The Wave by Susan Casey

I always try to challenge myself to read books that are "out of my genre". Our school librarian recommended The Wave to me recently as I was searching for a relevant non-fiction book, specifically "guy" non-fiction. She gushed about the book and remarked how it read like an action novel--energizing and thrilling, a true page-turner. Boy, was she spot on!

I loved reading this book. Not just for the story, but for the adventure I experienced by reading the story. I've never surfed, never been to Hawaii, or any of these other fairly exotic locales, and have only been out on the ocean in a small cruise ship in the Gulf of California. Yet, by reading this book, I feel like I've experienced on a small scale the adventure that these people constantly chase in the surfing world and the terrifying lives of those who make their living on the sea, sea captains of merchant vessels and cargo ships. The other tale in this book is the story of wave science and the shifting climate that continues to make wave science a priority both physically and economically. While reading her book, I found myself continually on the internet, checking her research and websites, watching videos of the experiences she herself witnessed or at least researched and examined. Below is a video of Susan Casey explaining her book and why she believes it's worthy of being read! I give this book a hearty two-thumbs-up. Enjoy!