The Thousands

In anything worth doing, there are the godlike people who were simply born to do it. These are the poster boys, the winners, the ones girls have a crush on. Bless ‘em. Then there are dudes like Brendan McAloon, who devoted his life to his passion, because doing anything else would have been a cop-out.

Deep Water is a memoir to a life dedicated to surfing. The book traces McAloon’s life from a surf-obsessed kid in a country town with no beach, to a frustrated student, to a frustrated journalist, to a staff writer for a big surf company. His dream job took him all around the world, documenting the lives of his heroes. The stories are a behind-the-scenes glimpse at a massive industry, which hangs upon the whims of two unpredictable factors: young surfers and the ocean itself.

It’s a beautifully presented book, with soulful blue text and tasteful design by Chase & Galley, which looks nothing like the magazines next to the toilet at your mate’s house. Even if, like me, you’ve never stood up on a surfboard, Deep Water is an enjoyable and affecting read for anyone who has found what they love and simply kept doing it.