the insight it gave to the surf culture, and the small taste of what it might be like to surf. I'd never really thought of surfing as something I'd like to try, but I certainly do now.
Some might say that surfing isn't a "real" sport, and I probably would have agreed with you. In fact there are plenty of surfers that don't want it to be considered as a sport. Some of the best surfers in the world aren't professional of competitive surfers. This is because surfing has a lot more meaning to them than that. It's a very personal pursuit. They argue that a surfer can't be judged by a third party, it's all about the surfer and the ocean.
It sounds a little stupid as I read it back, but the author distills his ideas and impressions of the culture into a very powerful narrative.
Overall, this book transcends surfing, it's about more than that. It shows an example of the very thing that makes sport, any sport interesting and compelling. Competition and rivalry.
If you know nothing about surfing, don't let that put you off. I had no idea either, just a general interest. Now I've been swept away by it. I've gone onto read Martin's other surfing title "Walking on Water" that has it's merits, but doesn't quite match up to the scope of this book. I have a small pile of other surfing literature as well. I call it enjoyable research now, as I have another range of t-shirt designs to do for next year!
I didn't start this book as a pleasurable read either, it was mainly for research. I was commissioned to design a range of t-shirt designs for a new surfwear label. If you are interested in such things, the first range is complete and should be on sale online in the summer.
Anyway, I was looking for an insight into surf culture to help spark a few ideas and give me a "feel" of things that I could try to transfer into my designs.
I got a lot more than I had bargained for.
Andy Martin is a Cambridge Don, and Journalist who has reported on Surfing for the Times and Independent on Sunday. He's always had an obsession with surfing, but never been as good at it as he would like.
The book is set on the North Shore of Hawaii and more specifically in Waimea Bay, the home of BIG waves. Martin's narrative gives you an insight in the history and geography of the North Shore, from Captain Cooks exploits to the reasons behind the formation of the titanic waves that crash upon the shores.
There are some great little personal stories that are like fables and legends in the surf community, like that of the talismanic lifeguard Eddie Aikau. If you don't know the story, I won't spoil it.
But the main narrative centres around two men Ken Bradshaw, a big bullish texan and Mark Foo, a slight, stylish surfer originating from singapore.
These two men want the same thing, to ride the biggest wave that has ever been, but they clash over how they go about it. Bradshaw is simple, hardworking and "old-school", Foo is young, exciting and risky.
I was impressed with everything about this book, the insight it gave to the surf culture, and the small taste of what it might be like to surf. I'd never really thought of surfing as something I'd like to try, but I certainly do now.
Some might say that surfing isn't a "real" sport, and I probably would have agreed with you. In fact there are plenty of surfers that don't want it to be considered as a sport. Some of the best surfers in the world aren't professional of competitive surfers. This is because surfing has a lot more meaning to them than that. It's a very personal pursuit. They argue that a surfer can't be judged by a third party, it's all about the surfer and the ocean.
It sounds a little stupid as I read it back, but the author distills his ideas and impressions of the culture into a very powerful narrative.
Overall, this book transcends surfing, it's about more than that. It shows an example of the very thing that makes sport, any sport interesting and compelling. Competition and rivalry.
If you know nothing about surfing, don't let that put you off. I had no idea either, just a general interest. Now I've been swept away by it. I've gone onto read Martin's other surfing title "Walking on Water" that has it's merits, but doesn't quite match up to the scope of this book. I have a small pile of other surfing literature as well. I call it enjoyable research now, as I have another range of t-shirt designs to do for next year!