Review

WL Rating

There can be no doubt that Quiksilver best embodies the rise and eventual arrival of the multi-billion dollar surf industry. From very humble roots in Australia and then California, the company rode surfing’s increasing wave of popularity, positioned perfectly for a long and prosperous ride. The Mountain And The Wave by Australian surf author Phil Jarratt, is a detailed written and visual history of the Quiksilver journey. The book is a a bit of a hodgepodge of history, anecdotes, and essays describing the origin of the company and the long, yet mercurial path it took to the top of the surfing industry. In addition to the bits of history, there is a rich collection of surfing action and lifestyle images from the past 40-odd years, many of which avid surf readers will have seen before. The reader will also find interesting summaries of the Quiksilver contests, long-term team riders, and product/brand extensions that have surfaced over the years.  Also included is a DVD I have yet to view. While there is no shortage of solid content, I just found the book to be marginally interesting. Candidly, the story felt somewhat disjointed and therefore difficult to connect with. If you enjoy all aspects of surf history, then you’ll probably like the level of detail in this book.  If, however, you prefer your surfing history to be more meditative in nature, then you’d be better off with something else. (May 2010)

The Mountain And The Wave - Phil Jarratt

Details

Category: Non-Fiction

Reading Style: Easy

Pages: 320

Pub Date: 2006

Tags: History, Surfing