BOOK - Women on Waves by Jim Kempton

A cultural history of surfing: from ancient goddesses and Hawaiian queens to Malibu movie stars and millennial champions. WOMEN ON WAVES is a captivating look at two centuries of women's surfing, including Surf Diva surf school and Surf Diva surf shop founders and twin sisters Izzy and Coco Tihanyi.

About the author:

Jim Kempton is the award-winning former editor-in-chief of SURFER magazine. He is the author of three books, including First We Surf, Then We Eat and Surfing: The Manual. Currently, he is the president of the California Surf Museum and previously served as a project director for Quiksilver. He lives in San Clemente, California.

More about the Women on Waves book: 

Few subjects in the world of sports or the outdoors are more timely or compelling than women’s surfing. From smart, strong, fearless women shattering records on eighty-foot waves to the professional playing field, these amazing, wave-riding warriors provide an inspirational and aspirational cast of powerful role models for women (and men) across all backgrounds and generations. Over the past two hundred years, and especially the past five decades, the surfing lifestyle has become the envy of people around the world.

These women—and their inimitable style—have created a booming lifestyle and sports industry that is eagerly anticipating the sport’s Olympic exhibition debut in Tokyo 2021. The sport’s explosion and Olympic appearance mark a massive shift from when colonizers tried to extinguish all traces of Native Hawaiian surfing and its sacred culture.

What is it about surfing that intrigues people of all ages, from all corners of the world? The beaches and idyllic locations? The unique style and mystique that surfers project? These women, riding giant waves and fiercely competing on the world circuit, have made their mark not just on their sport, but on our wider culture, whether it is fashion or Hollywood.

Women on Waves is filled with phenomenal athletic performances and breakthrough achievements. Kempton’s definitive history spans centuries, from Hawaii to Malibu, from New York to Australia, from South Africa to the South Pacific, and beyond. Women on Waves is a fascinating new narrative that promises to captivate readers and wave riders alike.