I’m currently writing a book where the main character surfs, and I’d like to read something so I can get better acclimated with language and things like that. The book doesn’t need to be ABOUT surfing, but I would like for it to be a key hobby of a character, or a key element to the story. I would like for it to be fiction, and to avoid memoirs (I know asking for fiction means I don’t want memoirs, but doing a “fiction about surfing” Google search was giving me almost exclusively memoirs 🙃.)
Please don’t suggest barbarian days. I tried that one and just could not get into it (someday I hope to finish it though)
Thank you!!
by anti_tomato_gang
8 Comments
Novels by Kem Nunn. He does surf-noir.
Sophie kinsella (rip) The Burnout
Don Winslow has a couple of books where the characters get together to surf “The Dawn Patrol” and “The Gentleman’s Hour”. He is primarily a crime/noir writer.
If you go to Goodreads and key in the titles above scroll down ’til you see “readers also enjoyed. . .” with other (perhaps) books considered similar.
I got so excited to recommend Barbarian days until I got to the last line of your post.
This would be a good question for r/surfing, but if you mention that you don’t like Barbarian Days, you may get downvoted like crazy. I always find fictional surfers to come across as contrived. The kooks over at r/surfing are a bit more true to real surfers.
I might be able to help?
Where do you want this book to take place?
Cocoa Beach, Huntington Beach, Mavericks CA, Hawaii, Portugal, Ireland, or somewhere else. Mavericks is only know to have strong waves during their winter storms. Cocoa Beach is not know for the biggest waves. But is known to be a massive surf culture and a few famous surfers have come from there.
Portugal is known to have the biggest waves in the world. It is also dangerous bc in one spot at the end of the ocean there is not a beach but a cliff. Look up Sebastian Steudtner and the wave he surfed in Portugal. Also look up Alo Slebir mavericks. He surfed a wave that might be breaking Sebastian’s Record. Only it has not been confirmed yet. But it took a year and half for confirmation of Sebastian’s wave
Location is important. Bc yes you do have overall surfing culture. But you also have things that might be highly related to the surf culture in specific locations.
As far as barbarian days I think Kook is better.
But for fiction there is Malibu Rising and Dawn Patrol. Both on my TBR list.
There is a documentary called How To Learn To Surf that might help
Kook by Peter Heller (narrative non fiction, but I think this would help you with terms and culture a lot, as it’s about the author learning about these things himself.)
California Golden by Melanie Benjamin
California Dreamers by Amy Mason Doan
Gidget (and series)
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Surfing is a hobby that ties the family together.