On Tuesday, July 26 at 7 p.m. in the Beverly Hills Library Auditorium, award-winning journalist and author David Davis will discuss his biographical book, “Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku,” who was an Olympic champion that popularized the Hawaiian sport of surfing. Davis will take questions from the audience and sign books at the end of the event. Books will be available for sale.
In “Waterman,” journalist David Davis examines the remarkable life of Duke Kahanamoku: surfer, Olympic gold medalist, Hawaiian icon, water man, event organizers said.
Duke Kahanamoku was a Native Hawaiian from Honolulu, Hawaii who was a three-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time silver medalist in swimming. He qualified for the U.S. Olympic swim team in 1912 and won his first gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle and silver medal in 200-meter freestyle relay.
Kahanamoku is widely credited with popularizing the ancient Hawaiian sport of surfing. In 1912, while returning from the Olympics, he brought surfing to the American East Coast with exhibitions and a few years later to Southern California.
Kahanamoku died in 1968 at age 77. He was the first inductee into the international Surfing Magazine Hall of Fame as well as the Huntington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame.
David Davis is the author of several leading biographies and his work appears regularly in national publications. He lives in Los Angeles.
“Waterman” has been praised as a “must read.” The Wall Street Journal describing it as “A belated and bountiful tribute to this great Hawaiian’s memory.”
For more information on this event and other Beverly Hills Public Library events, go to bhpl.org.
