Review
WL Rating
Described as a collection of dubious surf stories, I wasn’t sure what to make of this book when I bought it. The reviews were mixed and, truth be told, I had a bit of buyer’s remorse before it even arrived. After reading the book, however, I can say that this is a completely unique, really solid set of stories. What makes the book different from other surf-related anthologies are the types of stories. The editors were inspired, going out of their way to find compelling tales that you likely haven’t heard before. The collection spans an assortment of true stories about sharks, tsunamis, wipeouts, surf trips gone bad and horrific judgement calls. While you will undoubtedly know some of the characters, e.g. Dora and Noll, the vast majority will be people you’ve never heard of before, and I think that it’s that anonymity of characters that makes the book so good. Are there a couple of duds in the book? Yes, depending upon your taste. But as I read the book I kept thinking to myself that these are the kinds of stories you share with friends over beers and a campfire at the end of a day’s surfing. And that’s a good thing. (December 2009)
Surfing’s Greatest Misadventures - P. Diamond
