Then a few years ago I came across an article about Kathy Kohner-Zuckerman who I learned was the real life Gidget. Learning that there is a real life Gidget out there who learned how to surf and ride the waves in a time when surfing was a male dominated sport was wild. After reading that article about Kathy Kohner-Zuckerman I found out that Gidget was her nickname (Girl + Midget) and it was her father who was inspired by her love for surfing. Kathy said once, "I was 16. I didn’t want to be the girl on the beach looking at the men, I wanted to surf. It was not a competitive sport; I was competing against myself. I felt I could do this, I could be like one of them.” She didn't just want to hang out at the beach and look at the cute boys, she wanted to try something new and have fun.
Kathy's father, Frederick Kühner was so inspired by his teenage daughter and her adventures as a surfer that he felt he should share her story with the world. He wrote the story so authentically that you really get the grasp of teen life in the 1950's. I think its amazing how well he captured the life of Gidget. The book reads like a personal journal and it left me feeling newly inspired. The story of Gidget is a good reminder that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover and we shouldn't let that same cover stop us from trying new things.
I love that the book also includes photos of Kathy during her time when she was first learning how to surf in the 1950's.
Here are some photos of the real Gidget, Kathy Kohner-Zuckerman:
A review of Gidget by Frederick Kohner was first published in Bunny's Victory and has since been edited and updated for A Vintage Nerd.
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