Stoked: A History of Surf Culture

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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.

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.

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.