Skiing Books

This book was seriously amazing. It had everything to make it a truly well rounded story. I have read many many vampire books, and this is one series that really stands out from the many.

The Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead is the best vampire story ever written. It goes beyond our generic acceptence of straight-edged good and evil vampires and delivers a powerful story of romance, jealously and all the teenage angst we crave.
We meet Rosemarie Hathaway (Rose) and Vasilisa Dragomir (Lissa) in the first of this brilliant series in Vampire Academy. Rose is tough, strong-headed and so loyal to her best friend that she would die for her. Lissa is sweet, caring and content to follow her best friend to the end of the world. They are complete opposites yet they compliment each other in every aspect. Mead was able to create these dynamic characters and has sustained their original attributes through two exceptionally brilliant novels.
Rose and Lissa had run away from school because of Lissa's secrets, but they were found by the handsome, Russian, Guardian Dimitri Belikov. Taking them back to St Vladimirs turns out to be surprise after surprise for the two girls as they come to have new enemies they never had before and falling in love with boys they probably shouldn't have.
Love interest flairs up between Rose and Dimitri, Rose's new mentor (he is seven years older than Rose). As they battle with their emotions, Lissa is kidnapped by unlikely foe who puts them all in more danger than they realise.
Racing against time to find Lissa, using Rose's uncanny bond with Lissa, they manage to find the cabin that she is being stowed away in. But she isn't there. Rose realising this, runs into the forest after her with Christian, Lissa's unusual love interest.
Facing more battles than they realised, and forming bonds even stronger than that of Rose and Lissa's we are left craving more.
Which is where Frostbite comes in.
After a huge strigoi attack on the Badica family, it puts all Moroi and Dhamphir alike, in fear. Annoyed with Dimitri's way of treating her, Rose's long-absent mother turns up at the school, angering her even further.
Though and unlikely source of excitement runs through the school; an exspensive ski lodge has offered all Moroi families to come stay the christmas with them. Though even a challenge with Mason on the slopes can't take away the anger and resentment she feels toward Dimitri, his new love interest, Christian and most of all her mother.
The climax of the story begins when Mason, Mia (who's mother had been killed by the Strigoi attacks) and Eddie head out in search of the Strigoi that they so want to kill. Rose realising this, heads out in search for them, with Christian tagging along.
Finding them in the mall where the Strigoi have supposedly set up camp, Rose becomes the mother figure to them and starts to drag them home until they get lost. Though they don't have time to be afraid because they are attacked by Human's with guns. Even Rose's extensive training with Dimitri can't prepare her for what is in store for her and her friends for the next few days.
I found that the ending to Frostbite was one of my favourite endings I have ever read. Mead weaved intricately so many emotions into her final climax that you will be left pondering the ending for many days to come.

Richelle Mead is a brilliant writer and her work on the Vampire Academy series exceeds all other vampire novels. You'll left having to read them over and over again until she brings us the next installment to this thrilling saga.

Richelle Mead, you are definately one of my favourite authors!!!
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!
I love all the twists in this book!
*SPOILERS*
And I love the conflict with Rose's mother. It's such an interesting read!
I was kind of sad about the death at the end... but otherwise I loved every minute of it! I can't wait until the next book comes out! I've already pre-ordered it

The second installment in Vampire Academy definitely lives up to the first. It has more action, more suspsense, but sadly not more of Dimitri than usual. Although the romance between lissa nd christian seems intense, i felt like i was left with only slightly more of Dimitri than before. Theres jealousy, sexual tension, and unrequited love all in a single chapter, so its pretty great. But not enough. I can't WAIT til shadow kiss. ALthough theres a loss, its still awsum what the rewards are. But the loss is pretty unsuspecting and on of the saddest parts so far in this entire series (i think). But i don't want to give away too much, so sorry if it seems like my review is lacking. Other than what i've already said, theres alot more revealed than what i expected so everyones in for some surprises. So ya'll def should read it. PEACE!

