one of the best books ever.

Would love to see a movie made of it.
One of my favourite books.

Hey akhawk, there is a new movie debuting soon called The Turning.
It is a series of short films by nine famous directors melded into one film.
All shorts are from Tim Wintons books and Breath plays a major role.
It will be well worth seeing.
ET.

Right on Leroy , lifes to be livedMust get this book sounds a great read.Sounds a bit like Zen and the art of motorcycle maintainence.Love books like this food for the soul

wavelength said..

Leroy13 said..

E T said..



You're right Leroy a fantastic book. it reminds a lot of us older guys what it was like being a young grom in the late 60's and early 70's.

I found lots of parallels with my teenage years and it actually helped me to resolve some issues.

Unfortuantely I didn't have the sexual adventures of Tim's youing man.

Good post.

Cheers.ET.

+1 on everything you said ET, Amen, especially not having his sexual adventures! I'm going to replace paramedic with teacher for my tombstone (+ a few other small changes.)

It's hard to explain to anyone who doesn't surf, how at 19 and another failed relationship, why I made vows to the ocean at 2.00am sitting in the sand dunes crying, in stormy weather by myself declaring I will always remain faithful to it. And then 11 years on when getting married at 30, having to spend time alone with the ocean to ask it's forgiveness and release. (certainly my ex wife didn't understand). I know it's weird, but his book made me see that, beat me up, nearly drown me, make me look like a kook when I'm trying to impress, it's always been there to cleanse away the detrius that sometimes pollutes my mind. I now know I'm only one of many and not alone. Thanks Mr Winton

Great post, Leroy. I agree with you about that Winton novel (except it took me a couple of days.)
Another author who writes brilliantly about surfing and the lifestyle is Kem Nunn ( from the USA). He has a few good ones, but The Dogs of Winter was a stand out for me. Sample quote: "The cold was punishing at first but in time a kind of clarity set in. He saw with a fresh eye the lines of the cliff, the sharp angle of the rocks, the last light finding reflection upon a purple bank of sand. But it was more than just seeing these things, it was a joining and therein lay the rush. It failed to matter that he was middle-aged and out of shape, practising little more than fundamentals on an undistinguished wave. He had come to a place of great beauty but it had taken the waves and the act of riding them to grant him communion. It was a simple truth and it was ever so and he had been too long without it."
Amen brother!
And yeah like Carrie Fisher (and others) have observed: "Resentment is like drinking poison and then waiting for the other person to die."
Life's too short.
Love your posts. Keep 'em coming.

Amen to you to brother!! I'm going to have to find and read that book now. My first degree was an English/Drama double major ( I thought of becoming a barrister but instead did a post Grad Teaching Degree. Something I've never regretted, pretty much like my life now that I can look back on it a little more objectively BTW there's this trip to the Mentawais mid year 2014..........??? I'll bring 'Astral Weeks' just for you!!!

Hey Leroy!!
Sounds like your'e healing in the best way possible.
To be honest there was evidence of Oxycontin in a few of your posts from the recent past but now you sound like a man with clarity of mission.
Picked Breath up from the school library a couple of years ago just before a holiday Yamba run. Reckon I bowled it in about a day and a half between surfs at Turners and Pippies and just kickin back on the porch in the sun....perfect. Swear I knew half the characters...fiction and all! Must be a small town coast thing!!
The Mentawis deal sounds like a plan. Couldnt think of anything I'd rather do than hang out with some like minded citizens and surf my brains out for a couple of weeks. Sharpie...you still piloting that luxury land yacht up and down the East Coast?!
Works a bitch Leroy...sick of being bitter and twisted so am taking first term next year as leave without pay...see whether I cant make something shake and bake. So upshot is I may be cherry ripe for an adventure!!
Stay in touch and see you soon
Cheers
Sparx

Sparx said..

Hey Leroy!!
Sounds like your'e healing in the best way possible.
To be honest there was evidence of Oxycontin in a few of your posts from the recent past but now you sound like a man with clarity of mission.
Picked Breath up from the school library a couple of years ago just before a holiday Yamba run. Reckon I bowled it in about a day and a half between surfs at Turners and Pippies and just kickin back on the porch in the sun....perfect. Swear I knew half the characters...fiction and all! Must be a small town coast thing!!
The Mentawis deal sounds like a plan. Couldnt think of anything I'd rather do than hang out with some like minded citizens and surf my brains out for a couple of weeks. Sharpie...you still piloting that luxury land yacht up and down the East Coast?!
Works a bitch Leroy...sick of being bitter and twisted so am taking first term next year as leave without pay...see whether I cant make something shake and bake. So upshot is I may be cherry ripe for an adventure!!
Stay in touch and see you soon
Cheers
Sparx

HOOOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. I'll email you options tomorrow or Sunday. I'm nearly off the pain killers and still not feeling any of the unrelenting neuralgic back pain for the first time in four years. The Orthapaedic Surgeon said that they should have done this when I had my Laminectomy or at least concurrently, as they both contributed to the continuing nerve crushing pain in my lower back apparently it was clearly evident in MRI's and Xrays four years ago. The Neurophysiological report should have tipped the Neurosurgeon off. But what the hell, it is hopefully fixed properly now.
I knew it was different in a very good way two days after the op. When you saw me last time I was ready to chuck in my chips if it didn't work. Apparently a very common occurrence with guy's that did a trade like I did(first up) around my era lots of carpenters, plumbers and of course Footy players keeping me company at Epworth.
In Barwon Heads I could give you the names of the characters that were in 'Breath'. It definitely is a small town thing, coz I could do the same about Caloundra and Maroochy as well. Same story different scenarios. Might try putting the stories down on paper myself one day. (When I'm sure that all the villains have passed on!!)
Sparxy, take the time off and surf yourself silly in a perfect Victorian Indian summer(you can always hope,) During daylight saving I plan to clock up some miles, WTF it's what I love doing. I've just done a month without pay because of all the time I had off being bitter and twisted and being bitter and twisted. You're a great teacher so don't chuck it in please!!! Try some short term contracts in Primary Schools. Not all admins are F----d, and kids in primary are still respectful if you treat them like humans. I can't imagine doing secondary if you haven't got a supportive, switched on and efficient admin to back you up!! Talk real soon. Hey I might even remember what we talk about!!

In Barwon Heads I could give you the names of the characters that were in 'Breath'. It definitely is a small town thing, coz I could do the same about Caloundra and Maroochy as well. Same story different scenarios. Might try putting the stories down on paper myself one day. (When I'm sure that all the villains have passed on!!)



Hears one for the archive
As a grom we had one surf shop in town. It was run by a bloke who shall remain nameless but who I believe has passed on due to complications arising from contracting Hep C.
I used to work in the shop every now and then as a sixteen year old grom. I'd get paid in sausage rolls and the promise of a discount on my next surfboard (Klemm Bell pinny).
I used to sell the odd Golden Breed Silky or pair of treads to the occasional punter, but by and large business was waaaay slow... talking real small town... But, at the same time the boss was always on the phone and it was like...OK... six of the big ones, four of the small ones... two with the floral print. As it transpired, he was talking ounces, Buddha sticks and hash oil caps!!...Blissfully clueless...thought I was at the epicentre of the local surf scene...in fact I probably was...but I was still blissfully clueless!!
Cheers
Sparx

Tim Winton is a National treasure or should be. Dirt Music is another classic of his. I think the Turning is a book of short stories as well.
I am a big fan, first book of his I read was Cloudstreet, read in 2 sittings while in dock on a fishing boat in Townsville , memorable times and have been a fan ever since.

skipd said..

Tim Winton is a National treasure or should be. Dirt Music is another classic of his. I think the Turning is a book of short stories as well.
I am a big fan, first book of his I read was Cloudstreet, read in 2 sittings while in dock on a fishing boat in Townsville , memorable times and have been a fan ever since.

Cloudstreet was an excellent read but not as good as "Breath" I thought he had been already classified as a living national treasure???WTF

"Breath" as a fantastic half a book. The bit that talks about surfing is excellent. As everyone says it truly captures the feeling of surfing and the surfing lifestyle. You can almost smell the sea.

The other half is crap. You could talk about the disruption people feel when they lose their connection with the sea. But I think that "crap" defines it nicely. Tim Winton did a similar thing with The Riders. Lots of beautifully described passages and scenes embedded in a **** story.

Cloudstreet and Dirt Music are good from start to finish as far as I can remember.

Another good surfing read is The Mindless Ferocity Of Sharks: A Novel by Brett d'Arcy

Read Breath after hearing about it on this forum. Really enjoyed so I bought Cloudstreet. Didn't enjoy it at all -read half hoping it would improve ...but gave it away.

surfox said..
Read Breath after hearing about it on this forum. Really enjoyed so I bought Cloudstreet. Didn't enjoy it at all -read half hoping it would improve ...but gave it away.

I'm with ya surfox, Cloudstreet didn't do it for me. I suggest you give Dirt Music a go if you are ready for more Winton at his down-to-earth best.

Onya Nozza - that is a great line.

Leroy: I don't think I can SUP surf the Mentawais without a personal paramedic, but i guess I could come and shoulder-hop on the shortboard and paddle the SUP around the lagoon.

Cheers Leroy, and Merry Christmas to you and yours too and yeah, same to all our fellow book club geniuses. Don't worry I was only kidding about the trip. I have a wife and teenage daughter who seem to think we should have family hols. I am thinking Sri Lanka could have something for everybody (including very forgiving, not very large waves ) But that may be a year or two away. Happy hols and holiday reading.

wow jist finished reading Breath the parallels to my life are uncanny
although I only took up surfing in my 40s my big risk taking in my younger days qas mountain bike riding. ........