Straight-talking 'Kimo' true to island surfing

By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Books Editor

"KIMO, A Collection of Short Stories" by Kimo Hollinger (Anoai, paper, $14.95)

Kimo Hollinger writes as he speaks: without flourish or pretense, bluntly and yet thoughtfully. He is not a writer but a storyteller, one who is willing to tell the truth even when it exposes parts of himself that many men — especially members of the close-mouthed fraternity of big-wave riders — hesitate to reveal: tenderness, fear, regret.

This slim volume was underwritten by a quintet of supporters who believe in the importance of the Islands' surf stories and its elder storytellers, including Hollinger. It ranges the landscape of his life: his experiences in a fire department rescue squad, his friendships with other watermen, his strongly held views on the commercialized surfing scene today.

The writing is sometimes as choppy as a bad day on the South Shore. The delivery can be so understated as to leave the reader wondering. But, as his longtime editor at Surfer magazine and Surfer's Journal, Steve Pezman, says, there's always a point: "In the end, ka-pow, cha-ching, the irony, the cynicism, sometimes the tears come out."

If you like talking story with people who've been there, if you care about surfing and the Hawai'i that's been lost, this little book belongs on your shelf.