Izzy Paskowitz pens book on his famous upbringing

Literature News

Izzy connects surreal aspects of his childhood to the harsh realities of adulthood

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 10 August, 2012 : - - In 1956, Dorian Doc Paskowitz stepped away from a successful medical practice and began a lifelong surfing odyssey that grew to include his wife Juliette, and their nine children. Together, the Paskowitz clan lived a vagabond bohemian existence, eschewing material possessions in favor of intangible riches like health and good cheer, all the while careening along the world's coastlines in search of the perfect wave. Nicknamed the “first family of surfing”, the Paskowitzes perfected the live-on-the-beach, surf-all-day, party-all-night way of life that came to symbolize the California surfing scene in the 60s and 70s.

In SCRATCHING THE HORIZON: A SURFING LIFE Izzy Paskowitz looks back at his unusual upbringing which was documented in the 2007cult film Surfwise. As the fourth-oldest child in a family of inveterate surfers, rock stars, and beach bums, he is uniquely qualified to shine a light on a childhood that has come to symbolize the surfing credo, a reckless young adulthood that nearly cost him his sanity, and a maturing sense of self and purpose that allows him to lift others on the back of his experience.

As the father of a son with autism and the founder of "Surfers Healing," a foundation devoted to expanding the horizons of children with autism through surfing, Paskowitz has found a way to connect the surreal aspects of his childhood to the harsh realities of adulthood, and he shares these discoveries in this wickedly entertaining and transforming memoir.

Advance Praise for SCRATCHING THE HORIZON

"The Paskowitz family has spent a lifetime sharing surfing with the world and looking after kids (their own and others!).  I'm eternally grateful to them for almost raising my little brother through their surf camp, and now I'm grateful to Izzy for sharing his family's story in these pages.  What a wild ride!"
—Kelly Slater, champion surfer and author of Pipe Dreams: A Surfer’s Journey

“What a great insight into the wild and crazy ride that has been the life so far of Israel- a good and kind man who has carved out a beautiful, meaningful niche in the world of surfing by offering up all he knows to help others."
—Sarah McLachlan, Grammy Award-Winning Singer

“Izzy's story is of man's archetypal yearning for freedom, told from the heart of a surfer who has lived his dreams.”
—Flea from The Red Hot Chili Peppers

"I'm a fan of the Paskowitz family, on all levels, particularly the level of taking children with autism into the water. It's such an obvious, healing place for a kid to be, and if you look at the faces of these kids riding the waves you can feel and appreciate their spirit and their stoke, just coming to life. I vibe with it. I quite simply vibe with what they're doing, and now that I've ready Izzy's book I get it even more. It's such a sweet, sick, crazy life, and Izzy's set it all down and let us know his story in such a raw, honest, funny way. His book completely rocks."
—Anthony Kiedis from The Red Hot Chili Peppers

www.stmartins.com

Source: St Martins

Author: Nadea Mina

Tags: Paskowitz, Books, Izzy Paskowitz, Longboard, Surfers Healing

Literature: Surfersvillage