THE GREAT FLOODGATES OF THE WONDERWORLD. A MEMOIR

Surfing in Far Rockaway, romantic obsession, and Moby-Dick converge in this dynamic and compelling memoir

Justin Hocking, like many transplants to the city, doesn't adapt easily to New York. Surfing Far Rockaway is his escape. There he discovers the NYC surf culture and a colorful circle of friends, both of which prove vital to his sanity, especially in the wake of a traumatic carjacking. But the tides of this memoir pull in more than surfboards. As he ventures further into the dark on his own “night sea journey,” Hocking details his obsessions, from Moby-Dick to Scientology's naval ties, from environmentalism to the Iraq war, and from twelve-step meetings to the film Basquiat. The Great Floodgates of the Wonderworld is an affecting portrait of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Far Rockaway, Queens, and the swirling tides of big city life. Justin Hocking is an avid surfer and skateboarder. He edited Life and Limb: Skateboarders Write from the Deep End, and his work has appeared in the Rumpus, Thrasher, and the Normal School. He is the executive director of the Independent Publishing Resource Center, and lives in Portland, Oregon.