No comments about Occy: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Mark Occhilupo.

5 comments about West of Jesus: Surfing, Science, and the Origins of Belief.

1. I read this while on a surf trip in Hawaii and couldn't put it down. Recommended if you surf and have an interest in spirituality, travel, and brain chemistry. Will read it again for sure!



2. I guess I was expecting more surfing. To be fair, while I bought the book knowing it was about surfing and its relationship to spirituality, religion and mythology -- there wasn't really that much tying them together. It was more like a couple of ok personal surfing tales, and then a whole lot of citing various theories about spirituality, metaphysic, mythology and human evolution. Not that these weren't interesting, but they really only seemed to be tangentially related to the surfing parts. I think I just found the book to be lacking a certain amount of coherence.
   
   In his defense I'll say had I just finished reading "Searching for Captian Zero" before this, and that may have set the bar a little high.



3. A sound journey down the road of whys. My second time reading this insured me there will be a third. Never has this happened before.



4. Kotler sets off to find the origin of a surfer's legend, a story of an old man -the Conductor- who controls the weather and waves with a bone for a baton while astride his surfboard. Kotler's narrative is like riding a wave; the introduction of the legend is the swell, and his travels to New Zeland and Hawaii the drop and ride. Along the way, we almost forget about the legend of the Conductor, so engrossed are we with Kotler's exploration's into belief. We explore Jung and nureoscience, logos and mythos, cutting and turning through Kotler' belief theory tour. By the time we return to the Conductor, we've ridden through so much good stuff we no longer care about its origin. Kotler has a vivid prose style, and his sentences are fluid and graceful, and keep us engaged. Kotler also weaves his own personal narrative of his struggle with Lyme's Disease into his quest for the origin of the Conductor's story, and about two-thirds through, his themes weave together, like a roaring wave carrying us along. If there was any fault, Kotler might be guilty of a little too much name dropping, citing books here and there for nothing else really than to show he's well-read. But its a slight fault, and the ride is worth the read.



5. Steven Kotler crafts an interesting, albiet meandering at times, tale of his quest to uncover the link between surfing and spirituality. The explicit goal is to find the source of a quaint surfing myth he heard on two different occassions in remote parts of the world, of "the Conductor" who can control weather and therefore surf.
   I found the Conductor story weakly introduced and not very compelling - certainly not enough to launch a global quest to find out why a mythical man can wave a bone at the waves and conjure good surf. Apparently this was meant to represent the strong mystical component in surfing, but to me that explanation seems lacking. From that shaky launching point, SK employs an eclectic, multi-faceted quest for answers.
   Belief and mysticism are explained primarily from a Darwinian, neurological perspective through a series of questions - scattered at times, lacking Pirsig's rigorous approach - many challenging traditional beliefs. However, we end up with more questions than answers. SK explored mysticism and found it lacking. He explains religion as simply an effective survival technique. In the end, we don't really know what Kotler believes, just what he doesn't believe.
   Inherent in this surf tale is the assumption that nature is God. A more persuasive explanation, I believe, is that nature proves God. This is not a criticism of the book, rather a clarification of our differences in - as Kotler would put it - our personal mythologies.
   Theological differences aside, this well told story has much to recommend it. As a very dedicated surfer (my wife would say obsessed) for over 35 years I understand intimately the allure of surfing and the changes it makes in your life. Steven does a wonderful job of communicating some of that stoke to non-surfers using almost no parochial "surfspeak". The link between surfing and spirituality is explored with depth and insight with a very impressive breadth of inquiry which made me question my own rather dogmatic beliefs. The story of Eddie Aikau and his brother Clyde anchors the terrific final chapter. However, in the end the explanations offered for the origion of belief and its link to surfing were not compelling to me. The quest was a fun ride but the wave ultimately fizzled, leaving me wanting more.

5 comments about The Encyclopedia of Surfing.

