Customer Reviews

North Shore Chronicles: Big-Wave Surfing in Hawaii

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With all due respect to hard-working surf journalists everywhere, author Bruce Jenkins contributes an overdue dose of world-class penmanship to one of the world's most profound human challenges-- Big Wave Surfing. As a professional sportswriter, Jenkins has covered events such as the Stanley Cup, PGA, Superbowl, and World Series. But his true love of surfing shines forth here. He captures the attitudes, lifestyles, and mystique of the world's legendary watermen, in their rightful environment: the North Shore of Oahu. I grew up surfing on Oahu, and I can attest that, for a sane person, North Shore surfing is first and foremost about conquering horrendous personal fear. Although beautiful, the waves there are huge, thick, fast, churning, and unforgiving. One must endure deathly wipeouts and end-of-the-world-type situations, and cultivate Herculean stamina to survive the hellish ocean conditions. Each surfer chronicled here has somehow overcome these odds to make it to the elite inner circle. They represent vastly different personalities, backgrounds, physical builds, but all possess one thing in common: Big Brass Ones, and the respect of the entire surf community. I especially enjoyed the interview with big-wave rider Tom Nellis and his opinions of the scene. Nellis is entertaining and forthright as he pays respectful homage to his legendary surf peers Michael Ho, Clyde Aikau, and Gerry Lopez. All in all, Jenkins does a marvelous job capturing the "Wild West" feel of the North Shore lifestyle. He's right: talk and posturing matter very little there-- in the end, it is ultimately about who has "sack" and who doesn't. The North Shore is truly a macho frontier, and in this book you'll understand why. You'll enjoy all the profiles-- Jenkins' selection of featured surfers is very well-balanced, deep, and lasting. Even if you've never surfed, get this book. You will be intrigued. And if you suspect that these wonderful tales seem somehow exaggerated or too mythic, try paddling out to a routine, Hawaiian-sized 10-foot (i.e., two-story-high) day at Sunset Beach. If by chance you live through it, thank the Lord and remember that these guys handle waves and ocean conditions SEVERAL TIMES that heavy. Hats off to Bruce Jenkins-- and I hope he writes another one!

north shore chronicals is a mind boggling book that will make you take a secound look at surfing in hawaii. With all the stories being true you will have a deep understanding for how the true hawaiian watermen live there lives.

great stories and great pictures! it gives a wonderful insight ito the most fearless men's lives, a must read!

Bruce Jenkins explores the heart and soul of the North Shore; The monster waves that ravage it and the amazing men that ride the beasts.

Google Books provides a very substantial preview of this book. I suggest reading the introduction (written in 2005). The bulk of the text was published in 1990, with added material in 1998 and updates in 2005, so this book has had a long gestation.

A bit of a further update came in November 2011, which introduced me to the author's long time interest in surfing. Bruce Jenkins (born 1948) is a long-time sports writer and sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. In November, he did a George Plimpton by both covering and participating in the San Francisco Bodysurf Classic, a modest event for enthusiasts of using your body as a surfboard. Jenkins reports eight foot surf, 56 degree water, and one competitor who wore only a Speedo. Best of all, Jenkins was assigned the same heat as his role model and mentor in bodysurfing, Mark Cunningham, who is one of the surfers profiled in "North Shore Chronicles."
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This is a book for those who appreciate athletes and like good sports writing. For those who already love surfing, it must be something of a classic. The only puzzle to me is that it took me so long to find Mr. Jenkins and his book.

I really enjoyed this book. Great stories from the North Shore of Oahu back in the day before things got crazy with the huge crowds. The characters Jenkins profiles are the legends I had heard about as a youngster. It was great reading about them from someone who knew them well. Ken Bradshaw has mellowed tremendously. Saw him out surfing at Castles on the South Shore several years ago on a good size day. He was very friendly and actually quite a gentleman.

Bruce Jenkins does a phenomenal job bringing the reader to Hawaii's North Shore. His comfort level with the surfing community on the North Shore allows us entree into a world very few of us will experience and his does this with an eloqunce and immediacy that makes for compelling reading. This book belongs on the bookshelf of anyone interested in surfing in particular and anyone generally interested in well-told sports stories.

The pictures give extra depth and provide credibility to the stories. Easily among the best written books about big wave surfing.