I Surf, Therefore I Am: A Philosophy of Surfing [Hardcover]

Peter Kreeft (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 11, 2008

This is the first book about surfing ever written by a philosopher. The author, a 70-year-old surfanatic, has been Professor of Philosophy at Boston College for over 40 years and has written 50 other books on philosophy, religion, and culture. But compared to this one, the others are nothing but straw. It gives ten compelling existential reasons why everyone should surf: reasons from the great philosophers: Moses, Buddha, Confucius, Lao Tzu, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Jesus, Machiavelli, Freud, and George Morey. It explains how surfing is the easiest and most delightful way in the world to attain what you most deeply long for, for it can make you good, mystical, peaceful, wise, heavenly, happy, sexy, and even rich. It also contains a manifesto defending bodyboarding as true surfing, not “sponging,” and a short handbook of seven practical lessons for beginners in this noble art. The book is suffused with the offbeat and unpredictable humor that characterizes both the sea herself and those who have fallen in love with her.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: St. Augustines Press; 1 edition (July 11, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587313774
• ISBN-13: 978-1587313776
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Surfing
  • #85 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Miscellaneous > Essays

More About the Author

Peter J. Kreeft (Ph.D., Fordham University) is professor of philosophy at Boston College where he has taught since 1965. A popular lecturer, he has also taught at many other colleges, seminaries and educational institutions in the eastern United States. Kreeft has written more than sixty-seven books, including The Best Things in Life, Christianity for Modern Pagans, Fundamentals of the Faith and The Handbook of Christian Apologetics.

Dr. Kreeft's MP3 audio lectures can be purchased on Amazon, such as
"Christianity in Lord of the Rings".

Free articles, audio lectures, the speaking schedule and more info from Dr. Peter Kreeft can be found at his popular web site:
http://www.peterkreeft.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Read, Not especially philosophical but, June 29, 2008

By 

R. B. Jones "ralphkramden" (San Diego, Ca United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Surf, Therefore I Am: A Philosophy of Surfing (Hardcover)

I am a California Standup surfer. Dr. Kreeft is one of the primary reasons I am Roman Catholic. I listen to a MP3 of one of his lectures downloaded from [...] almost every lunchtime business day.
Dr. Kreeft has a lot of fun writing this book. I enjoyed reading it. It is not a philosophy book. For that read Philosophy of Jesus or The Sea Within. However, if you surf, love the ocean, know God, you will enjoy this book.
As a Californian and as a Standup surfer there are issues between me and Dr. Kreeft that I am sure will be ironed out through God's grace at our Purgatory.

3 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A surfing conundrum, August 30, 2008

By 

Glenn Sakamoto (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Surf, Therefore I Am: A Philosophy of Surfing (Hardcover)

This book contains some real spiritual and philosophical gems.

However, the author reveals towards the back of the book that he is a bodyboarder and not a stand-up surfer. The author argues that bodyboarding is closer to surfing a wave than stand-up surfing. The author also incorrectly attributes the inventor of the Boogieboard to a George Morey. The inventor's name is actually Tom Morey.

Regardless, the book is an enjoyable read to anyone interested in the spiritual, cerebral, and emotional states of riding a wave.

0 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Title and concept/idea ripped off, December 5, 2008

By 

H. Frantz - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I Surf, Therefore I Am: A Philosophy of Surfing (Hardcover)

Was looking for a specific surfing book when I stumbled across this title, conveniently the title of the book as well as the concept belonged to someone else. When I looked at the published date (July 2008) it became obvious that this was lifted from an online surfing group one time member who had in fact begun a book on surfing over a couple years ago with the same title and had shared this title with a certain online surfing community. The premise of the book is identical. Unfortunately, the ORIGINAL author/idea generator had not yet put a copyright on this, so they are screwed, but it should be known to all who think about buying this book that this guy is cashing in on someone elses exact title/description etc. This isn't/wasn't his original idea.

Lame.