27th October 2009 Review by Stuart Nettle.

In 2003 Kelly Slater was giving a speech in front of a room full of industry movers and shakers at the Surfer Poll Awards in California. Mid-speech Mick Fanning climbed the stage unannounced, pissed to the eyeballs on vodka and Red Bull. Slater, somewhat taken aback asked Mick, 'what would happen if I did this to you in Australia'. To which Mick replied, 'You'd get laid!' The room erupted in equal part gasps and guffaws. The laughter not withstanding, the public fallout was a serious black mark against Mick's name. Following that incident Tim Baker wrote a celebrated article titled The Tao of Mick Fanning that was printed in both Australia's Surfing Life and Surfer in America. In it Baker brought attention to some of Mick's lesser known qualities. So it is clear that the two have some history, however, in Surf For Your Life, Baker allows Mick to take the reins. From the very outset Mick makes it clear that Surf For Your Life is not a biography. The task set was for Mick to write the book 'as if he was writing to himself at sixteen years old'. For the most part it reads in a timeline, but then stops at crucial points to emphasise and analyse certain events. The effect is that he is speaking solely to you, the reader. As such, Surf For Your Life is pitched at the teenage/early 20's aspiring surfer that's looking to better themselves. However, many of Mick's most defining events don't involve surfing (the death of his brother Sean for instance) so even those outside the sphere of competition can take something from it. At times Mick writes of advice that he has received and taken on board during his career. In every instance the person who gave the advice is credited and this, as much as anything else, gives us an insight into his character; he freely acknowledges the people who helped him become the person he is. In fact, many of the chapters are devoted solely to the team of friends and colleagues that Mick has assembled around him: his Mum Liz, shaper Darren Handley, sponsor Doug 'Claw' Warbrick, Matt Griggs, coach Phil McNamara, surgeon Dr David Wood and many more. A picture is created of a young athelete who has a special talent yet knows that he owes much of his success to the collaborative efforts of his team. You won't find Mick Fanning swanning in narcissism, he is more likely to defer compliments to others. It warmed the heart of this jaded reader. The whole chapter leading up to his world title win had me breaking out in goosebumps. This despite knowing that he wins the damn thing. The energy came from finding out what he had gone through leading up to that point and the effort that he'd put in to win. Observing that there is more to life than surfing and world title wins, the closing chapters are concerned with Mick's friendship with a young South African lady, Primrose Manyangaza. Avoiding dripping sentiments and without being patronising the relationship is explained and it becomes clear that he is a good, good man. Someone who has a story worth listening to and who should be very proud of how he has conducted himself....even if he did once drunkenly harass the King. After finishing a great read I closed the book and put it face down on the table. And there it is at the bottom of the back cover: a World Vision symbol and the words that a percentage of the authors royalties go toward the charity. More goosebumps. Surf For Your Life is published by Random House and goes on sale on the 1st November.