Love this book. I really like the relationship between Lissa and Rose. Roses wants Dimitri her dhampir trainer. She knows she shouldn't want him but she can't help herself and how she feels. Lissa has her own boyfriend Christian but she is afraid she is losing control again of her mind. Her Magic is different then anyone else's and she doesn't know how to handle it. This is a great 2nd books in the Vampire Academy Series can't wait for the 3rd.

Years ago I ran into this book in my local book store (long before Amazon.com) and bought it. I had taken 2 ski lessions in my life and got started downhill skiing later in life, perhaps I was in my forties. I struggled along with the green and easy blue slopes, but the majority of the mountain was not open to me. If I tried something more difficuilt, I would fear and fall. No matter how hard I worked the green slopes, I just wasn't getting any better. I lacked skill and confidence.

Then I started reading this book. What struck me was how I felt like I understood what Lito was trying to get into me. I remember copying a couple pages of each section and placing them in a zip lock bag when I would go skiing. I'd pull out the lession points I had selected and read it over and over carefully and practiced exactly what he said to do.

I realized that each chapter was seemly long, but also easy to read and then I realized that what Lito had done was to explain the same lession many different ways and one, at least, was sure to hit me right on. That was his key, and what made the book so thick; he explained it over and over but each time from a different perspective until each reader would click on at least one of the explainations and just get it!

As I write this today, I have just skiied all over Kirkwood's black diamonds, I'm 58 years old and 13 years ago had quad heart bypass. I buy a season pass and ski as many days as my schedule and the weather permits and have for years now.

I looked this book up today on Amazon to see if I could buy it for a friend as I seemed to have loaned my copy out and haven't seen it in years. If you have started skiing, taken a begining lession or 2, you will want to read this book like no other. And if you think that you can't really learn to ski well from a book, just remember this "old man" skiing the black diamonds of Kirkwood and every other place he visits.

Wow. This is like the ski bible, if there is such a thing. In this book, you learn how to create beginner wedges, transition to wedge christies, progress to parallel, and finally ski parallel dynamically like the pros do. You also learn how to carve and ski in various conditions using simple but effective techniques. There is even a chapter on tactics for Nastar racing. I was skeptical whether this would be a good how-to-ski book when I browse through the book because the illustrations are in black and white and look so simple. But after I read the book cover-to-cover, I realized this is the best ski book I ever read. I found the instruction in the other ski books very hard to remember as they are complex. Time and time again when I'm on the slopes, I would fall back to the techniques and tactics taught in this book.

I am a 29 yr old non-athlete, who started skiing last year and could only go upto the wedgie turns level down the green slopes. Thank heavens I found this book and bought one copy. After reading three chapters, I hit the slopes, pushed myself to moderate and difficult blue slopes. Oh boy! I couldn't believe the way I was skiing. I couldn't conceal the wide grin on my face as I was making those smooth parallel S turns. I never believed one could learn skiing by reading a book. This book works, delivers everything it promises. Thanks Lito, for teaching me how to ski.

This is not just the best book on skiing available, it's the best way to learn, period. I never thought I could learn a sport from reading a book, but I skied for twenty years and never got any better. Then I read this book and in one week I was three times the skier. It was like a new sport. Since then I have encouraged a half-dozen friends to read it, all with the same results. My friend Al neglected to actually read the book for years. Then one time we went skiing together and he was suddenly doing everything right, looking like a new, confident, expert skier. I was amazed, and I remarked "your skiing is SO much better!" He replied "I read the book!"

It's happened to just about any skiier. You get over the initial fear of falling, and learn how to get from the top of the hill down to the bottom. You move from the greens to the blues, and get a sense of what skiing is generally about. But you're not *great*.

This plateau is hit by skiiers of all ages and backgrounds. They know the mechanics of skiing, and they know what to do. But they marvel at those people zooming down the slopes effortlessly, as if they were dancing on the snow.

