Surfing Illustrated: A Visual Guide to Wave Riding

Great book to get the beginning surfer up to speed on all aspects of surfing including not just technique, but protocols for things like who should back off when 2 surfers catch the same wave in close proximity. Perfect book for beginning surfers!

I found this book to be very fun - the artwork is whimsical but also informative. I'm not sure why I bought this book. I think I wanted to get back into surfing and wanted a little refresher course to get me stoked. It did! But it also made me realize how great this is for a beginner who knows NOTHING about surfing. Mr. Robison walks you through the entire experience, from getting the right board, and proper wave etiquette (which can be mental hurdle for first time surfers), and most importantly: safety! He drills the idea of Rip Currents and how to avoid them, knowing your limits and most importantly have fun!A great, quick read - I bought the kindle version and I wish I hadn't now as I'd love to have the book to loan to people.If you are thinking of getting into surfing - get this book - but get the physical hard copy. That way you can read it on the beach and drip some surf wax on it while you get yourself pumped up to paddle out!Great job John Robison! You're keeping people safe while teaching respect in the water.

This is an indispensable book on surfing. It is packed with all the essential information about surfing that anyone needs to know when learning to surf. It is also really easy to read with fun illustrations. I loaned mine to a friend who never returned it so I decided to gift it to him and get a second copy.Every chapter has useful information. In particular the chapters on wave dynamics and surf etiquette are excellent. The book contains a lot of subtle tips and should be read again and again.On a side note, Ed Guzman, the surfer on the cover, was my first surfing instructor and the writer's instructor when he learned. How cool is that? Ed and Club Ed are great. Look them up if you are in Santa Cruz and want to learn to surf.

I'm half way through this book and it's amazing so far... so knowledgeable and very informative into every aspect of surfing but without all the unnecessary poop on the sides.. just the actual stuff that one needs to know.also, a HUGE pro: i have ADHD and hate reading (for that fact alone) but i have managed to stay focused on this book half way through thanks to the wonderful depiction of illustrations and short text to go along with it..VERY WELL WRITTEN. :)

I bought this book to read up on "how to surf" before taking a lesson and it was very helpful. However if all you wanted to know was that, you need to skim the first 100 pages and just read the basics. On the otherhand I found those first chapters interesting and when I get my surfing act together I'll go back and study up before buying a board.Also if you've never surfed, I recommend a lesson first before renting a board and just trying it. You'll be much happier. And if you get this book and practice "pop ups" at home on the carpet you'll be even happier at your first lesson.Recommended.

Solid book, fun and easy to read. Maybe I'll re-read it after some more experience and get more out of it. Not a huge game-changer, but certainly won't make you a worse surfer. Can only help.(Also worth noting: This book is for beginners. If you're carving barrels, you've already surpassed what this book has to offer.)

I never review books, but this one isseriously amazing read! Very entertaining, educational and answers a lot of questions that I accumulated during 3 seasons of learning to surf. Every beginner surfer should grab this book within first season of surfing, it will help with your progress tremendously (by avoiding very very common pitfalls and making common mistakes on your own). Kudos to the author (and illustrator!)One note: in Kindle version many of finely detailed images are very hard to decipher: resolution of the IMAGES (not kindle) is not enough to comprehend small notes.

I have not finished this book yet, but this book was a good purchase to get me caught up on terms, etiquette, board types, wave types, and all the things you need to consider before getting in the water. Not as good as actually getting in the water w/ an experienced surfer to help you out, but this is a good supplement. The artwork made the book fun to read.

I am a very mediocre surfer of many years intermittent experience. this is a great and well explained book, which i would have benefitted from reading earlier, particularly for reading waves. great diagrams, although they don’t all work so well in the ebook version- needs improvement.As i read the book i couldn’t help but think more and more how perverse a sport is that needs this level of explanation on etiquette and how not to upset locals etc etc. not always the relaxed sport people think it is. although it can be in my experience. i guess that’s not the fault of the sport or the book, just busy breaks. but i find i am less and less keen on the hassle of surfing compared to swimming, running or MTB, which I don’t find produce as many stressful situations.

I wish I'd had this book when I first started learning. Really clear explanations of the science of waves, the techniques and the etiquette. The line drawings are what make this so easy to understand.

Brilliant book, lots of useful aspects of surfing covered in fun, funny ways. Defo love the illustrations (and they’re not just decorative, they ARE actually informative).

Fun to read, it is packed with information that even advanced surfers are not 100% sure of. I recommend this book to anyone who is serious about learning to surf or improve his/her surfing: this book is best for "advanced beginners" just out of a surf camp to "advanced intermediate" surfers of all ages.

As a beginner to intermediate surfer I really enjoyed the book and how easy concepts and ideas are explained. Particularly enjoyed the explanations on the rules in the line up and the physics behind long boarding and nose riding.Illustrations are fun! Totally recommended super easy read!