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Bethany Hamilton, author portrait
Photo:Gage Skidmore·CC BY-SA 4.0·
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Bethany Hamilton

American
Born 1990
Bethany Meilani Hamilton is an American professional surfer and writer. On October 31, 2003, she survived a shark attack in which her left arm was bitten off; ultimately, she returned to professional surfing and wrote about her experiences in the 2004 autobiography, Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board. The book was adapted into the 2011 feature film, Soul Surfer. Hamilton attributes her strength to her Christian faith.
On LuvemBooks, we've reviewed Soul Surfer.
1
Books Reviewed
Cover of Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton, Sheryl Berk, and Rick Bundschuh
Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton, Sheryl Berk, and Rick Bundschuh

4.7/5

reader rating · 1,971 ratings

Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board is Bethany Hamilton's memoir of losing her arm to a shark at 13 and returning to competitive surfing. One blogger rated it four stars, and the publisher calls it a #1 New York Times bestseller.

Reviewed Nov 3, 2026

Ask LuvemBooks about Bethany Hamilton

Bethany Hamilton is an American professional surfer whose writing draws directly on her own life: surviving a 2003 shark attack that took her left arm at age 13 and returning to competitive surfing. We've reviewed 1 of her books, Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board, a memoir that frames her recovery through faith, family, and determination — it holds a 4.7/5 reader rating from nearly 2,000 Amazon ratings.
Where should I start?
Start with Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board — it's the Bethany Hamilton book we've reviewed, and it's her defining work. The memoir covers losing her arm to a shark at 13 and fighting her way back to competitive surfing, and it carries a 4.7/5 reader rating from 1,971 Amazon ratings.
What's their writing style?
Bethany Hamilton writes first-person memoir drawn directly from lived experience rather than fiction. Soul Surfer, co-written with Sheryl Berk and Rick Bundschuh, tells her story through the lens of faith and family, pairing the dramatic facts of the shark attack with an inspirational comeback narrative. One blogger rated it four stars, and readers have responded strongly — it holds a 4.7/5 Amazon reader rating.
Books we've reviewed
We've reviewed 1 Bethany Hamilton book. Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board is her memoir of the shark attack that took her arm at 13 and her return to competitive surfing — a #1 New York Times bestseller per its publisher, with a 4.7/5 reader rating from 1,971 Amazon ratings.
What genre do they write?
Based on the book we've reviewed, Bethany Hamilton writes memoir. Soul Surfer is a nonfiction account of her own life — the shark attack, her recovery, and her return to competitive surfing — with faith and family woven through it.
What should I read after Soul Surfer?
Soul Surfer is the only Bethany Hamilton book we've reviewed so far, so we can't point you to a follow-up within our coverage. If you've finished it, the natural next step is to check out more inspirational sports memoirs in our Memoir hub while we expand our Bethany Hamilton reviews.
Who is Bethany Hamilton?

Who is Bethany Hamilton?

Bethany Meilani Hamilton is an American professional surfer and writer. On October 31, 2003, she survived a shark attack in which her left arm was bitten off, yet she returned to professional surfing. She wrote about her experiences in the 2004 autobiography Soul Surfer, which became a #1 New York Times bestseller according to its publisher.

Follow up

What happened in the shark attack?
What is Bethany Hamilton known for besides surfing?

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Authors Like Bethany Hamilton
S

Sheryl Berk

Memoir

Sheryl Berk is an American writer. She is the co-author of the New York Times Bestseller Soul Surfer as well as other celebrity biographies.

1 book reviewed
Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton, Sheryl Berk, and Rick Bundschuh
R

Rick Bundschuh

Memoir

Rick Bundschuh is a pastor, writer, speaker and cartoonist based in Kauai, Hawaii, where he serves as a teaching pastor at Kauai Christian Fellowship in Poipu. Born in Pacific Beach, California, he is a veteran youth worker and surfer. He co-authored Soul Surfer with Bethany Hamilton and Sheryl Berk.

1 book reviewed
Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton, Sheryl Berk, and Rick Bundschuh
Tara Westover

Tara Westover

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Tara Westover is an American memoirist, essayist and historian.

1 book reviewed
Educated
Cheryl Strayed

Cheryl Strayed

Memoir

Cheryl Strayed is an American writer and podcast host.

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Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest
J. D. Vance

J. D. Vance

Memoir

James David Vance is an American politician, author, and venture capitalist serving as the 50th vice president of the United States.

1 book reviewed
Hillbilly Elegy
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Matthew McConaughey

Memoir

Matthew David McConaughey was born on November 4, 1969, in Uvalde, Texas, and has Irish heritage from the County Cavan/County Monaghan area. An Academy Award–winning actor and #1 New York Times bestselling author, he published his memoir *Greenlights* on October 20, 2020, through Crown Publishing Group, drawing on personal journals and life experiences.

1 book reviewed
Greenlights