1. I bought this for my eight-year-old son. He has gotten into surfing recently and can't stop talking about it. He is just getting better at reading, and although this book has a lot to read (which is a plus for those wanting to look up anything about surfing), he is more willing to practice reading when it comes to a subject of interest, so he'll open it up and look up whatever questions pops up in his mind about surfing. Great book!



2. I bought this for my boyfriend last year and he is still reading it. It is a great book for the coffee table and it keeps you going back for more. It has everything related to surfing in a great layout.



3. This was the book I was looking for when it came to all things surfing. Everything from history, boards, type of surf, how to surf, surf lingo, and great pictures: it's all there.



4. This book is full of all types of info, a lot more than I expected. Good buy at a good price.



5. Matt went to Berkeley, a top-notch school, and so his research skills are high-level. One of the contributing ghost writers, who didn't get credit on this work, Nathan, just wrote a great surfing screenplay titled "Bliss" you can read for free on [... But I digress, I've surfed since the sixties, read all the magazines and books, and was surprised to read things here I didn't know. Sometimes I laugh at the magazine writers of today as they get things wrong about the sport's early days. Matt's always spot on. Anyone with the surfing bug, the desire to become a Don Redondo -- wiseman, wiseguy, or shaman of the sport -- needs to read this book.

5 comments about Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board.

1. This was an inspirational book! I used it with a group of 10 6th grade girls. We read it at home and came together to discuss.



2. I read this book when I was only 11 years old, but now I am 18, and I picked it up the other day and read it, and I still loved it. This story is inspirational how Bethany puts her life in God's hands, and doesn't blame anyone for anything that went wrong in her life, and how she was able to get back on the board after the attack. A great read for all ages!



3. Anything's possible if you try!!
   
   The book "Soul Surfer" really shows that anything's possible if you try. In "Soul Surfer", Bethany Hamilton gets her arm bit off by a tiger shark on October 31st. This major situation changed her life forever but she was able to overcome her obstacles with great strength. Not only was it hard to get dressed, it was a challenge to do what it takes in life to survive. With her trust with God, she uses her strength to get through it all and eventually learns to surf again.
   
   She was amazingly able to get through any obstacle just like Stacy's grandmother from "Ribbons". Both of them have a limb that's disfigured and they both have to learn how to use their limb to survive. Unlike Bethany's shark attack, Stacy's grandmother's injury was due to the Chinese custom of wrapping feet. Both girls were determined to not let their disability stop them from doing the things they love. If they had known each other, they would have been a great support for the other.
   
   "Soul Surfer" is about a 13 year girl whose passion was to surf. One morning on October 31st she got attacked by a tiger shark in Hawaii. Luckily she had a great faith in God which helped her overcome the loss of her arm. Bethany wasn't nervous during the attack but her main goal then was to get to shore fast. After Bethany got out of surgery the first thing she said was "When can I surf again?" Now she is back surfing, has done many interviews and is an inspiration to a lot of people.
   
   I would recommend this book to people because this story is an inspiring story. I believe anyone who has a missing body part would love reading this book because they could relate to Bethany and understand her problems. Anyone who loves to surf or enjoys the ocean would love to read this story of a one armed surfer who overcame her tragic shark attack.
   
   The theme of this book, I believe, is to never give up. If you set your mind to something, never stop trying. If you get hurt don't tell yourself that's the end. With the help of God you can get through anything! If you get hurt never give up! Anything is possible if you try.
   
   Lauren D.



