Surf Lit in the Lineup
Written
by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel
There's nothing like a good book to
heat up the holidays...especially when it's got a beach or surfing theme.
SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and
Patti Kishel have been making up our own list and checking it twice to find
just the right books for you and the surfers you know.
First We Surf, Then We Eat, by Jim Kempton, is a compilation
of his favorite surf spots and recipes – 90 in all – gleaned from chasing waves
around the world. With easy-to-follow recipes and beautiful photos, the book
walks you through the steps of making dishes ranging from Korean Short Ribs to
Moroccan Grilled Lamb. A former editor at Surfer Magazine and the
president of the California Surf Museum in Oceanside, Kempton's ode to fine
dining – surfer style! – is a literary feast.
Fly Me, by Daniel Riley, blends surfing, drug dealing and
skyjacking in this blast-from-the-past novel set in the mythical SoCal beach
town of Sela del Mar. A current bestseller, Marie Claire magazine calls
it "An excellent time capsule of '70s nostalgia, capturing that
devil-may-care beach-culture vibe." Told by Vassar grad-turned airline
stew Suzy Whitman, the high-octane tale moves from up in the sky to the top of
a careening skateboard.
Hound of the Sea, by Garrett McNamara and Karen Karbo, chronicles McNamara's
amazing quest to ride the most formidable waves on earth and his world
record-breaking ride, surfing a 78-foot wave in Nazaré, Portugal in 2011 –
a record he smashed two years later at the same break. Providing an intimate
look into what drives McNamara to such heights and feats of danger, this book
will definitely get your adrenaline going!
Painting Surfboards and Chasing Waves, by Drew Brophy and Maria Brophy, is a testament to
what you can accomplish when you follow your passions. Filled with beautiful
color paintings, the Brophys' labor of love shows that a pen in the right
hands can create wonders. This is especially true when it's one of the Posca
paint pens surf artist Drew uses to apply his electrifying images on
stretched canvas and surfboards. Both insightful and inspiring, this book will
brighten even the gloomiest winter day.
Pirata: A Novel, by Patrick Hasburgh, creator of the 21 Jump Street TV
series, is a thriller about an ex-patriot American living and surfing in
Mexico. Written in a similar style to Don Winslow's surfing mystery The
Dawn Patrol, this new release with a surf bum narrator and a body washed up
on the beach combines murder and mayhem in a volatile mix. It will keep you
guessing and laughing at the same time...right up to the surprising conclusion.
San Onofre: Memories of a Legendary
Surfing Beach, by David Matuszak, takes you back
to the early days of surfing in California in the 1930s when San Diego's San
Onofre Beach still had farm land and cattle ranches around the storied surf
break. Including thousands of photos and interviews with 200 surfers, the book
not only immerses you in the special place that San Onofre is, but in the surf
culture itself and how it has evolved to present day.
Surfer Chick, by Kristy Dempsey, will put a smile on the faces of the
groms on your gift list – adults, too! With its whimsical acrylic and colored
pencil illustrations and rhyming story, it paints a true surf heroine in Surfer
Chick, who wants to conquer the waves and make her surfer dad proud. The rap
style surf lingo and joyful exuberance make for a fun read and a rad ride. This
spunky Surfer Chick is sure to win you over.
The World Stormrider Surf Guide, by Bruce Sutherland and Antony Colas, explores each of the
surf zones around the world, describing the local conditions, swells, and
weather along with the food, culture and places to stay. Loaded with maps,
photographs and statistics, it's the most comprehensive collection of surf-spot
information in a single volume. Perfect for planning your next surfing
adventure, for globe-trotting surfers it's as essential as a passport.
Whether you're in the mood for
adventure, fiction or food, these eight beach books – one for each of Santa's
reindeer – will heat up your holidays!
Please post your comment below. Comments
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Sunny Magdaug and Patti
Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications
wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com
Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites
as long as credit is given.
