Surfing isn’t just a sport; it’s a way of life, a culture, and a source of endless inspiration. There’s a unique connection between the thrill of riding waves and the captivating narratives found within the pages of surfing books. For wave enthusiasts and those who find solace in the rhythm of the ocean, the world of surf literature is a treasure trove waiting to be explored.
The Allure of Surfing Books
Surf books, whether you call them surfing books, surf books, surf book, or surfing book, offer more than just stories of wave riding. They are windows into the soul of the surfing community, each page carrying the essence of the sea and the spirit of those who chase the perfect wave. From tales of epic adventures to reflections on the profound connection between surfers and the ocean, these books paint a vivid picture of the surfing lifestyle.
Why Dive into Surfing Books?
Reading about surfing isn’t just a substitute for hitting the waves; it’s a way to enhance the entire surfing experience. Surfing books have the power to transport you to distant shores, let you feel the rush of the ocean breeze, and immerse you in the camaraderie of the surfing community. Whether you’re a seasoned surfer or a landlocked dreamer, the right surf book can ignite the passion for the sport or provide a momentary escape into the world of sun, sand, and surf.
Surf Books: Your Literary Wave
As we embark on this literary journey, let’s explore a curated list of the finest surfing books. Each recommendation in this Surf Books guide is handpicked to resonate with wave enthusiasts, capturing the essence of the surfing lifestyle. From classic narratives that have stood the test of time to contemporary tales that reflect the evolving surf culture, these books are more than reads – they are invitations to ride the waves of imagination.
Surf Shack: Laid-Back Living by the Water
Peek inside the homes of longtime enthusiasts and dedicated newcomers that reflect not just a sport or passion, but also a way of life. Blake and Heather Mycoskie of TOMS, hotelier Sean MacPherson, Gypset author Julia Chaplin, and others have set up their spaces to embrace a casual ease and be the break between the waves.
With vibrant photographs of design details and bright beaches—from Malibu to the Rockaways, from Japan to Australia—this book captures the soulful milieu of a lifestyle we all aspire to.
Fifty Places to Surf Before You Die: Surfing Experts Share the World’s Greatest Destinations
Covering famed surf spots all over the world, this unique full-color gift book and travel guide invites you to discover such unexpected gems as the Amazon and the Gulf of Alaska. From the frigid waters off Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula to Nazaré, Portugal, where in 2013 Garrett McNamara broke a world record for surfing the tallest wave (78 feet!).
Surf Life: Women Who Live to Surf and Create
Surf Life interviews twenty-eight women, spanning from Tasmania to Noosa. It features famous surfers, including longboard champion and environmental activist Belinda Baggs; professional surfer Lucy Small, cocreator of the Equal Pay for Equal Play campaign; and popular surfing podcaster Lauren Hill. Here you’ll learn about their lives by the sea,their experiences learning to surf, how surfing influences their creative processes, advice to new surfers, and what they fear about surfing (no, it’s not just sharks). Surf Life also explores the relationship between motherhood and surfing: to surf or not surf while pregnant, the desire for your children to surf with you, the bonding that it can bring, and the long car rides.
Surf Is Where You Find It: The Wisdom of Waves, Any Time, Anywhere, Any Way
Gerry Lopez, one of the most revered surfers of all time brings readers into the intimately personal sport with Surf Is Where You Find It, a collection of stories that recount harrowing waves, epic wipeouts, and heroes encountered over a lifetime on the water.
From growing up in Hawaii in the ’50s and ’60s, to finding the tube in the early days at Pipeline, to pioneering legendary spots like Uluwatu and G-Land in Indonesia, Lopez has traveled for surf the world over. But for him, the people stood out the most. Originally published in 2008, Surf Is Where You Find It preserves memories of surf eras gone by, and commemorates those who helped shape the surfing world today.
100 Foot Wave the Greatest Surfing Story ever told.: Devil’s Garden the Holy Grail of Big Wave Surfing
Get ready for an adrenaline-fueled liquid journey like no other with 100 Foot Wave – The Official Book, Devil’s Garden, Kingdom of Hawaii, The Greatest Surfing Story ever told. Take off and go deep into the world of extreme big wave surfing from the sandy shores of Solana Beach, California to the magnificent waves of Waimea Bay in the Kingdom of Hawaii and beyond to Devil’s Garden.
100 Foot Wave the official book is much more than a fascinating surfing adventure. This book takes the reader on an exciting ride where you will learn how to survive rip currents the surfer’s way, learn the rich Hawaiian vernacular, experience dramatic surfing rescues and bone-chilling big wave surfing wipeouts.
Surfer Magazine: 1960-2020
Founded in 1960 by surfer, artist, and John Severson, Surfer was the longest continuously published surf magazine, referred to as “the bible of the sport.” Surfer was firmly established as the sport’s leading voice, serving as a template for a small but growing number of surf magazines worldwide. Surfer worked with the world’s best photographers, writers, and graphic designers, featuring a mix of travel articles, contest reporting, big wave pictorials, and surfer interviews. This voluminous anthology features the most timeless, inspirational, and historically significant covers and interior pages from the magazine’s extensive archive and depicts the chronological progression of the sport, the gear, and the world’s top surfers throughout the decades.
Surf Tribe
Vanfleteren looks beyond the traditional borders of the United States and Australia and searches the globe for people who live in places where sea and land meet. He documents a fluid community, with nature as its sole leader. He has sought out young talent, living icons, and old legends, both competitive and free surfers.
The photographs here are serene black and white portraits in Vanfleteren’s well-known, haunting style; as always, he reaches below the surface and goes to the core of his subjects. Included, amongst many others, are Kelly Slater, Gerry Lopez, John Florence, Mickey Munoz, Filipe Toledo and Stephanie Gilmore.
Lonely Planet Epic Surf Breaks of the World
Explore the world’s most thrilling waves. From Namibia’s wind-swept Skeleton Bay to Java’s G-Land, discover the best place to ‘hang ten,’ whatever your surfing ability. Accompanied by a series of stunning photographs, maps, beautiful illustrations, and first-person stories from surf writers all across the globe, including Pulitzer Prize winner William Finnegan, this is the quintessential guide for surfers looking for their next epic break.
With 200 destinations, from Australia’s Bells Beach to the coral-flecked islands of the Maldives, you’re sure to find your perfect break in this hardcover book.
Surf Like a Girl
The thirty women surfers profiled in this thrilling collection can rip a wave with the best of them. Hailing from all over the world, each surfer is featured in spectacular photography and with their own inspirational words. There’s American professional surfer Lindsay Steinriede on how her father’s death has inspired her career; French board shaper Valerie Duprat on how she got her start “sculpting foam”; Conchita Rossler, founder of Mooana Retreat in Portugal, on connecting mind, body, and spirit; and Australian photographer Cait Miers on empowering women. You’ll also meet surfers who are over sixty, who surf while pregnant, who captain boats, teach yoga, and make movies. Breathtaking photography captures these women from every angle, on and off the waves, in some of the world’s most visually stunning locations.
