Title: Surfer Girls in the New World Order
Author: Comer, Krista

This book was written by PhD and professor of English at Rice University, Dr. Krista Comer.  It pretty much helped inspire half of what Brown Girl Surf TM is today.  I read it twice and I RARELY read anything twice (except for Zora Neale Hurston's autobiography) so that should tell you how much I liked it.  Here was my Amazon review of the text:

I can't say I've ever read any thorough, academic, researched-based writing on women's surfing before I read this book. The title was intriguing to me so I ordered it online. I was thrilled to get a hold of it and really applaud Krista for spending a decade to gather her research to write this.

Though at first the book reads as very academic, it's worth it to keep going. Midway through, Krista recounts really interesting stories in her field research and interjects her feelings and opinions on them, which makes the book ever more interesting. She also has a really interesting and compelling way of articulating and describing what she sees changing, influencing and shifting in the world of surfing and women in surfing.

I am so glad there is a book that has come out that really looks at and describes the trends and gender nuances evolving in women's surfing today in a way that I know I understand, but would never be able to articulate as clearly as she does. I think this book is a must read for all serious women surfers, and for women (and men!) who function in some way in surf's growing economy. And if you're a woman especially who has been to a surf camp, who may not be a die hard surfer girl (yet) but who is interested in surfing, I think you would find the read fascinating. I read it in 3 days.....really loved it.

You can order this book online from Amazon by clicking here. 

Krista Comer, author of Surfer Girls in the New World Order, chats with Amanda E. Sharp about her research, globalization, female surfers, and, of course, surfing.

The book is available from Duke University Press. www.dukeupress.edu