water sports

Matt Warshaw's Encyclopedia Of Surfing is a top pick for any interested in the fine art of surfing. From different surfboard developments and the history of different cultures involved in the surfside sport, to legendary surfers and their achievements, the Encyclopedia Of Surfing is packed from cover to cover with "user friendly" A-Z reference material.

I surf almost every day and can never seem to quench my thirst. My favorite read, by far, of all books and periodicals is The Surfers Journal. It truly captures the many angles of the sport. This book is somewhat in the same vein. It's exhaustive, comprehensive and true to the roots. If you love the history of the sport buy it. If you read Surfing, have never ridden more than one type of board or never traveled to pursue a new wave... don't (do those things instead... THEN buy it). Good bedside book... alongside my Bible.

For the record, let me state that I've been surfing for 20 years and got the bug, along with most others my age, watching The Endless Summer and getting captivated by the energy and beauty of the sport. This compilation, while very complete, really IS an encyclopedia...page, after page, after page. There are some useful tidbits of information strewn among the lengthy volume but a large majority of the book seems filled with fairly uninteresting, small, black and white photos, and biographies of just about anyone in the world who ever attempted to stand up on a board. Avoid this snore-fest and put your money into a nice hardcover coffee table book filled with glorious color shots of the world's tube riders...and leave all of the trivia to the wannabes.