Though the book has been described as a surfing memoir, I would describe it more as a self portrait where surfing was the medium of discovery and expression. William Finnegan captures moments of living as we age that we all can find relatable: experiences of being a misfit and not belonging, the feeling of infinite possibilities as young men and women, the realization that one moment in time will be at the top of our game, and difficult to accept reality that we are getting older and that our bodies will let us down much sooner than our minds will.