Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life (Pulitzer Prize Winner) Paperback – Illustrated, April 26, 2016

Awesome book. I didn’t know what to think going into this. I couldn’t put it down every night. Just had to keep going. Couldn’t figure out what was going on, I’m usually not a big reader. Certainly not a 20 page/night. This one, I was. Then I found out it won the Pulitzer. No wonder, bc the writing is so good. It’s not about surfing as much as a person’s life and how it evolved around surfing. I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did and I’m really happy I read it.

As a dedicated bodysurfer who has spent countless hours in the ocean, I found Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life an absolute masterpiece. William Finnegan’s memoir resonated deeply with me, capturing the essence of a life lived in pursuit of the perfect wave.From the very first page, Finnegan’s storytelling prowess hooked me. His vivid descriptions of waves, the ocean, and the diverse surfing spots around the globe transported me back to my own exhilarating experiences in the water. The way he recounts his harrowing adventures and the sheer beauty of the surf is nothing short of poetic.One of the aspects I appreciated most about this book is Finnegan’s unflinching honesty. He delves into the challenges, fears, and triumphs of a surfer’s life, painting a realistic picture that goes beyond the glamorous portrayal often seen in media. His reflections on the camaraderie among surfers, the environmental changes, and the personal growth that comes with the sport are thought-provoking and inspiring.What truly sets Barbarian Days apart is Finnegan’s deep understanding of the ocean. His respect for the sea and its unpredictable nature mirrors my own feelings as a bodysurfer. I found myself nodding in agreement as he described the sensations and instincts that come with being in the water, the thrill of catching a wave, and the respect for the immense power of the ocean.I couldn’t put this book down. It’s a compelling read that will resonate with anyone who loves the ocean, whether they surf, bodysurf, or simply appreciate the beauty of nature. Finnegan’s journey is not just about surfing; it’s about life, passion, and the relentless pursuit of dreams.Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life is a must-read for anyone who has ever felt the call of the sea. It’s a beautifully written, deeply personal memoir that captures the heart and soul of surfing—highly recommended!

Yes indeed it was. Not much else to say. Gets a little old after 65% or so. Three more words

A terrific book on waves written by a professional reporter, Barbarian Days smashes the stereotype of the inarticulate surfer. The watery descriptions are so vivid you can taste the salt, even when the going gets so tough, its hard to understand why the hell anything but a fish would be out in such major surf. While many tails about summiting mountains, distance swimming in open oceans or surfing waves "three refrigerators high" seem rather tall, Barbarian Days stays grounded in factual detail. The in-depth descriptions approach meditations on ocean currents, winds, reefs, surfing technique and surf board models, and yet fails to explain the question why. Certainly not the pursuit of glory, the author makes clear. Despite popular misconceptions, in the early days, the original surf culture downplayed heroics; boasts were bad form and showing off on a wave was as uncool as scoring points in a contest. In a sort of "right stuff" tone, Barbarian Days captures the authentic experience, without romance or glamour and portrays surfing as a cold, solitary test of courage. Though the author tells all, starting with his teenage addiction to waves, a mystery hangs over the book. Why freeze in stormy waters for eight hours, or summit peaks or struggle with a terminal disease against insurmountable odds? Is it human or superhuman to push the limits of tolerance when agony seems prevalent and ecstasy elusive? I once asked a three-time channel swimmer what kept him going in the cold dark ocean for 13 hours and he said "Beatle songs mostly, they just run though my head. I could almost hear the author humming in Barbarian Days, pretending the adventures are normal, though some accounts include an implicit "don't try this at home" caveat cause maybe it wasn't so smart to take such risks. In some instances, he confesses that he can't believe he came out alive. This is not a dull memoir.The childhood sections were so touching I wished my teenage son would read the book. On the other hand, I am relieved that my son doesn't read because he is growing up in a very different world. Though the quest to discover unknown waves in remote corners of the globe took knocking about to extremes, in the 1960's -1980's, traveling around was a coming of age ritual. Sadly, in this day and age, the world is not nearly as safe and faced with school and career pressures most kids won't have the luxury of an extended time out. One theme of the book concerns change. The author returned some early haunts later in life to find a remote island transformed into a luxury resort, or a coastal fishing village overrun by tourists. Lives and places change. The author aged, married, became a war correspondent, but chasing big surf remained a constant. The interplay took on a rhythmic symmetry, the more things changed the more the waves stayed the same. Like climbers with their mountains, and swimmers with their channels, for surfers the waves serve as a measure, a proving grounds, a retreat, a source of friends and a challenge that never stops calling.

I won't call my self a surfer, and yet this book deeply touched me. This book immerses you in the intra-psychic conflict of the author, and so many other young men and woman. The conflict between the personal and the social, between the freedom of deriliction, and the meaning -or perhaps duty- one finds in plato's citizenship. This book is in a sense, the reenactment of the archetyple grapple of a man, with his own peter pan complex, The ocean and it's waves setting the stage.It is however, but a partial autobiography. In other words Finnegan is telling us : "Hey, I know I've got so much things going on in my life: Studying, War reporting, child rearing, marriage, journalism, being a brother and aging parents... but we are not here to talk about that are we?! , you came for the waves and thats what you will get"..this statement becomes more and more vivid as the book progresses, in acordance with finnegan's age. It is if there are two Will Finnegan's in the world, Will Finnegan and Will Finnegan the surfer. The best parts of the book for me, are of course those parts where these to merge into one.Thank you Will,A great book