**Winnerofthe2016PulitzerPrizeforAutobiography**IncludedinPresidentObama’s2016SummerReadingList“Withoutadoubt,thefinestsurfbookI’veeverread...“--TheNewYorkTimesMagazineBarbarianDaysisWilliamFinnegan’smemoirofanobsession,acomplexenchantment.Surfingonlylookslikeasport.Toinitiates,itissomethingelse:abeautifuladdiction,ademandingcourseofstudy,amorallydangerouspastime,awayoflife.RaisedinCaliforniaandHawaii,Finneganstartedsurfingasachild.Hehaschasedwavesallovertheworld,wanderingforyearsthroughtheSouthPacific,Australia,Asia,Africa.Abookishboy,andthenanexcessivelyadventurousyoungman,hewentontobecomeadistinguishedwriterandwarreporter.BarbarianDaystakesusdeepintounfamiliarworlds,someofthemrightunderournoses--offthecoastsofNewYorkandSanFrancisco.Itimmersesthereaderintheedgycamaraderieofclosemalefriendshipsforgedinchallengingwaves.Finnegansharesstoriesoflifeinawhites-onlyganginatoughschoolinHonolulu.Heshowsusaworldturnedupsidedownforkidsandadultsalikebythesocialupheavalsofthe1960s.Hedetailstheintricaciesoffamouswavesandhisownapprenticeshipstothem.Youthfulfolly--hedropsLSDwhileridinghugeHonoluaBay,onMaui--isservedupwithruefulhumor.AsFinnegan’stravelstakehimeverfartherafield,hediscoversthepicturesquesimplicityofaSamoanfishingvillage,dissectsthesexualpoliticsofTonganinteractionswithAmericansandJapanese,andnavigatestheIndonesianblackmarketwhilenearlysuccumbingtomalaria.Throughout,hesurfs,carryingreaderswithhimonridesofharrowing,unprecedentedlucidity.BarbarianDaysisanold-schooladventurestory,anintellectualautobiography,asocialhistory,aliteraryroadmovie,andanextraordinaryexplorationofthegradualmasteringofanexacting,little-understoodart.
