Surfing personalities,
By Greg Ambrose
paraphernalia capture
the imagination
Special to the Star-Bulletin
North Shore Chronicles: IN the late 1980s, San Francisco newspaper columnist Bruce Jenkins delighted the surfing community when he put aside his duties covering mainstream sports and focused his energy on a series of in-depth interviews with the special group of seeming madmen and crazy ladies who pursue Hawaii's biggest, meanest waves.
Big-Wave Surfing in Hawaii
By: Bruce Jenkins; Frog Ltd., 195 pages; paperback $14.95The result was "North Shore Chronicles," which gave the world a rare insight into some of Hawaii's top ocean athletes. Much has happened in the sub-subculture of big-wave surfing in Hawaii during the ensuing decade, and Jenkins has revised "North Shore Chronicles" to keep up with the changes.
New chapters include an examination of the death of North Shore surfer Mark Foo at Northern California's claim to big-wave fame, Maverick's, which sent ripples through the surfing world; and a many-sided look at Big Wednesday, when Sunset Beach surfer Ken Bradshaw rode an insanely huge series of waves on a distant reef near the Banzai Pipeline.
The book is a must for anyone who has ever wondered about the kind of people who seem to court their own demise with enthusiasm.
Surfing MOST people who spend any amount of time trudging or speeding through the United Airlines wing of the San Francisco International Airport come to eagerly anticipate the ever-changing displays that line the moving walkways leading to the main terminal.
By Nancy N. Schiffer; Schiffer Publishing Co., 160 pages; hardcover $39.95From worldwide collections of children's toys and candy to American cultural icons, the exhibits seldom fail to soften the trauma of air travel.
One of the more entertaining and visually dynamic displays paid homage to the Polynesian roots of surfing, and the sport's Northern California offshoots. That exhibit is now available in a lavishly illustrated book with the unambiguous if ambitious title, "Surfing."
Connected by lengthy and sometimes inaccurate captions, the range of images in the book is astonishing. Big Island photographer Wayne Levin's remarkable underwater photos co-exist splendidly with reproductions of European drawings and paintings of ancient Hawaii, early 20th century archival photos, posters, paintings and postcards of surfers in Waikiki, and photos of a surf museum's worth of surfboards, trunks, surf album covers and other memorabilia.
The book recounts the aftermath of the visit of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole and his two brothers, who in 1885 brought surfing to the U.S. mainland at Santa Cruz, Calif. Historical photos and images trace the development of surfboards, wetsuits and surf culture in Northern California, with emphasis on the Polynesian connection.
This book is as shallow as low tide in the Sandy Beach shore break and as wide as the Pacific Ocean. That makes it just right for people who want to own a fine collection of surf history memorabilia that provides the same delight as unexpectedly walking into an eclectic Polynesian antiques and collectibles shop.
Order by phone at (610) 593-1777; fax (610) 593-2002; or e-mail schifferbk@aol.com
New book for keiki teaches
Star-Bulletin
isle’s colorful past
Story of Hawaii Coloring Book
By Y.S. Green, Dover Publications, 48 pages, $2.95Hawaii's history comes alive for keiki via a new coloring book from Dover Publications. "Story of Hawaii Coloring Book" features 43 black-and-white line drawings depicting the islands history from the time of its discovery. The images, run in sequence, show ancient ways of living, the arrival of the missionaries and first plantation workers, Hawaii's monarchs and modern expressions of culture such as lei-making, hula and parades with pa'u riders.
The images by Y.S. Green are meticulously rendered and several are devoted to such Hawaiian traditions such as fishing, kapa making, games, quilting and weaving. Each illustration is accompanied by a detailed description, making history lessons painless. Color illustrations on the cover, back and inner sleeves hint at appropriate colors for the feathered capes of kings and queens, adding to the history lesson.
The coloring book should be in Honolulu book stores in a month, for $2.95. It is available from Dover Publications, by writing to: 31 East 2nd St., Mineola, NY 11501. Add $5 to the cost for shipping and handling.
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