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kaisan's review
4.0
This book offers an insight into a life very different from my own, but of a style that I wish to incorporate more and more. I have never surfed, yet have gained a new appreciation and respect for the sport through this book. For a younger generation, it also gives a view into what life was like growing up in the United States in the 60s and 70s.
modeislodis's review
2.0
I started Barbarian Days grinning with enthusiasm; it’s been on my list for years! It starts strong with his adolescence in Honolulu, but as the book wore on (and on), Finnegan eroded my enthusiasm away and this memoir became a chore for me to finish.
I don’t surf and admittedly the thorough descriptions of waves he rode didn’t do much to keep me interested. Starting halfway through, I began skipping (pages of) surf reports from his travels. So ok, this book isn’t written for the likes of me…
…but what really drove my rating down was blocky writing, a jumpy timeline (flashbacks without transitions, random surf trips dropped in the middle of a separate surf story - chaotic to follow!), and how Finnegan comes off as arrogant and macho in his own memoir. He’s lived an adventurous, beautiful life but the memoir felt one-note and was a tedious read.
I don’t surf and admittedly the thorough descriptions of waves he rode didn’t do much to keep me interested. Starting halfway through, I began skipping (pages of) surf reports from his travels. So ok, this book isn’t written for the likes of me…
…but what really drove my rating down was blocky writing, a jumpy timeline (flashbacks without transitions, random surf trips dropped in the middle of a separate surf story - chaotic to follow!), and how Finnegan comes off as arrogant and macho in his own memoir. He’s lived an adventurous, beautiful life but the memoir felt one-note and was a tedious read.
cdmcc's review
4.0
"Surfing is a secret garden, not easily entered. My memory of learning a spot, of coming to know and understand a wave, is usually inseparable from the friend with whom I tried to climb its walls."
neonpeg's review
5.0
So glad this got so much attention! For a subject I know nothing about (apart from loving to watch surfing documentaries because I know nothing about it) this was constantly engaging and I enjoyed every second of it. Apart from the very few occasions I did glaze over a little when he went very technical, but that was very rare and I think anyone with even a vague interest in the time covered, travelling or surfing itself would enjoy this book
febblues's review
2.0
Couldn't quite bring myself to finish it. I enjoyed reading along the journeys and surfing being a constant in his life, however it does seem to be the longest 450 page book. The descriptions are beautiful but not being a surfer myself, it was hard to really get into the book. I did enjoy, as being a SoCal native myself a lot of references. I really do wish I would've enjoyed the book more than I did. :/