William Finnegan Book order (chronological)

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR BIOGRAPHY 2016 WINNER OF THE 2016 WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE Surfing only looks like a sport. To devotees, it is something else entirely: a beautiful addiction, a mental and physical study, a passionate way of life. William Finnegan first started surfing as a young boy in California and Hawaii. Barbarian Days is his immersive memoir of a life spent travelling the world chasing waves through the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Africa and beyond. Finnegan describes the edgy yet enduring brotherhood forged among the swell of the surf; and recalling his own apprenticeship to the world's most famous and challenging waves, he considers the intense relationship formed between man, board and water. Barbarian Days is an old-school adventure story, a social history, an extraordinary exploration of one man's gradual mastering of an exacting and little-understood art. It is a memoir of dangerous obsession and enchantment.

Now in paperback and updated to include forty new entries, this "leviathan of surf literature" (Surfing magazine) is a remarkable collection of expert knowledge, spine-tingling stories, and little-known trivia. With 1,500 alphabetical entries and 300 illustrations, The Encyclopedia of Surfing is the most comprehensive review of the people, places, events, equipment, vernacular, and lively history of this fascinating sport by "one of surfing's most knowledgeable historians" (San Francisco Chronicle). Each year, the surf industry brings in $4.5 billion, and more than two-and-a-half million Americans, from California to Delaware, have caught the wave. The Encyclopedia of Surfing is a book that no surfer-or armchair adventurer-will be able to resist.

This groundbreaking work of social journalism highlights a population often overlooked. William Finnegan observes that while the national economy grows, the prospects for most Americans are dimming, leading to a new, harsher class structure. The focus is on families struggling to adapt, particularly their teenagers and young adults, as they navigate this challenging environment. Finnegan immerses himself in the lives of families across four American communities, capturing poignant portraits: a fifteen-year-old drug dealer in New Haven, a Texas town transformed by crack, Mexican American teens in Washington State caught between cultures and gang identities, and jobless young white supremacists in a declining L.A. suburb. This exploration of race, class, and social change maintains a deep respect for the humanity of its subjects. The young individuals portrayed are complex and multifaceted, evoking both sympathy and frustration. Finnegan's work transcends mere reportage, revealing the economic trends and political decisions that have contributed to a society marked by growing inequality and cultural alienation. Important and compassionate, this book offers a powerful glimpse into a present that foreshadows our future.