Tom Blake cover art

Tom Blake

A Surfer's Philosophy

Preview

Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Tom Blake

By: David Christopher Lane
Narrated by: J. Keith Jackson
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $5.99

Buy Now for $5.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

Tom Blake changed the face of surfing and has long been lauded as one of the true pioneers and innovators in the sport. Although much has been written about him and his contributions (culminating in Gary Lynch's magisterial biography of him, Tom Blake: The Uncommon Journey of a Pioneer Waterman, published in 2001), very little work has been done on Tom Blake's Einsteinian philosophy. This is a shame, since though Blake was not formally educated (he never graduated high school due to the devastating influenza epidemic that swept the world in 1918 and 1919), he was an astute observer of nature and had a deep understanding of science and its implications on such perennial questions concerning ethics, god, and the goal of human life. The essence of Tom Blake's philosophical outlook is best captured in his book, Voice of the Atom, an engaging narrative that centers on his conversations with a young nomadic wanderer named Anthony. Yet, there are also other scattered writings, particularly letters that he wrote to friends over the years, that provide a wider glimpse into Blake's thinking that are invaluable. Tom Blake was not a man of many words, but what he did write, occasionally in terse and epigrammatic phrases, are pregnant with meaning. As such, they offer us a tantalizing clue behind this enigmatic man, who in the course of a somewhat lonely existence influenced the lives of millions who mimicked Tom Blake's lifestyle, even as they remained oblivious to his reasoning behind it. This small book touches upon Tom Blake's atomic philosophy, circle of compassion, and surfing lifestyle. It also includes Albert Einstein's original 1905 paper "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy-Content", which formed the fundamental basis of Tom Blake's spiritual outlook. In addition, we have included the essay, "The Big Kahuna's Dilemma: How to Live in a Darwinian Universe", which was influenced by Tom Blake and Darwin.

©2016 David Christopher Lane (P)2016 David Christopher Lane
Philosophy Water Sports

What listeners say about Tom Blake

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.