The Wave: Summary and book reviews of The Wave by Susan Casey, plus links to an excerpt from The Wave and a biography of Susan Casey.

For centuries, mariners have spun tales of gargantuan waves, 100-feet high or taller. Until recently scientists dis­missed these stories—waves that high would seem to violate the laws of physics. But in the past few decades, as a startling number of ships vanished and new evidence has emerged, oceanographers realized something scary was brewing in the planet’s waters. They found their proof in February 2000, when a British research vessel was trapped in a vortex of impossibly mammoth waves in the North Sea—including several that approached 100 feet. As scientists scramble to understand this phenomenon, others view the giant waves as the ultimate challenge. These are extreme surfers who fly around the world trying to ride the ocean’s most destructive monsters. The pioneer of extreme surfing is the legendary Laird Hamilton, who, with a group of friends in Hawaii, figured out how to board suicidally large waves of 70 and 80 feet. Casey follows this unique tribe of peo­ple as they seek to conquer the holy grail of their sport, a 100­-foot wave. In this mesmerizing account, the exploits of Hamilton and his fellow surfers are juxtaposed against scientists’ urgent efforts to understand the destructive powers of waves—from the tsunami that wiped out 250,000 people in the Pacific in 2004 to the 1,740-foot-wave that recently leveled part of the Alaskan coast. Like Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, The Wave brilliantly portrays human beings confronting nature at its most ferocious.

BookBrowse

15 out of 17 BookBrowse readers rated The Wave 4 or more stars. Here's what they had to say:

Susan Casey has created the perfect nonfiction book, filled with details of the myths of rogue waves, the recent scientific proof of their measurement, Billabong's crazed reward of $500,000 to the first surfer who can prove by videotape that he or she has ridden a wave bigger than 100 feet and the intimate portrayal of the people who have attempted to win the prize (Karen M)... Casey travels with a select group of extreme surfers as they track down the seven most formidable waves... Interspersed between the wave chases are fascinating profiles of the scientists seeking to understand what causes the ocean's unpredictable behavior (Vicky O).  (Reviewed by BookBrowse First Impression Reviewers).

Full Review (1162 words).

Media Reviews

The New York Times - Holly Morris Casey makes a convincing, entertaining case (nifty cliffhangers and all) that there is a heretofore little-known monster in our midst…Casey is fluent in "gnarly" and proficient in "wonk," and she writes lucidly so the rest of us can come along for the ride…[a] wonderfully vivid, kinetic narrative…   People You think Jaws made you fear the ocean? In this adrenaline rush of a book, Casey....describes 'nature's biggest tantrum'....Her eerie, majestic descriptions...make THE WAVE an unsettling thrill ride that's as terrifying as it is awe inspiring.   Los Angeles Times Compelling and wonderfully detailed...engrossing...Casey adroitly moves beyond what we think we know about big-wave surf culture and churns out a series of action chapters that are not for the faint of heart.   New York Times Book Review Her wonderfully vivid, kinetic narrative....offers a prescient vision of watery perils--and sometimes, bittersweet triumphs....Amid the images of demolition, Casey hangs on to the magic and beauty of waves.   Wall Street Journal Casey does an exceptional job of explaining the natural forces (winds, currents, ocean-bottom shape) that create these daunting, at times fatal, surfing spots....Casey's account of the impromptu adventure is terrific   Publishers Weekly This book will fascinate anyone who has even the slightest interest in the oceans that surround us.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by Pete Mc
The Wave - Suusan Casey
As a surfer of 40 years, I found this an authentic read with lots of new angles and adrenaline packed chapters.

Rated of 5 by Melissa (Books R Us)
A Great Book
I enjoyed the book and I was fascinated with the science behind the big waves. I have never surfed but my parents have friends who love the sport. In reading the book, I felt that I was right there with the surfers and I understand now why they are...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Karen M. (Great Falls, VA)
Mythology, Fact, and Great Storytelling
This is one of the best books I read this summer. (And I read dozens of books). Susan Casey has created the perfect non-fiction book. Filled with details of the myths of rogue waves, the recent scientific proof of their measurement, Billabong's...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Christine P. (Pleasanton, CA)
The Wave by Susan Casey
The ocean has always been a mystery to me. It’s something that you show respect to and never turn your back on. Susan Casey has written a book about the people who race to ride the big waves, who study the science of the waves, the ships that...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Nikki R. (Irvine, CA)
Catch the Wave if You Dare
The Wave was infinitely more engaging than I had thought it might be. The author made the wave warriors real, likable, and bigger than life. The book is engrossing, informative, and at times horrific pondering these monsters of the sea. This read...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Sande O. (Rochester, NY)
The Perfect Wave Book
100 foot high waves? The mind boggles. Hundreds of sailors lost at sea every year due to rogue waves? Lloyds of London is on the line to pay out. Is climate change the cause or the effect? Why do a small cadre of surfers follow the really,...   Read More

...13 More Reader Reviews

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