4. The one major conflict in the book soul surfer is after the attack of vicious shark, Bethany has to overcome her fear of the ocean and overcome the loss of her arm.She solved this major conflick by getting used to the ocean.Also she works extremly hard to learn to keep her balance on the surf board with only one arm.
   I think the main character in soul surfer, Bethany Hamiltonand the main character tobias Mcivey in the book A land Remembered are very similar.These two characters both have huge obstacles in there life.They both never give up and always perservere.They are different because tobias's problems he faces are mostly about his family,house and cattle.For example when all his cattle got killed by hurricane.Another example is when the confederate soliders bured down his house and killed his animals.While Bethany's obstacles happen after her horrible encounter with a shark resulting with her own arm.Now bethany has to learn how to surf with one arm.Also she has to get over the fear of of the ocean.If these two characters were to meet I think they whould get along great.I think this because because they could help eachother because they both know how to get through struggles in their life.
   If i were a famous author my Jacketblurb for this book whould be...Ready for exitment?Ready for the story of a professional surfer.Now imagine you were a professional surfer and YOU lost your arm to a shark attack.Your Bethany Hamilton.This is her story....
   I whould definetly recomend this book to anyone.I whould recomend this book because first it is a amazing story.Secondly because it can help peolple that are going through struggles know that they are not the only ones.Lastly she shows all her readers how to be strong and feirce against many things.I think my friend Aly whould love to read this book.I think this because she loves to surf and she whould learn about a proffesional surfer who went through a shark attack and lost a arm.My friend aly whould be inspired by this book.Everyone who reads this book i think will be inspired.



5. I get blue once in a while and resort to reading books like this to snap me out of it. I guessed this would be inspirational and sure enough there is a lot of positive energy here. Bethany Hamilton is an amazing woman with a lot of wisdom to share. The book is a quick read (210 short pages) and I read it in one sitting. The story centers on a shark attack while surfing but the details are not too grim for young readers. I give high marks to the author for telling a compelling story suitable for young and old readers of all faiths.
   
   So did the book help me get over my blues? Yes, it did and gave me lots to think about. Thank you Bethany!

5 comments about Surf Science: An Introduction To Waves For Surfing.

1. Two words... "Surf Science".
   And this is absolutely the best title for this book. A must have for all the surfers that are interested not only in surfing good waves, but for all of them that are interested in knowing how and why the waves break so well or so bad. Wind, wave perfection, cost line, sandbars, reefs, rocks, wave frequency, channels, hollowness, etc... every aspect that affects the wave is explored in this book with great depth.
   Everything is very well explained in this book and in a language that is very accessible to all people.



2. This book is interesting for anyone thta likes water or has wondered about why waves do what they do.This is a must buy for any sea loving person



3. If you want to see waves and surfing, buy a magazine. If you want to learn about the surf and waves, how they are formed, and what affects their size, form and period, buy this book. It takes complex concepts and explains them in simple, understandable terms with good graphic illustrations. If you want the mathematics behind the concepts, those are available too in the back of the book. I found the section on earth rotation and winds very good. It helped explain why the waves aren't any better where I surf.



4. Nice Book. Definitely a good read. Does not go deep into mathematics of the waves or coriolis forces, but yet is lucid to understand and get an idea of the soup of elements at work to produce surfable waves. I am an engineer and could appreciate more math had it been there but I do not regret its absence. There are plenty of reference mentioned at the end which can be followed up for more curiosity.
   
   Must have for the scientifically inclined surfers.



5. If you live on the west coast of Australia, you won't need this book. (Although you'd learn why). Most other places this book is a MUST read for planning out and getting better sessions. I'm 40ish and just really starting to figure out where and when to score great waves. Don't waste your life missing the best waves of the year because you're unaware or uninformed.

5 comments about Surfer's Code: 12 Simple Lessons for Riding Through Life.

1. Great Read. Inspiring. A truely great humble man that has learnt much through his life and has created wisdom that he now emparts to us...
   
   through surf and the beach we have learn and so has the next generation
   
   Shot Shaun...



2. This is one of the best books I have read. It is simple to read and has amazing depth and clarity. The 12 lessons can be applied to everyday situations as well as the line up. I will pass this book along and recommend it to all my friends.



3. the book is written by a surfer for surfers. It has values for life and a sense of direction for all who enjoy the waves.



4. For anyone interested in Shaun Tompson and how he feels about surfing or the ocean, how other surfers are in the water and out, or just about surfing in general, his 12 codes for surfers is worth the read. The book was a light read but interesting none-the-less. I enjoyed it.



