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Books by Jason Borte
How Surfing Ruined My Life: 30 Years of Riding Waves and One Trying Not To
Jason Borte built a good life based around riding waves. From relatively waveless Virginia Beach, he became a pro champion, journalist and successful camp operator. For 30 years, the wind and tides dictated his every move. He felt sorry for the “legions of the unjazzed,” as legendary surfer Phil Edwards referred to the people whose lives didn’t revolve around walking on water. Until one day, when he wondered what it might feel like to be one of those people.
Borte decided to walk away from surfing for an entire year, approaching the experience as a social experiment, a personal challenge that might make him stronger. He had no idea that abandoning his surfboard would alter his relationships, his career and the entire course of his life. Join him on a wild ride between his three-decade rollercoaster in the surf and his frightening year on dry land, as well as the tumult that followed.
Virginia is for Surfers
A big, beautiful celebration of the dedicated bunch of wave riders in the hub of East Coast surfing.
Let’s get one thing straight. This isn’t some stodgy chronology of who was first to do what and when they did it. Leave that to high school history class. We’ve bored our own portal straight to the peak at 1st Street Jetty. The lineup is packed, and the crew is out in force. A set is coming, and miraculously you’re in position for it. Hungry vultures eye you from the shoulder, poised to attack at a whiff of hesitation. Don’t blow this, or you’ll never live it down.
Virginia is for Surfers is a rowdy love letter to the salty tribe that turned a fickle stretch of Atlantic coastline into the heart of East Coast surf culture. This isn’t a dry history lesson—it’s a 224-page, hardbound riot of hilarious stories, deep-dive interviews, and jaw-dropping photos.
The Kook’s Guide to Surfing
Move over, dude! The Kook’s Guide to Surfing shows what it means to be a real surfer. This clever, often hilarious guide shares with kooks (those guys on surfboards who just don’t get it yet) the truths and know-how of a lifelong wave-lover. The secret: surfing responsibly and sharing the waves. You don’t have to be “too cool for school” to be cool in the water.
But surfing like a pro isn’t just about courtesy, and neither is The Kook’s Guide to Surfing. The ultimate guide to great surfing, it’s got tips on choosing the right board for the right wave, stances and paddling, avoiding injuries and staying safe, and—once all that has been mastered—how and where to show off your skills in the big competitions.
Filled with witty illustrations, a glossary of surfing terminology, and fun “Hey, Kook!” trivia, The Kook’s Guide to Surfing will turn even the greenest beginners into competent wave riders.
Pipe Dreams: A Surfer’s Journey
Jason tells the story of 11-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater, relating the struggles and triumphs Kelly experienced throughout his life and how they have helped him to become the sport’s biggest star. Born in Cocoa Beach, Florida, in 1972, he found surfing to be a great way to escape problems at home. When he was 11, his parents divorced. Slater and his brother, Sean, were raised by their suddenly single mother, who struggled to support two young sons. After Slater’s surfing career took off, he made the transition into acting and modelling. He spent a season starring on the popular television show Baywatch , where he won the hearts of women young and old, including Pamela Anderson, whom he dated for about a year. He has also been featured in Versace ads. In Pipe Dreams , he shares the stories that have influenced his life and have inspired him to overcome both personal and professional hurdles and achieve his dreams.