Book excerpt: Surfing may seem to have sprung from the waves of California in the 1960s, Beach Boys music playing somewhere on shore. In truth, though, as detailed in this colorful and captivating book, surfing is believed to have been around for centuries, brought to Hawaii by Polynesian settlers who arrived on the islands’ lively shores sometime around the fourth century CE. With accounts of surfing’s early days as well as in-depth descriptions of various surfboard types and accessories, this useful guide also provides step-by-step pointers on how to learn the ups and downs and ins and outs of surfing.