Customer Reviews

Dora Lives: The Authorized Story Of Miki Dora

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mikki Dora was one of a kind, a genuine "rebel" not searching for a cause, willing to milk the system he considered the death of pure surfing. Dora was a true surfer, and his games with money, competition and film were played for his amusement and to support his chosen lifestyle, full-time beach bum and surfer. Yes, he had an ego, was a hedonist, but a spiritual being as well. While his life may seem a maze of contradictions to many readers, to a true surfer (not today's MBA holders who surf slop on weekends), his actions make perfect sense, leading to a life lived fully, learning and exploring the world, himself, while indulging his senses for sheer enjoyment and immersement in our planetary life and waves, energy given us freely by the universe.
The revviewers I've read haven't a clue about what drove the man, and so many of his contemporaries as myself, to explore so many avenues, sometimes behave badly, but risk life and soul in the process of knowing himself and the world. For a non-surfer who never expeienced the sport and lifestyle in its pre-commercial days is impossible; even the meanings of the language of surfing have changed (I might as well review the lifestyle and times of a rapper about whose culture I know nothing, including the language).
Dora was many people to many people; criticizing his life story is like jousting at rainbows. Surely some reviewers who have no understanding of the man and times have better things to do than criticize the typeface and page size of a book about a man they don't understand or care about?
DORA was unique. Real surfers, enjoy. Highway surfers and literary critics, stay on your beach towels in the tanning salon and read about Trump or Oprah or Dick Cheney ;-)
All you cool regular folks and surfers: Hang Ten!
Rob del Rincon

This is a beautiful book with great pictures and stories. It would have gotten 5 stars if it weren't for the fact that the type is so hard to read. Everything from the choice of type (some sort of bad version of Bodoni) to how small it's set (maybe 5 pt. type) makes each page a real chore to read. Bummer! Otherwise, fascinating stories about Dora and his Malibu milieu.

Have always liked the mystic behind Da Cat, but this book was a bit of a heavy read. Can't really put my finger on what it was about it that made it difficult to read, it just was. Regardless of that though, he certainly was a character. Bit mad. Bit anti-establishment. Bit sad.

Really a good read and a very classy publishing job. Great coffee table book. You can't go wrong with this book for yourself or as a gift.

I didn't know Dora (too young, I came later) but I know many people who did. As with any good story teller, and he apparently was, there a figments of even "truth" that accompany the life exaggerations in this book. To a man, (at least, my acquaintences)described him as an invenerate lier, cheat, and con artist.....but entertaining, non-the-less. The consumate surf bum and original "me, me, me" before the in vouge "me" decade practitioner.

That is the problem with this (well-written, at least) book on Dora's life. Half, at least, is probably crap....but what crap it is!

I would rather listen/read-about Dora's lies, than have to wade through a lot of pontification by other surf media "journalists" (Rabbit, Hynd, etc.) any day.

In death even, exaggeration can become myth, can become legend, then even truth.

I bought the book for my son for christmas and had Amazon post it direct to him in Laos he received it the day promised and he is very happy he said the book is great and is spending time reading. Thank You Amazon