A review by arielamandah
Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan

4.0

Not sure when exactly I started reading this book, but suffice to say it's one I've dipped in and out of several times before I finished (maybe reading chapters in wave-like sets, if you want to make that leap?). Yes, it's dense and very focused on surfing, but Finnegan is a good writer and captures the various phases and stages of his life (and his surfing) well. I'm not a surfer, nor do I know much about it, but I do appreciate people writing about their passions, nature, travel, and memoirs. This hits all those buttons. There's not a driving plot, no page-turning action, but it's a great reflection on coming of age, what drives us, and ultimately aging - both within a sport/hobby/passion and in a community.