The Master

For the last ten years one of my favorite writers has been Haruki Murikami, he is Japanese and unlike anything I have ever read. I recently read a collection of short stories by him called blind woman, sleeping willow. All the stories are great, but The Seventh Man stands out. It is a story about a rouge waves that takes a mans memory--really haunting stuff for salty types--I am not sure of the legalities, but I found it on line here is the link. Read this story and then go out and buy the whole book. http://www.geocities.jp/yoshio_osakabe/Haruki/Books/SeventhMan-E.html

Salty But Subtle

As much as I love surfing I get tired of it been used as a means for branding and cool factor. Art and writing that includes the sport of kings falls into two camps, soulful or tacky. I have come appreciate art/music/books that have surfing in the background not the foreground. I like things that imply but don't outright say "surfing".

Art--Tom Killion

Recently my own art is taking the direction of ink lines and colour swaths. I want to head in the direction of print making so was very interested to discover Tom Killion's work in the last Surfer's Journal. Tom Killion blends traditional Japanese print making with coastal Californian content. The result is absolutely spectacular, although it is clear that Killion is a surfer he includes it in a very appropriate and subtle way.

Books--Tim Winton

Australian writer Tim Winton writes novels that take place is rural, coastal, Australia. Winton hardly ever mentions surfing in his books, but he is a surfer and surfing magically exists just off the page and whispers itself to the reader through out the books. My two favorite books by Winton are Dirt Music and Blueback.

Music--Chris Issak

Jack Johnson has been credited with creating the newest wave ofc surf music, very laid back simple songs that border on wimpy. But before Jack there was Ocean beach surfer Chris Isaak. Chris is the first person that has ever been able to make singing in Falsetto manly. Although not appropriate in all settings, and never appropriate in a car full of guys Chris Isaak's Baja Sessions is the perfect soundtrack to an after surf hammock swing...

Books that blew my mind

I would not consider myself a huge graphic novel person, but I do have a deep appreciation for really good ones. The three listed below were probably three of my favourite books of the year.



1) The Rabbi's Cat--Joan Sfar:

This book was amazing. I read it while flying home from China and laughed out loud several times. It is a great example of the new wave of high quality comics and graphic novels coming out of France. In this book a cat that lives with a Rabbi eats a parrot and gains the ability to talk, the first thing he does with his speech is lie to the rabbi about eating the parrot; the second thing he does is insist on studying the Kaballah.

2) Night Fisher--R Kikuo Johnson

This is a coming of age story that takes place in Hawaii.
Both the story and the art are great, but the art is extremely impressive. It deals with both the light and dark sides of living in "Paradise" and really effectively addresses some of the post colonial problems present in Hawaii.

3) A Thousand Ships--Eric Shanower

All that can be said about this is that it is book 1 of a 7 volume series about the Trojan war. It's focus is on getting as in depth as possible well staying interesting. In my my opinion it is by far the most engaging way to learn ancient history.