Review
WL Rating
In one of my most egregious failures as a reviewer of surf books, I somehow decided to take a break from reviewing books at the precise moment when Bill Finnegan was kind enough to send me an advance copy of his memoirs. What a silly mistake. Of the nearly 40 biographies that I’ve reviewed on this site, Barbarian Days is easily one of my favorites along with those from Greg Noll and Gerry Lopez. I should have known that Barbarian Days would be beautifully written. After all, Finnegan has a long history of writing excellent pieces for The New Yorker including my favorite, Playing Doc’s Games. However, it would have been presumptuous (and misguided) for me to think that the memoirs of a vagabond writer would be as compelling as the hallowed histories of two of the world’s greatest watermen, but Finnegan’s book is exactly that compelling, and certainly merited its recent Pulitzer. Simply put, Finnegan has lived an extraordinary surfing life. Being born at the right time with the right attitude afforded the author the opportunity to make early forays into Tavarua, Madeira, and a host of other amazing locations. The stories are thoughtful, interesting, and rarely, if ever, absurd. For young surfers with the emerging travel itch, this book will certainly be a catalyst to put down your smartphone, update your passport, and hit the road. For longtime (aka older) surfers like me, it’s a reminder that we are privileged to participate in one of the world’s great spectacles. A WL Essential. (May 2016)
Barbarian Days - William Finnegan
