From Publishers Weekly
Freelance writer Coleman (Eddie Would Go) examines the history of surfing in Hawaii through the lens of Makaha, an isolated town on the west coast of Oahu. Makaha is the heart and soul of the title, but those words also apply to the men and women whose stories give life to the town. Chief among them is Richard Buffalo Keaulana, an accomplished waterman of full-blood Hawaiian descent. Born in 1934, Keaulana grew up during the evolution of surfing from an obscure ritual in a far-flung corner of the American empire to an international phenomenon. For Coleman, Keaulana embodies the culture that produced the first longboard and the elusive concept of aloha. Coleman also tells the story of the women's surfing pioneer, Rell Sunn; the Rabelaisian Hawaiian singer and songwriter Israel Kamakawiwo'ole; and the first voyage of the Hokule'a, a replica of traditional Polynesian voyaging canoes. Coleman tends to romanticize his subjects (Looking into the deep brown eyes of Brian Keaulana is like seeing the soul of Makaha) and the narrative doesn't always come together, yet his unquestioning embrace of all things Hawaiian is infectious, and his subtle charm will please all true believers in the soul of surfing. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Dude! Hang ten! Don’t wipe out! Such phrases, both quaint and common, have their genesis on the sylvan shores of the Hawaiian islands, home to the ancient and modern sport of surfing. And nowhere has the taming of the waves been more revered or refined than in the tiny, isolated village of Makaha on Oahu’s wild western coast. Led by the aptly named Buffalo Keaulana, a ragtag group of rebels and outlaws, loners and drifters, natives and haoles found solace and sought glory there through the study and mastery of towering walls of water. Inspiring and inspired by the gentle songs of Makaha’s giant Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwo’ole, this renegade village came to embody the peace and power of the ocean. Coleman richly pays homage to the legendary pioneers who elevated surfing from an island pastime to an international competition and shares stories of the great generosity, unwavering courage, and audacious vitality of the surfers who epitomize the deep cultural resonance of the Hawaiian spirit. --Carol Haggas
