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Eugene Burdick
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The ninth wave Paperback – January 1, 1975

by Eugene Burdick (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 66 ratings
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A political novel which opens with protagonist surfing and waiting to catch a Big One, a "9th wave" generally the largest in a wave sequence, and if possible , a NINTH ninth wave, etc. This concept of the gathering propitious moment becomes a conscious often reflected-upon metaphor throughout the story.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    448 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Dell Pub. Co
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1975
  5. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0007EI0W4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dell Pub. Co; First Edition (January 1, 1975)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 448 pages
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 66 ratings

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Eugene Burdick

Eugene Burdick

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
66 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Mark Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars A Visionary Tale
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2015
Verified Purchase
The Ninth Wave is a fascinating book, in some ways a portrait of California 70 years ago. It starts with the two main characters surfing and then follows them to Stanford where they study. Along the way, you can see the California of the 30s and 40s, plus you get an insight into the new politics dominated by computers, data mining, and voter categorization. Burdick was certainly a visionary, the first star of the Stanford Writing Program, and an amazing man who accomplished a lot in a short life. The Ninth Wave is not a perfect novel, but it is filled with big ideas and a vision of the future. I highly recommend it. I read it long ago, when I was much younger, and just reread it. Somewhere, I read that Burdick dictated the novel into a dictaphone and didn’t do any re-writing. If so, it is a masterful achievement. It could be better, but it is still valuable reading. California has changed a great deal since the book was written and in The Ninth Wave you can see where the state once was and where it was going. Burdick was clearly ahead of his time.
12 people found this helpful
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Ronald Devlin
5.0 out of 5 stars THIS YEAR HEADING INTO AN ELECTION CYCLE IS THE PERFECT TIME TO RE-READ OR ENJOY FOR THE FIRST TIME
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2015
Verified Purchase
FIRST READ AT 15; WHAT AN IMPACT, READ AGAIN AT 35 STILL INCREDIBLE AS AN ADULT. JUST PURCHASED AS HARD COVER, THE
PAPERBACKS HAVE DISINTIGRATED. ALL MY FRIENDS WHO I TOLD ABOUT THIS BOOK HAVE HAD THEIR PERCEPTIONS CHANGED
ABOUT LIFE; QUITE DRAMATICALLY. NOW AT 72 ENJOYING IT AGAIN. EUGENE BURDICK CO-AUTHORED "FAIL SAFE" AND "THE
UGLY AMERICAN" THIS BOOK IS HIS SOLE EFFORT AND THIS IS THE STORY WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE INTO A MOVIE.
THIS YEAR HEADING INTO AN ELECTION CYCLE IS THE PERFECT TIME TO RE-READ OR ENJOY FOR THE FIRST TIME. JUST
KEEP IN MIND IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE EARLY TO MID 1950'S AND MONEY ISSUES WERE QUITE DIFFERENT IN THAT ERA.
WHO EVER READS THIS BRIEF REVIEW WILL BE BEST SERVED TO GET A COPY WHILE YOU CAN; THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK
OF MY LIFE. REGARDS R.V.DEVLIN
9 people found this helpful
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Leon
4.0 out of 5 stars Although it is 60 years old, good insight into politics of 2021
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2021
Verified Purchase
Like many others I first read this book when I was in my early teens. It has stayed with me, so I decided to reread it in my 70s. I find that it is somewhat prescient in its early use of polling and the notion that the electorate is motivated primarily by two emotions. Fear and hate. It seems a good explanation for the rise of Donald Trump and other demagogues.
One person found this helpful
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Burton William Bell
5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning View of SoCal,of Yesteryear
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2016
Verified Purchase
Great read!got it because his novel "Fail Safe" ( the movue version) was on TCM recently and this novel was mentioned by Robert Osborne in conjunction w/ movie,s screening.

Anyway book talks about a Southern California of nearly three quarters to a half-century ago and strategies forced ting a governor test don't apply any longer in a stste w/30-plus million residents but ut us fascinating nonetheless.

Aw for the good old days!
One person found this helpful
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Lou
3.0 out of 5 stars I don't know...
Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2022
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I read this book as a young teen. I though it was great. Not getting into it as a senior citizen! Maybe l'll get through it and update this review. Currently at 3 stars=meh
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Tony Berry
5.0 out of 5 stars Still the one...
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2015
Verified Purchase
I read this first, when I was 13 years old. Now, just before my 70th birthday, I have re-read this novel. The scene on the beach, with the grain of sand between the tongues of the principal players then, teacher and student, are as erotic as ever. Fail Safe and the Ugly American may be bigger hits for Mr. Burdick, but for me, this is still the one,
3 people found this helpful
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Jerry F.
5.0 out of 5 stars politics are brutal, same as it ever was
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2019
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I read it in high school decades ago and it changed my life. one of the reasons I moved to California
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Just missed the 9th Wave.
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2018
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Older book that brings back many memories of youth in California and at University. Even this third time around, it's a good read. So were other of Burdick's novels.
2 people found this helpful
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