AsianAmericanBooks.com - AACP, Inc.
Surfer of the Century
The Life of Duke Kahanamoku
Home About Contact New Specials Browsing Ordering Conference Links Help
Search our site: Google

Check this out.

Book cover picture

Surfer of the Century
The Life of Duke Kahanamoku

By Ellie Crowe
Illustrated by Richard Waldrep
2007, 46 pages, Hardback.



Book Description from the Front Cover Flap
Comments from Back Cover
About the Author

ORDER -- Item #3568, Price $18.95

Request More Information

Go to Browsing Page


Book Description from the Front Cover Flap

Growing up in Honolulu with the Pacific Ocean as his backyard, Duke Kahanamoku learned to swim and surf at a young age. By his early twenties, Duke's lightning-fast swimming won him a place on the 1912 United States Olympic team and a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle race. Over the years Duke struggled with racism and financial troubles, but by the end of his twenty-year Olympic career, he was a six-time medal winner.

Although a swimming champion, Duke's passion was surfing. He traveled the world, introducing surfboarding to Australia and the east and west coasts of the United States. Considered the father of modern surfing, Duke spread his love of the ocean and Hawai'i wherever he went.

Throughout his life Duke Kahanamoku was beloved for his modesty, sportsmanship, and amazing skill in the water. Today he remains a legendary waterman and an inspiration to all to live life with aloha.

Back to the Top


Comments from Back Cover

Surfer of the Century brings to life the determination, courage in adversity, and good sportsmanship of Duke Kahanamoku, one of the great surfers in history.
Nat Young, Four-time World Champion Surfer

An inspirational book about a great man.
Shaun Tomson, World Champion Surfer, 1977

Back to the Top


Background on Ellie Crowe and Richard Waldrep

Ellie Crowe has written several children's books, as well as guidebooks to Hawai'i. Crowe first heard of Duke Kahanamoku while living in Australia. Moving to Hawai'i, she found that Duke's legacy originated there. "He is a great role model and I wanted to introduce him to young readers today," says Crowe. She lives in Honolulu with her husband and their three children.

Richard Waldrep is an award-winning illustrator who has created images for editorial, publishing, advertising, and corporate clients, including U.S. News and World Report, the Washington Post, and Parker Brothers. His paintings honoring the Olympic Games, American music, and history have appeared on U.S. postage stamps. He lives in Sparks, Maryland.

Back to the Top

Other Related Books

Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds
The Sammy Lee Story
By Paula Yoo

Other Related Links


AACP Home Page
About | Contact | New | Specials | Browsing | Ordering | Conference | Links | Help
Copyright © 2009 by AACP, Inc.
Most recent revision August 15, 2009