Stoked a History of Surf Culture - Hardcover

$39.95 hardcover * 1-58685-213-2 * May< BR>10 x 10 in, 224 pp, 150 Color Photographs,< BR>Rights: W, Sports< BR>Once the sport of Polynesian kings, surfing embodies the ultimate encounter between man and nature. Played out on the beaches and breaking waves of the world's continental fringes, surfing is the epitome of a classic cult of freedom and individual expression-an arena not only for survival but for grace under pressure, style, and artistic invention. Yet surfing is more than just riding the waves-it's a lifestyle, a state of mind, a subculture with its own codes and heroes. < BR> In Stoked: A History of Surf Culture, surf journalist Drew Kampion traces the evolution of the modern beach culture and the challenging, beautiful sport that gave rise to it. From its Polynesian origins and the early days of Duke Kahanamoku's beach boys, to the California-style surfing cult that exploded in the 1960s, to the international pro circuits and radical big-wave contests of today, Stoked tells the compelling story that has inspired entire genres of music, movies, fashion, and art. < BR>Drew Kampion is a writer, editor, and photographer who lives on Whidbey Island near Seattle. He graduated from California State College at Northridge and is a former editor of Surfer, Surfing, and Windsurfer magazines. Kampion is an avid surfer and writes about the sport regularly. < BR>

"Any surfer will tell you with unquestionable passion that surfing is the only life there is-the rest is just fill-in between one swell and the next. Stoked perfectly captures the spirit of this lifestyle that resolves around the whims of the sea."--Gerry Lopez, Pipeline Master.
"Drew Kampion is a master at decoding the wonderful machinations of that tribe of watermen and waterwomen called surfers, who live for the ride. Stoked is the anthem of their lifestyle and their dance."
--Steve Pezman, publisher of The Surfer's Journal
"Drew mixes his micro/macro surf soup, entertaining us with perceptions and word artistry. He always leaves you with a bigger picture and provides a great ride getting there."
--John Severson, artist and found of Surfer magazine
"Witty, incisive, and original. No one ever had a better perspective on the unique surfing life we all love than Drew Kampion. This is a fascinating and beautiful book."
--Greg MacGillivray, filmmaker, director of Five Summer Stories, The Living Sea, and Everest.
"Stoked is fun and accurate! If anyone is qualified to write this book, it's Drew Kampion. Drew was an authority 25 years ago, and he still is today."
--Jeff Hakman, Mr. Sunset
"Drew Kampion is the only American surf writer who kept my interest during the period when I was World Champion-what everyone else was saying made me just want to look at the pictures. Drew's writing has always been an excellent barometer on the state of our tribe."