Stories Of An Eastern Surfer
SURF LESSONS is Surfer Approved!
— surfd.com, ranking SURF LESSONS No. 11 on its list of Best Surf Books Published in 2016.
“SURF LESSONS will bring you back to the days when you were learning how to surf – reminding you just how overwhelming it was to overcome the fear of larger waves, all the crazy decisions you made and fun times you’ve had surfing with friends and strangers…. with an East Coast point of view. Earl Shores shares his personal surfing journey along with some funny stories that many can relate who grew up on the East coast. He focuses on the ordinary moments of the surfing experience and gives you a glimpse of what it’s like growing up with the passion of surfing. Grab a copy and see for yourself.”
— Brent Nultemeier, editor, OBX Surf Info.com
“SURF LESSONS is a joyous celebration of the surf culture, yes, and much more. You don’t have to be a goofy-footer or a veteran of the underwater wash cycle to enjoy these well-told stories of sport, nature, friendship, and life itself. This is a collection of perfect white-capped moments caught in reflection by a skilled writer. Funny, poignant, thrilling–SURF LESSONS is a hell of a ride.”
— Robb Cadigan, author, Phoenixville Rising
“With a name like Earl Shores, he was destined to write about surfing. In SURF LESSONS, Shores writes with authenticity, humor and humility about the sport that’s captivated him for decades. He sprinkles in enough jargon to please the serious surfers out there while delighting the rest of us with vivid wave imagery that defies cliche and plants us right in the lineup with him. Shores’s tales about braving the ocean on a piece of fancy foam also reveal a love that’s sometimes unrequited, as well as larger truths about navigating the swells of life.”
— Karen Yankosky, author, Good Luck With That Thing You’re Doing: One Woman’s Adventures in Dating, Plumbing and Other Full Contact Sports
Finally A Book With An East Coast Perspective
Surf Lessons is a toes-in-the-sand wax-in-your-hand collection of personal stories from author and longtime East Coast surfer Earl Shores. It’s a look at the good, bad, and mundane of a sport that most participants view as more than just a pastime.
It’s a passion.
It’s a passion that inspires surfers to climb into thick wetsuits during the wind-chill months of winter. A passion that induces pre-dawn alarm settings to catch the uncrowded morning calm. A passion that drives someone the extra mile and even into the realm of recklessness to reach their dreams.
This passion infuses each of the 20 stories in Surf Lessons.
Yet this is not your typical surf book. It’s not filled with heroic gnarly surf dudes trekking the globe for undiscovered perfect waves. Instead, Shores puts you in his “regular guy” flip flops and focuses on the ordinary moments of a surfing life.
- Are ready for that first Big Day?
- Can you handle the frustration of an extended Bermuda High flat spell?
- Would you take a chance on a “surfari” that ends 800 miles from the nearest ocean?
- Finally, what price would pay to go on the surf trip of your dreams?
Both the Surfer and non-Surfer Will Enjoy Surf Lessons
These are not “surfers only” stories. Surf Lessons is for any reader with a sense of adventure and a sense of humor.
Blustery Northwest winds have knocked down the swell since midnight, but wind-scoured grinders still peel righteously this morning. I’ve made several phone calls just after sunrise, and the explanations for them going unanswered could be work, women, hangovers, or balls – I’m not one to pass judgment. Still the question – Alex, I’ll take wind-chill factor for a $1000 – why is nobody out? (Excerpt from “Bird’s Eye”)
Just be ready to shake the sand from your trunks and the water from your ears when you turn the final page.
Surf Lessons is a Trade Paperback from One Way Road Press. Also available in Kindle format.