The solution is this book. I didn't even buy it on my own originally - it was given to me by a skiier friend who had read it and loved it. The book made a circuit through our skiing group and soon we all had copies of it. We then lent those out to friends, so they could learn too! This wasn't the basics - how to snowplow, how to stop. And it wasn't complicated either. It was full of great, practical, easy to understand *tips* that you could immediately apply to your own skiing.

Highly recommended!

My first visit to Lake Tahoe last week and not knowing where to go I picked up this travel guide. Off trail and on trail the seepsprings were alive with yellows, blues, oranges and it's only going to get better. Some of the hikes at the higher elevations are still snowbound but there are plenty of listings around the lake to keep me going. The list of dayhikes in this book is staggering and since it's written by locals has real credo. You can't beat all the clean air up at Big Blue.

Authors Jerry Sprout and Janine Sprout have explored the Sierra Nevada for more than twenty years; Alpine Sierra Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Ski, Bike, Fish, Drive from Tahoe to Yosemite is the culmination of their combined experience. Written for families and veteran hikers alike, Alpine Sierra Trailblazer covers 88 different trailheads suitable for assorted levels of experience, 51 cross country ski and snowshoeing spots, 72 places ideal for fishing in lakes and rivers or creeks, 6 driving tours, 148 black-and-white photographs, 7 maps, and much more. Organized primarily by site - each ideal location to visit is listed successively, along with notes about its highlights and extensive directions - Alpine Sierra Trailblazer is an excellent supplementary resource for anyone seeking to see Sierra Nevada's natural beauty and wonders for themselves.

Since I live downslope from Yosemite and Tahoe I consider it my backyard recreation area. Cross country ski trails, hiking trails, trails bordering the Great Basin, they're all in here. I like to fish and this serves as my river guide too. It's very user friendly and has a real personal touch. These guys are trail experts and list all the good ones and those less traveled. My son and his wife have gone to Hawaii with their Kauai book and tell me it's also a winner.

This is the third guide we've used in this outdoor series. The Kauai and Golden Gate books have become mainstays in our hiking collection. I like their system for organizing their activities according to region and this one follows the same format. It spans the area from Yosemite's Tioga Pass, takes in Ebbetts and Monitor and Carson passes and covers south Lake Tahoe's turf. This is the author's home base and they certainly have the credentials for knowing all the best trails and sightseeing backroads.

There aren't many adventure guides that feel as personal or are multi-use like this one. We cross country ski, fish, hike, camp and mountain bike so for our family it's a perfect fit.

Two books you most definitely need if you're hanging out at Tahoe is this one and the Tahoe Rim Trail guide. This area has some of the best hiking in the western U.S. We found both books to be extremely current and clearly written.

So far we've used them for both dayhiking and and overnight backpacking trips up at the north end of Lake Tahoe and due south around Carson Pass. Having two to compare has given us extra ideas for sidetrips. We're a family of four and have gotten alot of use from these top notch trail resources.

In spite of all the ridiculous pictures (or because of them?) I've found this small book provides a lot of helpful reminders on how to ski on teles. It's a complex turn to learn, but the book does a good job of showing the beginning tele-skier what might be going on. Take this with you to the slopes and stash it with your things, it could help you puzzle out why your turn isn't working. I'm definitely bringing it with me this season.

This book offers very practical advice in making the transition to free heel skiing. It is very well written.

I have been telemark skiing for probably 15 years. If you can get the tips in this book into your head you will telemark ski well. Each of the tips are laid out well with great illustrations and humor worthy of Mad magazine. Whether you are an advanced skier seeking improvement or a beginner I doubt there will ever be a better book to help you out to master telemark skiing.

This is the classic comic book version of a telemark skiing text book: brief, clear narrative accompanying excellent cartoon drawings. The book shows both old style (knee down) and new style (no deep dips, feet never widely separated front to back) telemark techniques without really distinguishing between the two but, if you follow the exercises and advice, your skiing will improve. An enjoyable read, an attractive style and price.

