The Encyclopedia of Surfing (paperback edition)
Description
The first comprehensive reference book on surfing; contains 1,500 A-through-Z entries on all surf-related subjects: people, places, equipment, language, art, music, movies, business, contests and organizations. Includes 300 photographs and illustrations, a short history of surfing, and five appendices. Softcover version of the Encyclopedia adds 36 new entries to the original Hardcover edition.
Reviews
“The definitive work on surfing”
—Sam Whiting, San Francisco Chronicle
“Fiendishly addictive…comprehensive and compelling”
—Austin Murphy, Sports Illustrated
“An indispensable tome for any surfer”
—Publisher’s Weekly
“A one-of-a-kind resource…a lively, intimate view of the surfing world.”
—Booklist magazine
Author's Note
The paperback version is 32 pages longer than the hardcover, and Amazon will probably sell it for about $17, so we’re looking at MAJOR value for money here. Buy one for each room, is what I recommend.
I turned in a final draft for the hardcover Encyclopedia in early 2003, which doesn’t seem that long ago, but when I started writing new entries for the paperback version, I was struck by all the recent changes and developments in the sport. Kirra has been all but paved over by Superbank. The Game has become a West Coast competition phenomenon. Surfing made a mildly embarrassing entry into reality TV with Surf Girls and Boarding House: North Shore, while Riding Giants opened the 2004 Sundance Festival. Sofia Mulanovich and Jamie O’Brien didn’t make the cut for the hardcover -- now she’s world champion and a South America sports-world goddess, and he’s the young firebreathing Pipe Master.
No shortage of new things to write about, in other words, plus I was able to fill in a few holes in the first edition: the late Ronnie Burns was mistakenly overlooked in the hardcover; “Bro,” ”dude,” “surf the net,” and a few other requisite expressions are now included. I’ve put together two other books since the 2003, Zero Break and Surf Movie Tonite!, but returning to the Encyclopedia style – dense, formatted, with a bit of color and swirl here and there – was like getting back on a bicycle. A little wobbly at first, then off and running. Although I really missed not having Nathan and Marcus here to help this time around. Maybe in three or four years, for the fully revamped 2nd edition. Free pretzels again, guys, if you’re up for it.
Book Excerpt
Several selections from the “M” section of The Encyclopedia of Surfing.
Read it now »
Send Corrections
For the second edition of The Encyclopedia of Surfing, email us corrections, changes, comments and suggestions, or write to:
Harcourt
Editor: The Encyclopedia of Surfing
525 B Street, Suite 1900
San Diego, CA 92101
Published
2005; Harcourt; Orlando, FL; 800 pages
Foreword
William Finnegan
Photography
Jeff Divine, Tom Servais, Leroy Grannis, Steve Wilkings, Brad Barrett, Craig Stecyk, John "Doc" Ball, Rob Gilley, Craig Peterson, Peter Crawford, others
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Copyright © 2005, Matt Warshaw.