5. A touching and real account by one of the most famous surfer on the planet. Tomson perfected the art of tube riding at Pipeline and continues to inspire through his films, speaking, and writings. Also, do yourself a favor and see "Bustin' Down The Door" (also produced by Tomson).

5 comments about Surfing: The Manual: Advanced.

1. Excellent reading and photographs, all manoeuvers carefuly explained by the pros, and Jim Kempton has indeed put a lot of effort to bring out a bit of his knowledge to elicit this manual as top referencing for surfing studies. Besides, great customer service from Wavefinder's web site.



2. This is a must have for any surfer who wants to improve their technique, and elevate their performance--as well as improve their understanding of the ocean from a surfer's perspective. My only criticism is that it includes beginner advice, which may have been smart in terms of marketing, but it gets in the way of it being a special addition to a solid surfer's library.



3. Usefull tips without boring. Surfing is not something I really spend much time reading about. Much for fun to do. Worth reading.



4. I read through the whole book a few times. I went out to surf and it made things a lot easier because it gave me a concept of what I need to do. When I had trouble with something like dropping in backside, I would look in the book to see what I am doing wrong. It explains a lot of stuff from tides, swells, breaks, techniques, etc. Great buy. No cons to this book. I only got good things out of it.



5. I bought this because I was looking for video sequencing training videos and then found this book as a recommended item. The book is great reading and does an excellent job of putting the how to of surfing into writing. Great pictures and excellent explanations throughout. This is a must have for any surfing library. Well worth reading over and over again.

5 comments about Force of Nature: Mind, Body, Soul (And, of Course, Surfing).

1. is an amazing book to read,I am a lifeguard in south beach and I practice many of the exercises from laird hamilton.



2. Well written with real world applications. He is one of the most accomplished athletes of today. He was able to put into words his thoughts and ideas that has brought him success in life. He is living it to the fullest and many lessons can be taken from the book.



3. I bought this book, because I am into the "all natural" thing. I wanted to hear what Laird had to say, and was interested in his upbringing & philosophy on life. I found it interesting & informative. Worth the read.



4. Found the book on a late night talk show, decided to get it from the library. It was so inspirational that I have since (4 months ago): bought it, started running and quit smoking after 15 years (3 months now). I feel more focused at work and feel better now that I am sleeping more too.
   
   Surfing is irrelevant to a city boy in the Midwest but I love this book.



5. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It provides an all round view of this awesome athlete, not only on surfing, but life, fitness, diet, his philosophies, and includes insights from those who know him. We gain an appreciation of his holistic approach to his sport and life. An athlete who is not after trophies or accolades, but just wants to live life to the full and push the boundaries. He has a good little core conditioning workout which I now include in my morning routine. My mum always told me to go into the sea if I had an injury, and I note Laird promotes the same. Just one of the many little gems of information in this book. Will definitely remain on my coffee table for all to read.

5 comments about Saltwater Buddha: A Surfer's Quest to Find Zen on the Sea.

1. Loved it so much that when I finished the book and got a PS3 for my boy we created his avatar as Gnarly Buddha - inspired by the wonderful wisdom of Jaimail Yogis and his way of waves. Looking forward to the movie!



2. reviews are subjective, and a reader's opinion may never be as close to the author's intention; however, that is the joy of of opening up to new experiences and gaining insights into some else's life. What Jaimal Yogis does,at least for me, is open his heart about his life and experiences leading up to his present day - enlightenment through serendipity.
   
   It is a very insightful and easy read,and the short chapter breaks allow you to put down the book and ponder for a while; which is good since in today's world of over-consumption of the internet and TV, it's good to see someone from the "digital age" taking a stance on "silence and observation" with the world and within yourself. And, being a surfer myself, his hilarious and soulful explanations of the surf culture, and what it means to him, allows a window of opportunity for anyone to enjoy life a bit more.
   
