Review
WL Rating
For students of surfing, Rell Sunn’s name is synonymous with Makaha and Aloha. Like Gerry Lopez, it’s almost impossible to find someone who would say anything bad about Rell. In fact, if you were on the wild Westside of Oahu and tried to disparage the Queen of Makaha, you’d likely wind up missing a few teeth or floating face down in the area’s surf. That’s how much this woman means and meant to her Westside extended family. Greg Ambrose’s new book, Stories of Rell Sunn: Queen of Makaha is essentially a collection of memories and love letters from a small sampling of the people whose lives were impacted by Rell. Each essay is short and to the point, providing funny memories, or sometimes bittersweet recollections, of Rell. The stories offer good insight into this generous, funny, and loving woman, even as she prepared to die after a long battle with cancer. Frankly, it’s damn near impossible to read this book and not find yourself wanting to become a better person, such is the power behind Rell’s actions and emotions. If you knew Rell, buying this book is a no-brainer. If you don’t care much for surfing history, then this book probably won’t appeal to you. But for students of surfing history, Ambrose’s book will offer you some new material on an overlooked, but emotionally important part of our surfing heritage. (February 2011)
Stories of Rell Sunn - Greg Ambrose
