Review: BREATH by Tim Winton

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Review – Breath

Tim Winton

“How strange it was to see men do something beautiful,” speaks the narrator of Tim Winton’s latest novel BREATH. “Something pointless and elegant, as though nobody saw or cared.” The narrator is describing surfing, a sport we take for granted here on the Australian coastline. I bet you have never thought of it like that hey??

Breath is a step back in time to what I imagine to be the 70’s, when surfers where drop outs and the sport was still very much a novelty. The setting is a small fictitious town on the West Australian coast, very much like Margret River or Crescent Head in NSW would have been like around the same era.

The story centres around a young boy called Bruce Pike “Pikelet”. He is very much the harmless loner type kid trying to find his independent identity in a small town full of conservative older folk, square kids and the odd well to do tourist. Pikelet teams up with the a young guy nicknamed Loonie who is a couple of years older and is the son of the local publican. Loonie is a bit of a loose unit and an intense character. Together they discover surfing. Once they are hooked on riding waves they are noticed by a 30 something ‘enigma’ surfer named Sando who takes them under his wing. Sando defines cool, he is living the dream as seen through the eyes of a couple of grommets.

The story is a journey through Pikelet’s teen years. Skylarking around with his new mate Loonie, teaming up with Sando, surfing BIG waves and discovering girls. I have only brushed over this as I cannot do the writing justice, it is a must read to appreciate type of book. Tim Winton’s writing style is perfect; he has you there with the characters. You feel as if you are growing up right along side them. Winton’s choice of words is spot on and the feelings he creates are so accurate that any reader will be able to relate, especially if they grew up in the surf culture. In saying that even non surfers will find this book a great read, the story on its own is enough to get you hooked.

I have to admit that I don’t read books very often but my wife who read Breath when it was released a few months ago virtually made me start reading it. Three pages in I needed no more encouragement, the book was in my hands every chance I got. If I could have gotten a waterproof copy I would have taken it surfing to read while sitting waiting for the next set to roll in. I was so disappointed that the book had to end, I am preying that there is more to tell and Tim Winton is working on a sequel right now.

In saying all this, do yourself a favour. If you haven’t read Breath already make it your next read. If I owned a bookshop I would give it a money back guarantee for any surfer who bought it.