5 Books I Love, With Coco Ho

Ed. Note: Coco Ho, Stab‘s current Guest Editor loves to read. As Mason told us the story he penned on Coco’s untold stories, growing up, the elegant Miss Ho was very studious and very much into her books. So we prodded her for a light end of summer (or winter, depending on your respective hemisphere) reading list. 

Becoming Relentless by Egan Inoue

I actually bought this book for my brother as a Christmas gift. My dad was so stoked. I thought Mason would be stoked cause there was a samurai guy on the cover (he only reads books about Samurais and Bruce Lee), the title was sick, and the author is from Hawaii. I stole it back once he didn’t start it and was stoked! The author is an 11x world champ in 3 different sports then retired as a badass entrepreneur. Everyone should read this.

But I am going to say that about every book in here.  

A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson

The title is a little dramatic but it is hands down the best book I’ve ever read in my life. It’s a smaller dummied down version of a Course in Miracles a series that’s four textbooks large. It admits in a really beautiful way human defaults/inadequacies and how to avoid them and live a more beautiful life. It’s been a couple of years since I’ve read it and will probably start reading it again now — it’s that good. 

Switch on your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf

This one is nuts!!! Your brain actually hurts reading it is how insane it is. But in short – and what lured me in to start is that the author has been a neuroscientist since 1985. She explains, in short, that the brain is essentially plastic and can change due to our thoughts – good or bad – causing brain damage with toxic thinking or healing yourself via positive thinking. It’s really rad.

She’s also the one that taught be men and women brains are different but mean to coexist. 

Malama Honua by Jennifer Allen 

My mom always bought Mason and I book about Hawaiian Culture for Christmas every year since we started surfing and having sponsors.

She’s like ‘you guys have everything but you need to learn more about where you come from.’ She knows so much about the Hawaiian culture. But this is actually a coffee table book at my Dad’s house and the photos are taken by our neighbor, John Bilderback. My cousin’s husband was actually on this voyage. The most beautiful thing about the mission of the Hokulei’a voyage in my eyes is using natural resources (sun, wind, ocean, stars) and interconnecting with brothers and sisters around the world – sharing culture.

I feel like we do this in surfing. 

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

I didn’t have my own photo of the book cause I’m letting someone borrow it right now. This book really struck me because any conversation I’d have, if something along these lines came up I’d be like “Have you read The Four Agreements?!”

I was kinda like a pusher. But this book is so plain and simple. And helps you not be affected by other people’s actions. I actually wrote the four agreements on our refrigerator at home and anyone that comes over either laughs or goes “I’ve read that book!”

It’s so funny. Mason hasn’t read it but the way he speaks about life and theories sometimes I look at him and go “are you sure you haven’t read that book?” and he’s like “No you weirdo, I’m just enlightened” hahahahaha. He’s the best. So is this book. 

Photography

Zak Bush