   KUDOS!!!!



3. I usually don't read books that are "stories." It's all business or eastern philosophy. I had been meaning to read this book for some time so I picked it up before I headed down to Nicaragua for a Surf Trip nonetheless. Well I read the book from cover to cover in the flight down from Charleston...that's never happened to me (the reading cover to cover that is). And the added fact that while I am still vacationing in Nicaragua, exhausted after a double surf session, I am writing a review of this book has to tell you something. This book rocks. I apologize for lack of a more articulate review. But I promise you will enjoy his story and really begin to understand the surfer's love of water and the struggle to experience, however fleeting, the ecstasy of total connection to the source of all things. Thanks Jaimal.
   
   Chris
   
   P.S. I handed it to my mother and she read it and loved as well (and she's just a beginner, haha).



4. This is a great book for most individuals to use as a gauge for their own lives. Jaimal is a wonderful person and does a great job at keeping the reader interested without coming off as ego driven, it's real life where the author exposes himself to the reader in ways most don't, and therein lies the ability for humans to tap into true strength, by exposing our own weaknesses in order to be rid of them. All in all a fantastic book, (although I am a touch biased being a Buddhist Surfer, but still a great book).



5. this was a very good book. Its hard to describe how I felt about it upon completion, and I don't know if this makes any sense but after reading Jaimal's story I felt like I have lived the perfect life. Now, when I say that I mean to say that every moment that I made in my life was made because it was suppose to be. My life is far from perfect, but after reading "salwater buddha" I realize that there is no such thing as perfect. There are no good moments or bad moments...just moments. It made me feel really good about life in general and I came away from it with the attitude of whatever happens happens and all I can do is make choices and then just go with the flow. If you're thinking about reading this book, definitely do so...it gave me some positive vibes.

5 comments about Maui Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Snorkel, Paddle, Surf, Drive.

1. The Book includes a lot of hikes and nice spots on Maui but it was not a big help anyway. Some parts are written nicely, but this applies mostly to the car parts.
   The different hikes are not rated by difficulty and also no estimated time is given. Even worse is that maps of the hikes are missing so you lack orientation when you are on your way - I personally would even appreciate topographical maps - but not even knowing which trails I would cross or whether there were any alternative routs was very annoying. Furthermore description of the trail heads is unclear. Different hikes that are not alternative routes are described in the same chapter which makes reading confusing. All together I can not recommend this book, especially not as a full travel guide to Maui or as your only hiking guide there.



2. Best Vacation Ever
   
   The fifteen days we had on Maui breezed by so fast. We thank our Trailblazer tour book for supplying all the funstuff and steering us away from the standard tourist traps. So many of the most beautiful beaches were unmarked so the exact driving directions were much appreciated. We spent one entire day darting in and out of the waterfalls along the Twin Falls trail.
   
   
   Their frank advice saved us tons of time as we planned our itinerary each morning with our daughter who is fifteen. She wanted to get some beachtime in almost every day and we managed to make it happen. We chose their beginner snorkeling spots. The addresses to rent equipment were listed in the back pages.
   
   
   By far our best vacation take along. Recommend it. Next up: Kauai!



3. We enjoyed our visit to Oahu and were anxious to sample trailblazing Maui with the same authors. Again,did not disappoint. We enjoyed their candid opinions and picked many of the less touristy trails they recommended around the Hana area. It was a joy to explore the arboretum at Keane and swim in the pools at Twin Falls. There was just the right balance of detail and advice. Must-sees are made evident in their Best Of categories and that sure maximized our time there. Recommend it!



4. It was fantastic traveling around Maui with this guide in the car. Very user friendly. Directions accurate and clear. Best piece of baggage we brought along for our week there.



5. This is a guide book to be used, not thumbed through for its pretty pictures. It contains all the information you could want from location of farmers' markets to location of obscure trailheads and beaches in all parts of the island. Highly recommended.