You really need Parker's book to understand the tips of this juvenile book. But once you've read Parker's book you immediately realise that this book is just collection of tips from Parker drafted in comics. Without explanations of course. I don't do anything unless I believe the tip is sound and this book does not convince me. Yeah, it's funny for a while but it does not supply the enthusiast the facts really needed to improve in free heels stuff.

This was the book I was looking for when it came to all things surfing. Everything from history, boards, type of surf, how to surf, surf lingo, and great pictures: it's all there.

I bought this for my boyfriend last year and he is still reading it. It is a great book for the coffee table and it keeps you going back for more. It has everything related to surfing in a great layout.

I bought this for my eight-year-old son. He has gotten into surfing recently and can't stop talking about it. He is just getting better at reading, and although this book has a lot to read (which is a plus for those wanting to look up anything about surfing), he is more willing to practice reading when it comes to a subject of interest, so he'll open it up and look up whatever questions pops up in his mind about surfing. Great book!

Or so I presume.

This book has the best history I've seen on Pacific Ready Cut Homes and that's why I purchased it. I'm the author of "California's Kit Homes" and had a devil of a time finding information on this Los Angeles-based company.

I bought "The Encyclopedia of Surfing" and was pleasantly surprised to find information about the company that brought us the Swastika Surfboard. Yes, they made wonderful (and heavy!)surfboards, but did you know they also made and sold 40,000 kit homes before they got into surfboards? (BTW, one Pacific Ready-Cut house had 30,000 pieces of house and a 75-page instruction book - and you thought putting together a VCR stand was tough.)

I also browsed other parts of the book and found it to be an informative and well-researched book.

Rose
author, California's Kit Homes

If you are a surfer or interested in learning anything about the history and names in the sport past and present then you should immediately buy this book. Two copies. Matt Warshaw does an excellent job of detailing almost every major and minor aspect in the history of the sport from onshore wind to "nat young" to "new jersey". There are small black and white photos throughout the book as well. I guarantee you will learn alot from reading just one letter of the alphabet. After reading this book, you can start to talk like Sam George. Highly informative and hard to put down.

Drew Kampion captures the grit, drama, and discovery of surfing's greatest character and shaper: Greg Noll. Buy this book - you will not be disappointed!

A well put together effort. Surfing history has followed the icons of each era and the breaks they rode. Thru time, surfing has always respected the legends who scratched for the outside and rode big. Way to go guys, the most representative collection of surfing lore that I've seen. Thanks.

Tube Thug

Having attended Pier Avenue School..across the street from Noll's surf shop, I have followed surfing since my first time out at Paddle Board Cove, or "The Cove" many moons ago. Excellent book and photos for those who really want to see the changes in board design along with the historical milestones of the surfing history.

Surfing has changed alot since Noll's and Jacob's shop on Pacific Coast Hiway. Most of the original guys are now in surfing heaven riding the milelong rollers.

I enjoyed the book and pick it up frequently to remind me of surfing in California during the 1960 and early 1970's. Yes, there was a time you could have a wave to yourself at Malibu, Rincon or Leo Carrillo State Beach..or "Secos"..or stop off at that place just south of County Line for a great hamburger, fries and a coke for about 2 bucks. How things have changed...And, where did I just come back from...surfing the northern Spanish coast...where I now live..truly "bitchin"

An amazing book for those who really are in love with surfing : boards of legends, men of legends, pictures that make you dream about.
Everything is in there !

Like the surfboards depicted in this beautifuly illastrated book Greg Noll, the art of the surfboard reveal a finely and lovingly prouuced marster piece.
A must have for anyone facinated by the surf culture of today and days gone by.
There are demonstrations on board shaping.
Plus insghtful discutions on past board makers and surfboard collectors.
What realy stands this book apart from the rest is its lavish photography.

