Welcome to Paradise, Now Go to Hell: A True Story of Violence, Corruption, and the Soul of Surfing Paperback Author: Visit Amazon's Chas Smith Page | Language: English | ISBN:
0062202537 | Format: PDF, EPUB
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From Publishers Weekly
This debut effort from Smith, a war correspondent turned surfing journalist with a cruel, sometimes witty eye, is a mix of reportage and gonzo journalism for the surfing set. Mixing shameless, fey bluster that he dubs Trash Prose and occasionally trenchant observation, Smith delves into the scene surrounding the big-money surfing contests on Oahu, Hawaii's legendary North Shore. As the pro circuit arrives for the winter wave season, Smith sketches an exposé of the tensions between local Hawaiian surfers and low-level gangsters and the established surfing professionals, surfwear brand representatives, and out-of-towners during this seasonal demographic change. Smith's favorite subject, however, is himself: he sees himself as an outlaw raconteur whose articles garner so much resentment he gets roughed up at a party. He also provides endless descriptions of his wardrobe—he calls his style his version of Island Dandy, which is purposefully at odds with everything Oahu's North Shore stands for. If Hunter S. Thompson circa Hell's Angels merged with a fashion critic to write about surfing for Maxim, the result might be similar. Smith's approach is myopic, writing for an audience that already knows the sport and the names. There are some astute observations (particularly his analysis of why surfing is essentially a lonely sport), but ultimately the book fails to reveal much beyond the author's considerable self-regard. Agent: Ryan D. Harbage, Fischer-Harbage Agency (Dec.)
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Booklist
Surfing journalist Smith grabs us with his first sentence: “There is a gun pressed to my temple.” This was in 2006 in Beirut, the result of Smith’s post–9/11 urge to become a globe-trotting adventure journalist. After that incident (it involved Hezbollah), Smith decided to dial it down a bit and, being a longtime surfing fan, turn to writing about surfing. This exciting and revelatory book focuses on Hawaii’s North Shore, one of the major hot spots of competitive surfing, with side trips into the history of Hawaii, a history speckled with blood (Captain Cook, among others, met his demise in the island paradise). Smith explores not just the allure and popularity of surfing, but also the business side of the sport—the sale of surfing gear is a multimillion-dollar industry—and the drugs and violence that sweep into the North Shore when the surfing competitions come to Hawaii. Told in an energetic, first-person style that one of Smith’s magazine editors dubbed “trash prose,” the book is a sure-fire hit with fans of surfing literature. --David Pitt
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Download latest books on mediafire and other links compilation Download Welcome to Paradise, Now Go to Hell: A True Story of Violence, Corruption, and the Soul of Surfing
- Paperback: 224 pages
- Publisher: It Books (July 8, 2014)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0062202537
- ISBN-13: 978-0062202536
- Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
- Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
The subtitle of this book is 'A True Story...' and it likely is mostly true. I think the author took some liberties with time and events but likely not in a way to alter it much.
Any surfer has more than a passing familiarity with the North shore even if he has never been there for it is surfing's most sacred ground. All who have surfed there, or attempted to, or who have kept up with the scene are also aware of its peculiar form of unofficially sanctioned frontier justice. Some would call it localism, but this is a far more highly evolved system of justice, retribution and surf socialism that has evolved around the world's most iconic waves in one of the world's most iconic tropical paradises, and Chas Smith has come to town to break it down for the lay reader....and does a really good job of it.
After giving us a taste of who he is: Thrill seeker, Journalist, Crap stirrer, Dandy, Surfer, World Traveler, and so on,the author proposes to take us on a journey through the labyrinthine inner workings of North Shore's high stakes, big wave surf scene.
The problem is one of a finite resource, the world's best waves; a discrete area, seven miles of prime surfing; a near-infinite source of filthy lucre, corporate purveyors of globally consumed surf-themed goods, a put-upon minority with huge muscles, steely nerves, amazing physical skill and few compunctions about resorting to violence; the self-proclaimed rulers of their beloved, besieged surfing kingdom.
The solution is an unarmed mob, roughly organized into an elite cadre of enforcers meting out justice based upon a rough calculus that takes into account the respect one has earned on the North Shore, surf-cred, corporate sponsorship, indigineity, the ability to take it and dish it out, and social connections.
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