Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board (Paperback)

by Bethany Hamilton (Author), Sheryl Berk (Author), Rick Bundschuh (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
They say Bethany Hamilton has saltwater in her veins. How else could one explain the tremendous passion that drives her to surf? How else could one explain that nothing -- not even the loss of her arm in a horrific shark attack -- could come between her and the waves? That Halloween morning in Kauai, Hawaii -- a glorious part of the world, where it's hard to deny the divine -- Bethany responded to the shark's stealth attack with the calm of a girl with God on her side. Pushing pain and panic aside, she immediately began to paddle with one arm, focusing on a single thought: "Get to the beach...." Rushed to the hospital, where her father, Tom Hamilton, was about to undergo knee surgery, Bethany found herself taking his spot in the O.R. It's the kind of coincidence that isn't mere coincidence to the Hamilton family, a clan whose motto could easily be "the family that surfs and prays together stays together." To them it was a sign someone had a greater plan than the one they'd been working on themselves -- which had been to scrape together whatever resources they could to help Bethany rise to the top of her sport. When the first thing Bethany wanted to know after surgery was "When can I surf again?" it became clear that her unfaltering spirit and determination were part of a greater story -- a tale of courage and faith that this modest and soft-spoken girl would come to share with the world. Soul Surfer is a moving account of Bethany's life as a young surfer, her recovery in the wake of the shark attack, the adjustments she's made to her unique surfing style, her unprecedented bid for a top showing in the World Surfing Championships, and, most fundamentally, her belief in God. It is a story of girl power and spiritual grit that shows that the body is no more essential to surfing -- perhaps even less so -- than the soul. - from book's back cover

Product Details

• Paperback: 213 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books (2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416507728
• ISBN-13: 978-1416507727
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #110,920 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Toughest Surfer Girl Out There, January 25, 2006

A Kid's Review

At just 13, Bethany Hamilton lost her left arm and a piece of her surfboard to a tiger shark, possibly limiting her accomplishments of her life forever. But did that stop her from surfing? Of course not! Ever since age three, Bethany has constantly been in the water, usually off the beach near her Kauai home. Her parents are probably most to blame. Both her father Tom and her mother Cheri supported her one hundred percent, because they had both surfed all their lives as well. But her parents are also her teachers, since she is homeschooled. Bethany has two older brothers, both surfers, and a best friend named Alana, another surfer, who stayed withher through the entire attack, surgery, and recovery. She has turned pro and is currently sponsored by her favorite surfboard and clothing manufacturer, RipCurl. Bethany really went against all odds the day she got back on the board. No one, not even her own family believed she would ever surf again, but the very first thing she did after the stitches were taken out was go out and buy a new board! Bethany is not only a celebrity in the surfing world, but in the general sports world as well. She has recieved the 2004 Teen Choice Award for Most Courageous Teen, the 2004 ESPY Award for Best Comeback Athlete, and was called "The Bravest Girl in America" by YM magazine. Soul Surfer is a triumphant and moving account of Bethany Hamilton's fight to get "back on the board."

Bethany throws her soul into surfing, calling her unique style of the sport "Soul Surfing." (Hence the title Soul Surfer). She may have lost her arm in the attack, but she could never lose her faith in God. Maybe her faith motivated her to try again, and it was so strong that she now competes professionally worldwide. Bethany has proved to the world that the body may be a substantial part of surfing, but it's the soul that counts.

Truthfully, Bethany's experience has made her a better person altogether, and probably even a better surfer! Her heartfelt passion for surfing has brought her closer to God in faith and in spirit, and could quite possibly prepare her for adulthood better than anything.

Bethany Hamilton's first-hand account of the full-on fight to keep surfing is worth the read all the way. This teenage autobiography would interest even the least likely of readers, Bethany's story is so amazing. I recommend Soul Surfer to anyone of any age.

-C. Edwards

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A positive review from a teenage girl, January 2, 2006

By	D. Sanguinetti (Barre, VT USA) - See all my reviews

This was a wonderful story, written by Bethany Hammilton herself. It is very discriptive when describing the events on the day of the attack, and also talks about her life afterword. This is a book that is very hard to put down once you start it. It is a very quick read that is very injoyable. Bethany talks alot about her religion and how she believes that God has helped her and the He has a plan for her life. I highley recomend this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soul Sufer, December 4, 2005

A Kid's Review

Title: Soul Surfer
Author: Bethany Hamilton
Main Character: The main character is Bethany Hamilton. She is 13 years old, and she lives to surf.
Plot: Bethany and her friend were out laying on their boards talking on Halloween morning. All of a sudden, Bethany felt a tug. She looked down and saw a pool of blood. She remained calm and then she realized that her arm and a chunk of her surfboard had been bitten off. She paddled back to shore yelling, "I've been bitten by a shark!" This is the beginning of Bethany's battle. She never gave up. She exercised every day and never stopped believing in herself. Before she knew it, she was back on her board again!
Setting: Modern day, Kauai, Hawaii
Theme: Bethany was staying true to herself and God to get back on the board again.


I really liked this book because it relates to my life because I like surfing and she inspired me too. She showed me that even if something terrible has happened to you like losing an arm or a leg, you don't have to give up what you were doing. You can still accomplish your dreams!