Product Description

Surfing is an icon of America’s free spirit and symbolizes youth, adventure, and rebellion. For decades it has influenced our culture in everything from movies to music, from fashion to lifestyle.

Like those who ride the wave, "Surfing USA!" is refreshingly different. Something more than a boring history. Something more than a timeline and a photo gallery. Consider it your personally guided tour through the history of one of the most popular and thrilling sports in American history.

Author Ben Marcus knows and loves the sport like nothing else, and has lived it. Here, the former editor of "Surfer" magazine and current freelancer for such publications as "Surfer’s Journal" brings you up close and personal to the exciting world of surfing.

Marcus’s lively narrative is complemented by an extensive variety of art that includes fabulous period images (vintage postcards, album covers, movie posters, and more) and colorful current photographs of surfers in action. More than 250 illustrations were selected especially to add to your appreciation of this remarkable sensation. Enjoy!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #707782 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 208 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780896586901
• Condition: USED - VERY GOOD
• Notes:
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"...look back through time at surfing in America based on Marcus's extensive catalog of surf stories and interviews..." -- Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 2, 2005

"Comprehensive and beautifully illustrated history...strongly recommended to school and community libraries - and a 'must' for all surfing enthusiasts." -- Reviewer's Bookwatch, October 2005

"Marcus...has mined intangibles that make surfing cool...It's quite a ride, well-illustrated, with a wry sense of humor..." -- Honolulu Star Bulletin, November 2005

Review

Customer Reviews

A "must" for all surfing enthusiasts
Surfing USA!: An Illustrated History Of The Coolest Sport Of All Time is the definitive history of surfing in America by Ben Marcus (past editor of publication "Surfer" for ten years and author of articles on surfing in 130 issues of that magazine). Having grown up adjacent to the surfing beaches of southern California in the 1970s, Marcus was present through all the big developments in the sport of surfing. His comprehensive and beautifully illustrated history shows how the sport developed, the science of "big waves", surfer personalities, the evolution of surf boards, and the creation of a surf culture from movies to rock 'n' roll to hot rodding. Of special note are the impressive photographs of surfing memorabilia, movie posters, album covers, and pop art thematically showcasing the sport of surfing. Surfing USA! is a strongly recommended contribution to school and community library American Popular History reference collections -- and a "must" for all surfing enthusiasts!

Way Cool Authentic Material
Having grown up near the best surfing beaches in Southern California, I'm always skeptical about illustrated books that take on that culture. Before I opened the book, I had a test in mind. Would Dick Dale appear in the book? For those who aren't early surfing aficionados, Dale was a surfer who captured the sound of the waves while surging in such favorites as "Let's Go Trippin" and "Miserlou Twist" while rocking everybody out of their socks at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa with the loudest guitar music anyone had ever heard up until that time.

I was blown away when I found that this book has more material in it about Dick Dale than any other that I've seen. Dick actually appears on no less than 18 pages in the book. Wow!

Having found what I was looking for, I sat back for a pleasant day of reliving old memories . . . and learning new facts.

Ben Marcus takes us back to surfing's origins in Polynesia and carries that forward the latest and greatest accomplishments of today's surfers. You will find out about how the boards and surfing methods developed . . . and get a five story wave view at the same time.

If the book has a weakness, it's in spending perhaps a little too much time on the many lousy surfing movies. But even that was redeemed by some great writing about the surfing stunts . . . especially the wipe outs that were done on cue for take after take after take.

As you can imagine the photography is wonderful. The only way you could improve is by replacing the gorgeous color shots with video.

Having just spent a day at Sunset Beach in January, I was also curious as to how up-to-date the book would be. I felt like I was walking right back onto Sunset to watch the Pipeline as I read through the book. It sent chills up my spine like when I'm at the Pipeline.

For non-surfers, I think you'll get an idea of why perhaps you, too, should catch a wave.

Two thumbs up and Ten Toes over...
I just received the book and just started to dig in. This is a must for anyone that has a love for surfing and surf culture. Surfer/writer/journalist/historian Ben Marcus knows the sport and lifestyle from the inside out and it shows in this densely illustrated, richly written book. Strongly recommend! Surfing USA!: An Illustrated History Of The Coolest Sport Of All Time would make a great gift... to yourself or to the surfer in your life. Two thumbs up and ten toes over!