From James McMahon, of Bridgehampton’s Salty Sessions:

Why I Love This Book

If there’s one book I’d recommend, it’s Barbarian Days. It’s a great book— really well written. It's not just about surfing moves or techniques.

It's about William Finnegan, a writer, a journalist from the East End —Montauk area — who ends up going to California, then his parents move to Hawaii and he gets the surf bug.

It’s a true story, mostly in the 70s. He ends up founding some of the proper waves in Fiji. It’s his travels around the world back in the day and it’s beautifully written.

What Makes It Special

If you have any connection to the ocean or off-the-beaten-path travel, you’ll get it. It’s more of a life journey than just a book on surfing. It’s one of those you can eat up in a few days. It’s definitely a good travel or beach read.

Contacts

🌐 Barbarian Days

🌐 Salty Sessions

About Salty Sessions

For over a decade, Salty Sessions has held the only license for Ocean Road's breaks in Bridgehampton.

Founder James McMahon staffs the school with lifeguard-certified pro surfers who speak three languages and teach students from ages 3 to 75+.

Small group lessons, sunrise privates, and summer camps draw families from across the East End.

The reason is simple: safe, fun instruction that adapts to every student's needs.

Lead-in Image

Book Cover - Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan; published by Penguin Books