The Wave: In Pursuit Of The Rogues, Freaks, And Giants Of The Ocean (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
I should point out that what I was reading was an advanced galley copy a friend and coworker was giving away (she had been weeding her bookshelves and brought in a whole bunch of books, including this one). I point this out because the one nit I had about this book might have been fixed in the final product. That said, I really enjoyed this one. I never knew a book on ocean waves could be so fascinating, but it was. Casey gets her information from numerous viewpoints, including scientists studying waves and global warming, insurance companies who must deal with the aftermath of destructive waves, and, perhaps most interestingly, surfers. That last one may sound a bit odd, but I really liked hearing about the different professional surfers, the places they go and the dangers they face. Surfing has this "beach bum" image, but I began to appreciate just how strong and athletic surfers have to be with the movie Soul Surfer. With The Wave, I began to appreciate further the rigors of surfing, as well as the many dangers. Wow, talk about your extreme sports! I have a whole new respect for surfing as a sport after reading this. It's interesting to realize that rogue waves and superwaves, which is what Casey concentrates on, defy the laws of physics- proving once again that Mother Nature scoffs at man's carefully laid rules. I think the most chilling story I read, one that just occupied my mind for a long time afterward, was the 1,740 foot wave that obliterated a coastal area in Alaska. The new World Trade Center 1 tower is only slightly taller, at 1,776 feet. It wiped out four square acres, a small city in this area. Only four people in the direct line of fire survived, and that in and of itself is a miracle. My one nit is the organization of the chapters seemed odd at times. For example, at the end of one chapter, there's a mention of a surfing location in Mexico. But the very next chapter takes the reader to.. Alaska. Just struck me as odd. Other than that minor point, I enjoyed The Wave. This was a fast and easy read. While there is a lot of scientific information on waves, it's easy to follow. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in natural disasters, the ocean or even on surfing. The book is a good, though fairly simple and straight-forward, read. The author's experiences and interactions with big wave riders are its most compelling parts; the parts about wave science, less so. I often felt that the prose of the book was too plain to adequately capture the force, power and feeling of the waves she tried to describe. Ultimately, It didn't quite capture the soul and spiritual side of waveriding that the author was evidently aiming for. In that respect, this one falls a bit short for me.
What do You think about The Wave: In Pursuit Of The Rogues, Freaks, And Giants Of The Ocean (2010)?
Heavy on the surfing stuff, but overall pretty interesting.
—chrissyawilliams
Good start, then a sharp turn. I did not finish it.
—Dani
