Product Reviews
When a surfer with the heritage of Duke Boyd starts to compile a book then you know there is a good chance that it will tick all the right boxes. He created two of surfing most influencial brands, Hang Ten and Lightening Bolt, that pretty much set the ball rolling with regards to surf apparel and his influence can be seen today in modern day surfing giants like Quiksilver, Rip Curl and Billabong. He knew which way surfing was going way back in 1963 and its clear that he still has an incredible knowledge of surfing and its aficionado’s.
‘Legends of Surfing’ is his attempt to document the ‘rich human pageantry of the surfing individuals that make up the sport.’ In this he hits the target. Boyd has grouped over 180 surfers from his bulging address book under the titles of ‘Pioneers’, ‘Legendary Big Wave Surfriders’, ‘Filmmakers’, ‘Photographers’ and ‘Progressive Surfriders’ to name a few and gives all of his chosen surfers a brief description and surmises their impact on surfing. This book gives a broad feel for the heroes of surfing but its lack of depth is a flaw. It’s almost impossible to summarise a surfers, say Tom Curren’s, impact on surfing in just three paragraphs.
The book does however provide a wonderful showcase for Jeff Divine’s and Tom Severson’s talent behind the lens. ‘Legends of Surfing’ is simply illustrated but packed with photographs that provide a real visual understanding of the history of surfing. You could try to describe Greg Noll but nothing sums him up like the picture of him standing on the beach, 10 ft board leaning against his shoulder against a backdrop of a 30ft wave.
In short ‘Legends of Surfing’ would make a great coffee
table book for the surfer who wants to know a little bit more about surfing’s
pioneers and the surfers who have shaped the sport or for the non-surfer who
just wants to know who the hell surfers are always prattling on about.
'Legends of Surfing' is available from the Surf Academy Store for £22.50.