
Title : Surf Science: An Introduction to Waves for Surfing
Author : Tony Butt
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Whoa!
This book i thought was going to be full of incoherent mumblings about fathoms and linear models but instead of a physics lessons i got very in depth, easy to comprehend information about waves. this helped me, as a surfer, understand the waves and which in turn brought my surfing to a whole new level. I fully recommend this book to anyone who has the slightest interest in the sea, whether you are a surfer of just a gazing out to sea kind of person!

Title : Learn to Surf
Author : James MacLaren
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : It is the best.
It gives you all the information you need, even how to get along with your fellow surfers.

Title : Where to Ski Snowboard 2007 (The 1000 Best Winter Sports Resorts in the World)
Author : Chris Gill
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Great factual guide to resorts
I can't live without this book any more when going snowboarding. It's also fun browsing through it when you're deciding where to go.
Excellent piste maps, resort descriptions, and ratings of all sorts of things. The town plans are terrible and it's a shame there aren't more photos, but there's too much information to fit in big photos.

Title : Learn to Surf
Author : James MacLaren
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : A must for the beginner
An excellent book for the beginner surfer. It allows a reader to understand the concepts of a trying sport without getting bogged down in the jargon associated with it. It also provides essential information such as the surfer's etiquitte and the reading of waves.
Get it and get out there!

Title : The Stormrider Guide: Europe - Complete Colour Atlas and Guide to All the Surfing Locations in Europe
Author : Oliver Fitzjones
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : you NEED this book
If you don't have a copy you should buy one right now. The definitive bible of european surfing. Loads of spots you've heard of and loads you haven't. Fantastic photos make this good for a bit of wishful reading - and detailed maps make it an ideal travel guide.

Title : Learn to Surf
Author : James MacLaren
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Before entering the water, read it, often
Sit down and read it on a fine day overlooking the sea and the surf and you'll go back in the water understanding so much more - It really is that good, even for such a small volume. After reading three other books on how to learn, this is the one that is making sense of all the others. That, and Wingnut's Art of Longboarding DVD if you can find it.
The section on reading the water surface to identify rip currents I haven't seen described anywhere else... plenty of books explain the dangers of rips, but not how to find spot them on the water surface
By all means buy some other step-by-step photo books, but get this one too

Title : The World Stormrider Guide: Vol 2 (Stormrider Guides)
Author : Antony Colas
Rating : 4 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Very good text but very average photography
The text is great and general info is spot on but to be honest i was disappointed with the book in general because of the pictures. There wasnt much variation in the size and positioning of the pictures(maybe im just used to the superb photography is CARVE magazine) which gave the book a monotonous tone and didnt give you much wow factor.
The text is still a great guide and has given me some great plans just isnt presented as well as it could me, but definately still worth your hard earned cash! :)

Title : Where to Ski Snowboard 2007 (The 1000 Best Winter Sports Resorts in the World)
Author : Chris Gill
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Don't know where to go? - essential reading
Having not been skiing for a number of years I wanted to get the latest up-to-date information to ensure I picked the most suitable resort for our needs.
This book is so easy to use. It has a section for each individual resort that tells you, honestly, the plus and minus points, the details that holiday brochures won't mention and things to look out for - often based on reports that readers send in on the resorts they have visited.
There is a quick-view table giving star ratings for various features such as 'queues', 'snow', 'extent'so you can easily compare the scores for different resorts
You can write down a 'wishlist' for your ideal resort and use the 'resort shortlists' to help you spot resorts that will suit you.
This book will come out every year from now on before I even lift a holiday brochure!

Title : Caught Inside: a Surfer's Year on the California Coast
Author : Daniel Duane
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : A fantastic book
This book is well worth owning. It is amusing, self-depreciating, and extremely well written avoiding most of the cliches and painting a beautiful picture of the Californian coast. The best surf autobiography I have read since "Walking on water" by Andy Martin

Title : Complete Snowboarder
Author : Jeff Bennett
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Great Learn-How-to-Board Book!
Great introduction to snowboarding. Provides all the language and techniques, from beginner to expert. It works best to reread it again after a few times out as you will pick up on many of the tips and techniques once you learn how the basic moves feel. I kept my copy in the car and reread some sections over lunch on my first day. Especially important to read the section on getting off of the chair lift. This has saved me from many falls, while I have watched others flounder and get injured for not following the advice.
Still need to take a lesson first time out, but it will all make sense alot sooner.

Title : The Rules in Practice
Author : Bryan Willis
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Does what it says on the tin
A very good book for the beginner. As a resutl of this book we have <font color=#C0C0C0 size = 4>won few races </font>

Title : Athletic Skier
Author : Warren Witherall
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : THE definitive guide
If you buy only one book on skiing, this should be it. It is a joy to read, and re-read. Keep it on the coffee table at your ski condo and read any random chapter. You'll learn something.
Warren is the father of carving long before it became a fad. It is "how the racers ski" (which is also the name of his first book from the early 70's that is a classic).
The content if outstanding and the writing and presentation is equally as nice. Glossy pages, excellent photography.
I've given this book to more hard core skiers than I'd like to say.
The section on balance and alignment alone are worth the money. Buy it!

Title : Surfing: A Beginner's Manual
Author : Wayne Alderson
Rating : 4 Stars out of 5.
Summary : No book can compare to lessons
This is a very good book but by reading anything like this without taking lessons it could be dextremental for your surfing.
First note this book is for beginners only and is very good at what it does, this is the book to buy, it takes you through safety, equipment, types of surf, very basic surf forcasting, and then to the important bits, standing up and learning to ride a wave properly like the pro's. I would strongly recommend to buy this book above all others.
It does roughly go over more complex moves but you won't be doing these for a long time yet and will need specialized lessons probably.
Lastly I have to reiterate, to do anything like this its no good just reading a book, you NEED real lessons, someone to show you how to overcome boundries, tell you if your learning a technique wrong... which can take a longtime and much more effort to relearn if you do learn it wrong, and also to answer your questions, but most importantly boost your confidence in the water.

Title : The All-mountain Skier: The Way to Expert Skiing
Author : Mark Elling
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Top notch - still a reference book for me
I'm a Ski Instructor and can heartily recommend this book.. especially the section on "you can blame your equipment sometimes" ! I used it myself a few years ago when I was preparing for my instructor exams and found it an excellent read. The exercises are useful too and some of them have found their way into a number of my high-end lessons.
It's also good in that it's a modern book - ski technology has changed over the years and therefore so has technique. This book is up to date, as opposed to some (although still excellent in some areas) other books that are now becoming dated.
As others have said, it's not a book for beginners but if you have an idea of proper ski control, body management etc. it can give you a good headstart for a week away and will make an instructors life easier when you go for tune-up lessons !