Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life – William Finnegan

Description

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan is the Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir of a life shaped by waves, wanderlust, and obsession. Finnegan, a celebrated journalist and war correspondent, traces his journey from a surf-obsessed boy in California and Hawaii to a restless adventurer chasing perfect waves around the globe.

More than a surf memoir, this lyrical, insightful book blends travel writing, social history, and personal reflection. Finnegan vividly recounts youthful rebellion, the cultural shifts of the 1960s, and the thrill of mastering the world’s most legendary breaks — from Hawaii to Indonesia, Africa to Australia. Rich in literary grace and brutally honest about risk, addiction, and identity, Barbarian Days is a beautifully told meditation on adventure, male friendship, and a lifelong search for transcendence on water.