The book "Maverick's The Big Story of Big-Wave Surfing" by Matt Warskaw is one of my favorite books. This book is about surfing and its mishaps and adventures. The title of the book is Maverick's, this relates to the book countless times because it is a gigantic storm of waves in California that come every year. There are many different stories, some that are good and some that are sad or not that interesting. This book talks about how surfing has changed over the years. Also how far it has come since 1914. It has some very fascinating stories from surfing a 25-foot wave to drowning and having your last ride. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 because of how interesting it was. I would also recomend this book to all ages because it is such a good book.

This book gives you a feeling of "look at that wave!". If you really want to get an idea of big-wave surfing, find an IMAX theatre showing "Extreme". Then read this book. The photographs are good and the historical information is presented well and has some depth to it. You also get to see pictures of one of the biggest wipeouts ever!

Growing up in Montara just a few minutes north of Mavericks, no one I knew even talked about surfing there. The surfers from the coast surfed the Jetty, and the stronger surfers went to Montara. There were many places around that one could surf, but no one considered Mavericks a surf mecca. No one mentioned it's name.

Seeing is believing. If you have NEVER seen big wave surfing except in pictures you are missing out!...

Enjoy the book. It is a great piece of history about the location and surfing in general!

Look for DVD's and Videos of Mavericks at [their website], taken by locals Eric and Kurt at Powerline Productions.

Not just a nice coffee table book, but also a great story about big waves and big wave surfers. Some of the shots are absolutely spectacular. And what would a book on big waves be without a chapter on Greg Noll - what a character.

This is a fascinating look at the history and sport of big-wave surfing, focusing primarily on Maverick's but also discussing some of the other big-wave spots in the world, such as Todos Santos and Cortes Banks. If you have fond memories of the classic travel and surf-bum movie from the 60s, "The Longest Summer," about great surf spots around the world, you'll probably enjoy this book.

My review concentrates mainly on the dangers, since I was interested in researching that, but overall it's a beautifully illustrated and well-written account of the sport. The author starts with the early history back in the mid-1850s (when a legend has it that a Hawaiian was supposed to have ridden a tsunami back to shore).

I was interested because I used to live for many years near Maverick's, one of the premier big-wave surfing spots in the world, and I was curious what it had to say. I've never been a board-surfer myself, but grew up in southern Cal and did a lot of body surfing when I was younger. One time, I foolishly tried to body-surf a storm-driven 18-footer at Gillis Beach in southern California and got ground into the bottom and held down long enough so I thought I might not get back up to the surface in time. But I survived, and am now older and wiser.

I've had a few other misadventures, such as having been pulled out by a couple of riptides (including one that pulled me underneath the water briefly), so I've always had respect for the ocean, and I figured big-wave riding must surely be even more dangerous. Photos of lone surfers dwarfed by enormous waves have always amazed me and sent shivers up my spine, as I remembered my own scary encounter with a wave. Oddly enough, the author goes to some pains to dispell that notion by recounting various statistics and many anecdotal stories about the sport.

For example, although it's possible for a big-wave to hold a surfer underwater long enough to drown, this is very rare. More likely is for a surfer at the more crowded small-wave sites to get knocked unconscious by someone else's board who wiped out and to drown that way. Or there's the possibility of an unsupervised and inexperienced surfer drifting into a strong riptide. And as the author says, "No big wave surfer ever tested the odds as boldly as the untrained, pot-bellied, beer-staggered, citizen body-surfer."

Mark Renneker, a UCSF physician and avid big-wave surfer, gathered data and compiled statistics on injuries and concluded that cheerleaders were injured more often than big-wave surfers.

Peter van Dyke, another big-wave fan, had some other comments, pointing out that in one recent year, a half dozen Grand Prix racers were killed but not one surfer, and many more bull-fighters were killed. He said that big-wave surfers were so unconcerned about their fitness that they trained on "cake, Kool-Aid, ice cream, and cigarettes." He also pointed out that the last surfer to die at Waimea was Dickie Cross back in 1943. By 1994, no-one had yet died at Maverick's (although that would soon change with Mark Foo's death).

