Title: Lyrical, literate, and funny
Review: George Plimpton used to tout his "small ball" theory of sports journalism: the smaller the ball, the better the writing. In his book "Caught Inside," Daniel Duane skilfully demonstrates what happens when the ball shrinks down to nothing and is replaced by a 7-foot piece of fiberglass.But writing about surfing literately and with aplomb doesn't mean boring. There is no fustiness here, no stuffiness or sentimentality. Matter of fact, Duane is profane and funny.Examples: Duane tells wicked stories about Tom Wolfe and his over-hyped "Pumphouse Gang," gives a media-savvy view of the Kato Kaelins of this world, and demonstrates wry humor in describing all surfers' over-attunement to things that go swish in the deeps.Buy it, read it, enjoy it. Duane is a Levi-Strauss of surfers and "Caught Inside" is a loving look inside that taciturn culture -- one that is simultaneously thriving and threatened.
Is this product review negative?