Surf Like a Girl

“Surf has made me who I am and will shape me into the person I want to be,” writes Samia Lilian, one of the dozens of inspiring women surfers featured in this gorgeously photographed coffee-table book. The essays by women from all over the world will motivate female surfers and thrill-seekers (“We embrace our Filipino identity and skin color and would like to encourage others to do the same,” write competitors Ikit and Aping Agudo), and awe them (“I continued surfing until I was eight and a half months pregnant,” recalls French blogger Stephanie Goldie). Many of the women in this book are also avid photographers who capture breathtaking views, such as Camille Robiou du Pont’s sunset on Siargao Island in the Philippines; Maria Fernanda’s underwater photography off the coast of Oahu; and Serena Lutton’s aerial views of women surfers catching waves. While the photos themselves are gorgeous, the lack of contextual captions is a disappointment. Amell concludes with a list of female surf schools and retreats. Admirers of surfing and underwater life will certainly find much to appreciate. (Sept.)