Nice read, I'll grab a copy next time booktopia have a free postage sale

Best surfing autobiography I have ever read. A very well written, intelligent description of the passion many of us have for surfing and how it can be maintained through a life time. If you think surfing is a macho sport for testostorone fueled egomaniacs or you are a competition groupy, you probably will not like this book.

This a story of someone who simply loves riding waves and has been lucky enough to pioneer many new breaks around the world. Tim has surfed many beautiful (often big) waves alone or with a mate or two and his writing comes close to capturing the beauty and sheer joy of surfing great waves. If you have ridden waves around the world you probably have surfed many of the waves Tim describes ( I was familiar with most) and you will be amazed at how he well pins down the essence of a spot.

When I read Tim's Surfing story in the New Yorker (Playing Docs Games - about Mark Rennecker and Mavricks) 19 years ago I thought it was brilliant and I had hoped Tim would one day write a book. Well Barbarian Days is the book and it is even better than Playing Docs Games.

Macaha said..
Thanks I just ordered one on line.

Halfway great read

thedrip said..
I have had Barbarian Days for a few months and never got around to reading it. Read his articles on Mark Renneker (Renneker has similar tastes in boards to me so it piqued my curiosity) from the recommendation above. Sensational articles. Now onto Barbarian Days and 50 pages in. He is a very elegant writer.

The Playing Doc articles are worth a read too.

thanks i always enjoy a good surfing read.....hard work nowadays finding some

here is the link i posted in the longboard section

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Surfing/Longboarding/Playing-Docs-games-part-1/

Like the time i forsook Elle McPhersons birthday party in Bali for a trip to GLand..........but that's another story!!

If you liked barbarian days.
Another good read is "To The Four Corners Of The World" written by Peter Troy.
His journals start with the discovery of Bells beach in the early 60's.

StormPetrel said..
Thanks for the tip. I will get a copy of Peter Troy's book. Did you mean the 50s? Bells was surfed before the 60s. I still have a T-shirt from from the 4th Aust championships that were held at Bells in 1967 and I think Victoria held a state comp at Bells in 61.

Yes correct doh forgot some originals still on c'breeze. early days only a track. Troy's book hard to find as well.

Loving this book. Thanks for the heads up PH.

dowls said..
Another great read for Christmas (just finished it for the second time) its that good.

"Eddie Would Go" the story of Eddie Aikau.

Yeah that was a great read. I really enjoyed it and read it as i was traveling and checked out the region..