Description:
This wonderful collection of photographs and prose from Surfer magazine attractively captures the spirit and enthusiasm of the people who live to catch the next great wave. Skillfully edited and arranged by decade, The Perfect Day reflects, both in pictures and words, the evolution of the publication itself, from a fanzine for a small community of Californians to a legitimate magazine keeping pace with the exponential growth and globalization of the sport. There is truly something for everyone here, with excerpts on the philosophy of surfing, an enthusiast's letter home from Vietnam, and a piece on riding up an English river during high tide. The stories memorialize and reminisce about dramatic contests, known personalities, waves caught and missed, and some that should have been left alone. The photographs are spectacular, from skinny, mutton-chopped guys cutting lazy arcs on longboards, to a tension-charged photo of a surfer atop a 20-foot wave, to a page brimming with an ominous wall of water. Surfing is not without danger, and the moment you go under is best described as "[t]he moment when all possibilities are exhausted; when there are no alternatives, not even a good, decent panic; when there is nothing to do but divorce your mind from your body and watch the latter take a pounding." The Perfect Day is a noteworthy chronicle of humankind's craving for this particular form of excitement. After perusing its contents, you'll swear you have wax on your feet and sand in your hair--a perfect day indeed. --Michael Ferch
| 
