Review
WL Rating
In the annals of surfing history, there are many books covering the explosion of surfing in the 1950’s and 1960’s, the so-called Golden Age of Surfing. But, what of the years before? In Surfing San Onofre to Point Dume, photographer Don James presents a rich visual anthology of surfing photos from the late 1930’s up until the country’s loss of innocence with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. James‘ photos are mostly a collection of beautiful sepia shots of tanned, Bruce Weber-like kids frolicking carelessly on Southern California beaches. The shots are pure and idyllic, transporting the reader back to what certainly seems to be a far simpler time. The book’s introduction provides some context for the era, but it’s the collection of photos that make Surfing San Onofre to Point Dume coffee table worthy. Oddly enough, the weirdest part of the book was James‘ decision to put the photo notes in the back of the book instead of below the actual pictures. As a result, you find yourself constantly flipping between the photo and the note in the back of the book. I suppose that if you personally knew the people in the photos, you wouldn’t find this too disruptive. For me, however, this is definitely a case of form over function, with the result being a very disjointed reading experience. That aside, for lovers of surfing history, this is a beautiful book to slowly flip through on a warm Summer afternoon. (March 2010)
Surfing San Onofre to Point Dume - Don James
