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Note: By submitting a comment you grant permission for me to
post it below--unless you specifically say otherwise.
For personal email, please use:
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July 18
"All for a Few Perfect Waves" is a compelling
masterpiece by several accounts. The design
and construction of it is pure genius. I am
particularly struck by the overriding
'humanity' of the voices who tell the story.
By befriending the 'shadow' as they did, they
shone their own glorious 'light' without even
necessarily knowing it. "Dora lives" by the
genuine grace that was and has been
bestowed upon him. Did he deserve it? You
bet he did. If you don't understand the
paradoxical nature of things, you'll never
'get it'. I am reminded of a poem by Rumi
that seems to fit...
Has Anyone Seen the Boy?
"Has Anyone seen the Boy who used to come
here? Round-faced troublemaker, quick to
find a joke, slow to be serious, red shirt,
perfect coordination, sly, strong muscled,
with things always in his pocket: reed flute,
worn pick, polished and ready for his Talent
you know that one.
Have you heard stories about him?
Pharoah and the whole Egyptian world
collapsed for such a Joseph.
I'd gladly spend years getting word of him,
even third or fourth hand."
(Rumi, version by Coleman Barks and John
Moyne)
..in praise of spirit that transcends the
material world...
-Nancy
June 23
I just finished the Dora book and just want
to tell you how impressed I was. A very
thourough and compelling read from cover to
cover. I actually sat down at 11 am
yesterday and read the second 1/2 of the
book in one sitting. I am just about to turn
40, so I don't remember Miki's Malibu days. I
have had a subscription to Surfer since I was
13 years old and have always remembered
Miki's 1989 article out of the hundreds of
issues I have read.
Thanks for the great read!
-- Hank
June 13
Thank you for writing this book. I remember
reading your California Magazine article when
I was a senior in High School. Although Tom
Curran was more "my generation", my friends
and I always had an interest in Da Cat. In
fact, I have one of the 400 "Da Bull/Da Cat
boards. I thought your writing of this story
was extremely fair and portrayed Dora as he
was. I finished the book a couple weeks
ago, and still think about it every day.
Really, David, you did an excellent job and I
am so thankful you wrote this story. I will
read your other works and look forward to
your future accomplishments.
-- Tim
May 21, 2008
I've just completed reading the book and
have to tell you that the graphic description
of Miki's last days was very moving (and
scary). Back in the late seventies I was
surfing in the Biarritz area and met artist
Richard Peterson. He hung out with us for a
few days and borrowed one of our boards.
He'd told us about how he grew up surfing
Malibu and was a pal of Miki Dora. We
thought it was just a bit of bullshit to
impress us young English kooks. We were at
Guethary one day and Peterson paddled in
and said that Miki was out there and he had
taken the liberty of inviting him to our camp
that night for dinner. Miki turned up in his
Mercedes van. He came over and politely
said "My name's Miki". He spent the evening
with us, and was absolutely charming
throughout. I'd grown up admiring the man's
surfing and was intrigued by his rebel image
and all of the stories in the Surf Press. To
meet him and find him so self-effacing
endeared him to me even more. Thanks for
helping to complete the story in my mind of
a fragile and oft-misunderstood gentleman.
May 8, 2008
Having just finished reading the book I can
honestly say that I understand my brother a
bit better as he too has spent his adult life
chasing surf all over the world, I understand
the feeling of being alone on the wave and
loving the freedom of being one with it
without the influences of the outside world
that nip at our heels the second we stand on
firm ground. But more than that with Miki I
see a tortured soul that wanted total
freedom (which does not exist in any society)
and instead of living at peace with the
world, where ever he was he chose to do as
he pleased and did not consider or truly care
about how he hurt others if it benefited his
needs at any given moment. Be that in the
water or stealing and conning on dry land.
Always on the run just a step ahead of the
law, that is not in anyway a peaceful or free
existance ...that he claimed to want. As so
many with childhoods that are filled
hardships and hurt ( be they real or only self
perceived) he refused to allow anyone close
enough to give him what he really needed
and wanted. After prison he was never
CAUGHT again breaking the law but still he
was a man playing games until the end. Yes
a great surfer, maybe the best of his day but
sadly never free from the demons in his own
mind Not truly trusting or loving anyone
other than his dog. -- Patti
May 5, 2008
I must confess. Few books keep my limited
attention. I have read yours cover to cover.
The sadness of finishing like a swell that has
come and gone. Thank you for telling his
story. --Niko
April 19, 2008
Enjoyed the book about Miki,brought back
many memories about 50's Malibu. I
congratulate you on this wonderful book. You
have uncovered much of the mystery about
Miki,but I'm sure you would agree there is
much more that will always remain with Miki,
and probably should.The legend is always
much more fun. -- Bill
December 27, 2007
I've been awaiting the release on the Dora
book for a couple years now. Can't wait to
get a copy. I would be a great fit to play him
in the film if it ever gets to production. How
do you recommend I go about this? -- Mike
"All for a Few Perfect Waves" is a compelling
masterpiece by several accounts. The design
and construction of it is pure genius. I am
particularly struck by the overriding
'humanity' of the voices who tell the story.
