1 stars (surfbook) - no text to explain why these pictures are surf related. hardly any actual surfing pics at all. 5 stars (Top Shelf ) - Perhaps the best coffee table book of portraiture and short commentary of some of surfing's more interesting characters that I've ever come across. Joel Tudor's copy is really enjoyable: brief, fundamental and insightful; the subjects all being either friends, mentors or acquaintances of his, you come away understanding that the book was written as a labor of love as opposed to an assignment. Michael Halsband's photos are wonderful - very natural - not contrived or coerced. I discovered that the book took 6 years to produce, but it sticks together with a visual cohesiveness. I know that there's a lot of surf-related books available these days. I had a hunch that this one was different and it is. Well worth owning. A must for collectors of the genre. Buy it -- I did. ... Channel Photographics :: Water Sports :: Popular Culture - General :: Photography :: Photoessays & Documentaries :: Photo Techniques :: Oceans & Seas :: General :: Michael Halsband :: Joel Tu :: Surf Book