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# Surfing legend Young makes local stop to talk about book
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/surfing-legend-young-makes-local-stop-to-talk-about-book/
- Published: 2008-03-05T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T23:32:53.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Sports, Malibu, #archive-import

*By TAYLOR VAN ARSDALE I Special to the Daily Press*

MID-CITY A surfing legend is coming to town.

Nat Young, a pioneer of the power-oriented surfing style that was based on using a shorter board, will meet and greet fans tonight to celebrate the new edition of his book, “The Complete History of Surfing — From Water to Snow.”

“It’s especially important for me to have this book signing in Santa Monica, after all Surfrider Beach \[in Malibu\] is one of the birthplaces of surfing in America,” said Young, who has been a member of the Malibu Surfers Association since 1962.

Young will sign copies of the book beginning at 6 p.m. at the Santa Monica Surf Shop, 2934 Wilshire Blvd. This edition contains two new chapters, numerous new photographs and covers the roots of surfing, the Hawaiian revival; the heyday of the hollow board; the evolution of the modern board; the age of surf clubs, world championships, the birth of professionalism, and surfer girls.

Young will speak about his career as an athlete and author (he has written six books on surfing including his autobiography,“Nat’s Nat, and That’s That” and “Surfing Fundamentals”) and present a narrated slideshow of corresponding images.

Young first appeared on the surf radar in 1966 when he won the World Championships of surfing. His new, power-oriented surfing style was based on surfing a shorter board — not what was traditionally in use at the time. Young and a handful of friends were instrumental in inspiring the genesis of short board surfing — now a large part of the action sports market worldwide — and were responsible for changing the way in which enthusiasts surfed as well as how they viewed the sport. His raw, eclectic style also enabled him to become the World Longboard Champion in 1988, ‘89 and ‘90\. And though he is one of the most famous surfers in the world, he remains a man devoted to his family, humbled by his success, and continues to be an inspiration to athletes worldwide.

The colorful edition utilizes rare reproductions of early Hawaiian illustrations and Australian surfing. It also includes photographs from some of the world’s greatest surf photographers. The book sells for $39.95 and copies will be available at Santa Monica Surf and on Amazon.com.

Following the slide presentation Young will sign copies of his book. The event is free to the public. However, because of limited space, it will only be open to the first 100 people who arrive. No reservations will be accepted. For more information call (310) 315-7244.

Taylor Van Arsdale is a writer/producer and movie reviewer for the Daily Press. She

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 5, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/030508.pdf?ref=smdp.com)