A Surfer In The White House: and other salty yarns

by Rob Caughlan

Surfer in the White House (and Other Salty Yarns) is a collection of hilarious and insightful experiences of a life-long surfer, drawn into politics by his love for the ocean. People Magazine said, "'Birdlegs' is a Righteous Dude." Vanity Fair called Caughlan is a "Golden State Eco Warrior." His adventures include surfing with sharks, hopping freight trains and unconventional media methods of promoting environmental causes with celebrities like Robert Redford, Paul Newman, and William Shatner. There are vivid, first-person accounts of working with President Jimmy Carter. He used his pragmatic media savvy for a who's who of American Senators and Congressional Representatives - Dianne Feinstein, Jay Rockefeller, Jackie Speier, Pete McCloskey, and Leo Ryan. As president of the Surfrider Foundation, he brought surfer muscle to battles for coastal protection. This book shows that a life of activism can be both rewarding and fun. If surfers can make a difference, anybody can.

194 pages, Paperback

Published April 21, 2020

Reviews

[Deborah Hagler Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you read a memoir, it really helps to like the author. Rob Caughlan starts out writing about his love of surfing and gives us a short lesson on the history of surfing. However, he is far from the "surfer" stereotype as depicted by Sean Penn's "Spicoli" in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (which he references in the book). He's intelligent, accomplished and engaged, giving us an insider's details about working with politicians and celebrities. His career as an environmental activist led him into several arenas where he played a key role in making changes for our environment, for the better.
Local references abound for someone like myself, a 5th-generation San Francisco native who grew up in Pacifica - did he say that he liked surfing at Pedro Point? That he was part of the fight for access to Martin's Beach? I lived in the Half Moon Bay area during those years. He was president of the Surfrider Foundation? That was one of the benefits that I included when I curated an art show at the local art gallery in Half Moon Bay. Though the book is not that long - 189 pages - it covers a lot of territory.

Reading "A Surfer in the White House" gave me a real appreciation for Congressman Pete McClosky, whose partnership with Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Gaylord Nelson gave us Earth Day. Caughlan's anecdotes about so many of the people he worked and was friends with are the spice of the book. I especially liked his accounts about his freight train adventures, and the stories about William Shatner's contributions to promote endangered species preservation. But Rob's emphasis on becoming involved in environmental issues is especially important. Pete McClosky is worth several books, alone; I am now inspired to read his "The Taking of Hill 610: And Other Essays on Friendship."
I don't want to give away every subject in the book, but those are just teasers. Check it out - you won't regret it.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A loving, at times irreverent, tribute to democracy and the environment

This is such a wonderful mix of humorous anecdotes, political insight, stories of resilience - victories and failures, and the lessons that can be learned from both. This book is a love-story about American democracy and some of the men and women who have helped safeguard it. It is also a warning that democracy requires vigilance and everyday heroes to maintain - in a moment of history where it being threatened and undermined with each day that passes.