Taschen - Surf Book - Surfing: 1778–Today. 40th Ed.

The most comprehensive visual history to date surfing in all its aspects. Hundreds of images and essays from today's greatest surf journalists explore photography, fashion, film, art and music to retrace the evolution of surf culture, from its discovery in 1778, to a global and multifaceted phenomenon .

This volume, which offers the visual history of surfing, is not just a publication: it also marks a major cultural event . After three and a half years of meticulous research , it brings together hundreds of images to trace the evolution of surfing as a sport, a lifestyle and a philosophy .

The book is organized into five chronological chapters that evoke surf culture, from its discovery by Europeans and Captain James Cook in 1778, to the global and multifaceted phenomenon that we know today . Thanks to institutions, collections and photographic archives from around the world and through essays from the best surf journalists on the planet, it celebrates in and out of the water this sport which unites a community of 20 million practitioners and countless enthusiasts, and exerts a strong influence on fashion, cinema, art and music .

An unparalleled tribute to the breadth, complexity, and richness of surfing, this book is a must-read for anyone who's a major player in the surf scene or anyone who aspires to this lifestyle. As one surfing writer once said, "There has never been a book like this, and there never will be another."