The book also contains a full chapter going into the events preceding and following Mark Foo's death. One of the things that becomes apparent there is that surfers aren't so much killed by the waves as by occasionally getting their ankle straps caught in underwater reefs so that they can't surface. Although no-one to this day knows what killed Mark Foo, it's possible this was part of it, and one of the other surfers had the same thing happen that very day, although he was able to get free just as he was running out of air and get to the surface.

Still, because of the perceived dangers, out of 5 million surfers world-wide, only about 100 are regular big-wave riders.

But as I said, the book also contains a more general discussion and history of the sport from the early days to the present, using Maverick's as its point of departure. There are many spectacular photos, including a fantastic two-page spread of Mike Parsons riding what's thought to be the largest wave ever ridden at Cortes Banks, an open ocean reef 100 miles to the west of San Diego.

By the way, I agree with the previous reviewer about possible huge waves up in Alaska. In fact, in Puget Sound they sometimes get 60-foot waves, and they can get 20 or 30 foot waves at the mouth of the Columbia river in Oregon, where the Coast Guard trains captains in the heavy surf handling of boats. Also, off the tip of South Africa there is an area where, because of the way the ocean currents travel up from Antartica combined with a sea floor that funnels the wave energy, it's thought that 100-foot waves can occur. (In fact, it's one of the few places in the world where large ships occasionally disappear, and it's suspected huge "rogue waves" may be responsible). There was also the finding of the underwater quake that caused a tsunami to go 2000 feet up the mountainside at an uninhabited bay up the west coast of Alaska. No-one saw it but the devastation was so dramatic it wasn't hard to figure out the cause when it was discovered later.

The largest wave ever recorded (at least by a reliable observer) was by the USS Ramapo back in the early 1930s. The ship was about 120 feet long and completely fit on the side of an enormous sea wave that passed under it in the mid-Pacific, and was estimated to be 134 feet high. Now that's a wave any surfer could envy.

With today's rising rates of obesity, good fitness ethics have to be instilled at a young age. "Fun, Fitness, and Skills: The Powerful Original Games Approach" is a manual for parents and teachers who want to ensure that children get the exercise they need, and that will teach them valuable life skills as well. The games vary far and wide, but all are sure to appeal to youngsters, making "Fun Fitness, and Skills" especially recommendation to gym teachers and other recreation professionals in charge of children ages 5-10.

I love this book especially for the younger age groups. It really helped me to see how you should set up games and what is important to include in all lessons. Great job Mr. Weiss!!!!

Excellent book for ANY grade level. The games can be adapted to suit the needs of your children. Howie Weiss has put this book together nicely. All of the games are easy to follow and can be adapted to suit the needs of your children, space and equipment.

It is great when you are creating a lesson plan because all of the games and activities are based on the NASPE's National Standards. I teach High School and my kids at that age STILL love all of the activities that I have done so far.

This book is definitely a must have!

If you are in need of the physical educator's Bible ,then this book is a must not only for younger teachers , but also for (us) veterans who need to be re-tooled.Howie's book hits the mark of excellence. It is apparent from the very beginning that his book has the ability to change the way physical education is preceived.
Howie's wealth of experience is noticeable on each page. He leaves so many variations and alternatives that can be used in all areas of education. This is not only a " How to Book ", it is a why, and a I wish I had this twenty years ago.I call this book a page turner because I couldn't wait to see what Howie would come up with next . He didn't dissapoint , in fact , this book gave me the energy to continue my quest to become even more active beyond retirement . Howie, thanks again for giving us a different view of the way to teach and to reach out to make a difference. Great job ! and will there be a sequel?
Gerry Cernicky

Mr. Weiss' book is a must have for every Physical Educator who is looking for new games to utilize in their physical education classes. The games and activities in the book can be easily implemented, and most require little or no equipment. In addition, these activities all can lead to meeting NASPE and state standards for Physical Education. If you are committed to providing a quality phyiscal education program for your students, this book is a must have for your library of resources!

The author and illustrator know lots about the backcountry and provide tons of useful information on winter skiing. Even if you've spent much time yourself skiing in the backcountry, you'll find tips here that will make you wonder why you hadn't been doing things that way all along.