By befriending the 'shadow' as they did, they
shone their own glorious 'light' without even
necessarily knowing it. "Dora lives" by the
genuine grace that was and has been
bestowed upon him. Did he deserve it? You
bet he did. If you don't understand the
paradoxical nature of things, you'll never
'get it'. I am reminded of a poem by Rumi
that seems to fit...
Has Anyone Seen the Boy?
"Has Anyone seen the Boy who used to come
here? Round-faced troublemaker, quick to
find a joke, slow to be serious, red shirt,
perfect coordination, sly, strong muscled,
with things always in his pocket: reed flute,
worn pick, polished and ready for his Talent
you know that one.
Have you heard stories about him?
Pharoah and the whole Egyptian world
collapsed for such a Joseph.
I'd gladly spend years getting word of him,
even third or fourth hand."
(Rumi, version by Coleman Barks and John
Moyne)
..in praise of spirit that transcends the
material world...
-Nancy
June 23
I just finished the Dora book and just want
to tell you how impressed I was. A very
thourough and compelling read from cover to
cover. I actually sat down at 11 am
yesterday and read the second 1/2 of the
book in one sitting. I am just about to turn
40, so I don't remember Miki's Malibu days. I
have had a subscription to Surfer since I was
13 years old and have always remembered
Miki's 1989 article out of the hundreds of
issues I have read.
Thanks for the great read!
-- Hank
June 13
Thank you for writing this book. I remember
reading your California Magazine article when
I was a senior in High School. Although Tom
Curran was more "my generation", my friends
and I always had an interest in Da Cat. In
fact, I have one of the 400 "Da Bull/Da Cat
boards. I thought your writing of this story
was extremely fair and portrayed Dora as he
was. I finished the book a couple weeks
ago, and still think about it every day.
Really, David, you did an excellent job and I
am so thankful you wrote this story. I will
read your other works and look forward to
your future accomplishments.
-- Tim
May 21, 2008
I've just completed reading the book and
have to tell you that the graphic description
of Miki's last days was very moving (and
scary). Back in the late seventies I was
surfing in the Biarritz area and met artist
Richard Peterson. He hung out with us for a
few days and borrowed one of our boards.
He'd told us about how he grew up surfing
Malibu and was a pal of Miki Dora. We
thought it was just a bit of bullshit to
impress us young English kooks. We were at
Guethary one day and Peterson paddled in
and said that Miki was out there and he had
taken the liberty of inviting him to our camp
that night for dinner. Miki turned up in his
Mercedes van. He came over and politely
said "My name's Miki". He spent the evening
with us, and was absolutely charming
throughout. I'd grown up admiring the man's
surfing and was intrigued by his rebel image
and all of the stories in the Surf Press. To
meet him and find him so self-effacing
endeared him to me even more. Thanks for
helping to complete the story in my mind of
a fragile and oft-misunderstood gentleman.
May 8, 2008
Having just finished reading the book I can
honestly say that I understand my brother a
bit better as he too has spent his adult life
chasing surf all over the world, I understand
the feeling of being alone on the wave and
loving the freedom of being one with it
without the influences of the outside world
that nip at our heels the second we stand on
firm ground. But more than that with Miki I
see a tortured soul that wanted total
freedom (which does not exist in any society)
and instead of living at peace with the
world, where ever he was he chose to do as
he pleased and did not consider or truly care
about how he hurt others if it benefited his
needs at any given moment. Be that in the
water or stealing and conning on dry land.
Always on the run just a step ahead of the
law, that is not in anyway a peaceful or free
existance ...that he claimed to want. As so
many with childhoods that are filled
hardships and hurt ( be they real or only self
perceived) he refused to allow anyone close
enough to give him what he really needed
and wanted. After prison he was never
CAUGHT again breaking the law but still he
was a man playing games until the end. Yes
a great surfer, maybe the best of his day but
sadly never free from the demons in his own
mind Not truly trusting or loving anyone
other than his dog. -- Patti
May 5, 2008
I must confess. Few books keep my limited
attention. I have read yours cover to cover.
The sadness of finishing like a swell that has
come and gone. Thank you for telling his
story. --Niko
April 19, 2008
Enjoyed the book about Miki,brought back
many memories about 50's Malibu. I
congratulate you on this wonderful book. You
have uncovered much of the mystery about
Miki,but I'm sure you would agree there is
much more that will always remain with Miki,
and probably should.The legend is always
much more fun. -- Bill
December 27, 2007
I've been awaiting the release on the Dora
book for a couple years now. Can't wait to
get a copy. I would be a great fit to play him
in the film if it ever gets to production. How
do you recommend I go about this? -- Mike