Grumpy About Gerry Lopez

This is really irritating.

A few weeks ago someone on the Standup Zone (http://www.standupzone.com the best forum for Stand Up Paddle Surfing around, including the little forum here on Ke Nalu) mentioned the book Fierce Heart: The Story Of Makaha and the Soul of Surfing. My friend Kaweeka pointed out some local Hawaiian controversy about the book, which was enough to pique my curiosity. I went to Amazon and ordered a copy. So far, I’d have to say it’s everything a book should be–fearless. I’ll get to Gerry in a minute. But here’s my take on writing.

Everyone has their own unique view on the world. That usually doesn’t matter much until you sit down to write something. But a book, or any writing for that matter has to reflect the writer’s view of the world, or it’s worthless pap. You can’t write a book that your Mom won’t be embarrassed by. You can’t write a book caring that your friends might consider you a perverted whack job. You have to write fearlessly, or you’re a hack and your book is crap. Stuart Holmes Coleman wrote both this book and “Eddie Would Go”. Both are fine books. Eventually the people he wrote about will understand that he loves and respects them, and wanted to tell their story the best way he could. I think he did that. I haven’t finished it yet, but so far, so very, very good. They have warts, he talks about them, but they are all HUGE people, and if I’m very lucky I’ll get to meet them.

On to Gerry. While I was on Amazon I noticed Gerry Lopez’s book, and bought that too. So here’s the short version. If you care about great writing, stop reading this and buy this book. If you care about surfing, stop reading this and go buy this book. If you’d like to see how life should be lived…well, you get the idea.

But I’m pissed about this book, really pissed. I can live with the fact that Gerry Lopez is an infinitely better surfer than me, and an infinitely better Stand Up Paddle Surfer than me. But I’m a relatively new surfer and he’s been surfing all his life–that’s understandable. I’ve been writing all my life, made my living writing stuff. And he’s a far better writer than me. That pisses me off.

Pick someone you think has a modicum of sensitivity and an appreciation of elegance. Your significant other will probably do. Read them this passage:

“The summer wave off the little point of the bay at Pakala still spins perfectly around it’s arc of shallow reef, just as it did before my grandparents lived there, or later when a child looked up to notice its ample grace.”

Damn.