This book combines some great humor and excellent line drawings with some great wilderness and backcountry wisdom. All the tips and tricks one picks up over the years are in this book and it is highly recommended reading for newcomers and those already involved.

There are two types of winter campers: those who have this book and those who need it. Perhaps if you are very very experienced you don't need it but otherwise, get it! Allen wrote a short, but information full book, that is easy and fun to read quickly and jamn packed with a mix of basic functional knowledge, extra tidbits that are good to know, and all kinds of little tricks he has discovered over the years.

it is awesome! these guys are nols instructors. one guy provides the incredibly helpful commentary while the other guy provides the humorous illustrations. you will be howling with laughter as you read this great book. my bet is that humor/laughter aids the memorization process. that is key in this case because there are some truly essential tips in this book! not to be without! can't wait to wintercamp this year. they also have a telemark tips book which is very good too...

Well, I just panned a different book and said don't waste your money so now its time to even the score.

This book is great fun. I have lots of winter camping books and do a fair amount of winter camping. Other books may have more information, but none covers all of the basics with as much humor as this one. I do alpine skiing and snowshoeing so the coverage of tele skiing wasn't of particular interest...but I still really enjoyed reading those sections, too.

It is hard to describe the authors' irreverent approach while dealing with serious (life and death) topics, but they somehow pull it off. This is really a great book to engage someone who isn't already a hard-core winter camper...so if you are, buy it for your significant other (assuming you haven't been able to get them enthused about spending a winter weekend outdoors.) If they don't enjoy this book, you may officially give up on them.

I bought this book as a Christmas gift for my boyfriend. It beautifully portrays two of his most favorite things, surfing and Maui. You will not believe how amazing the photos are in this book. And each page is covered edge to edge in full color pictures giving you the feeling that you were actually there watching from the overlook.

I'm naming one of my children Laird; what a stud, eah? A friend had this large surfer pictorial coffee table book back in 97, and 10 years later it's still the best book I've ever seen on the subject. It has some of the finest photographs ever taken of large wave surfing (the cover is not just a one-off) and some of the preeminent accompanying text that ever existed about surfing (heartfelt philo; but intelligent, not loadie). Other than Surfer magazine, I believe this book was the first to show the new era of tow-in surfing, and the story of the heroes who created it. It's complete - and the first edition is no doubt a collectors piece for surfers. To my mind the movie Riding Giants should have clearly stated "inspired by the book Jaws Maui", because it's essentially the same thing in a different medium (and also highly recommended).

There is this marvelous line in the book - one of the hardcore crew basically answering the question about why Laird is so much better than anyone else. His answer was stellar; something along the lines of ~yeah - he's insane - "he's doing this for entirely different reasons". Absolutely classic. Absolutely frickin' classic. I'm just now getting the book (or I'd give you the exact quote) but what a glorious and magnificent line. I was devastated when it didn't make it into the movie Riding Giants.

I think this was one of the best thriller stories of its time. I personnally think it also is one the best water thrillers ever. I think any who is scared of the water should read this book.

Jaw Maui has much more to offer than your average coffee-table book. It is an incredible blending of inspirational writing and insightful interviews with the watermen themselves. Charlie & Leslie Lyon have done a great job letting us in on the inner workings of these accomplished athletes. Everyone that visits us gets a chance to read Jaws, and has come away mightily impressed (and longing for a trip to Maui!).

If anyone out there either surfs or enjoy's Surfing as a way of life, this book is for you! Go out there and purchase this book! Jaws is more than a book, the colourful pages come alive in front of you, looking at Laird Hamilton coming down the faces of massive 50+foot surf, it's like your right there below him (holding the camera) Blue Max did an amazing job of illustrating these waves for us, I was lucky enough to have visited Maui, for others out there, what are you waiting for..? Killer Waves..Best Surfers in the world.. see it all..? or save your money and buy this book

aloha Jim Mellanis :-)