Eddie Would Go-The Story of Eddie Aikau, Hawaiian Hero, by Stuart H. Coleman, is the true story of Hawaii’s favorite Big Wave Surfer and all around Waterman, Eddie Aikau.

It is a tragedy, as Eddie was lost at sea at only 32 years old trying to save his fellow crewmen onboard the Hawaiian Canoe Hokule’a. If you’ve never heard of the Hokule’a, it’s worth reading just for that.

It is also a story of inspiration and hope. Eddie was part of a larger revival of Hawaiian culture, and his memory and bravery have inspired so many people over the years, including myself.

Coleman does a wonderful job telling the story of his life and his family, his humble beginnings and his rise to one of the best surfers in the world. There are hundreds of people in these pages whose lives were saved or inspired by Eddie.

There was never a wave too big for Eddie to surf, or conditions too dangerous that he wouldn’t risk his own life to swim out and save someone else-hence the phrase-‘Eddie Would Go,’ that one can see plastered on bumper stickers all over Hawaii. He was a true Hawaiian hero.