The boldness with which we saw [the Hawaiians] perform these difficult and dangerous maneuvers was altogether astonishing. . . . Penned over 200 years ago, Captain Cook's words could be written today with no less awe or sincerity. In Waikiki, the Hawaiians were the first people to harness the surf as a source of pleasure. Where, for thousands of years, cultures living on the coastlines of the world's great oceans had seen waves only as menacing natural adversaries, the Hawaiians saw fun. Today, as surfers push the boundaries of wave riding, the ultimate test for the surfing elite remains Hawaii's formidable waves. The Soul of Surfing is Fred Hemmings's "talking story" about surfing's culture and history, his own long association with the sport, and everything from surfer slang to the daredevils who risk death to challenge the big waves.