David Litt's new memoir is about finding common ground through surfing

Summary

NPR's Book of the Day: It's Only Drowning by David Litt

Release Date: July 9, 2025
Host: Andrew Limbong
Guest: David Litt
Episode Focus: David Litt's memoir, It's Only Drowning: A True Story of Learning to Surf and the Search for Common Ground

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Introduction to the Memoir

In this episode of NPR's Book of the Day, host Andrew Limbong introduces David Litt's latest memoir, It's Only Drowning: A True Story of Learning to Surf and the Search for Common Ground. The book delves into Litt's journey of personal growth and connection amidst a backdrop of national division. As Limbong states, "In the national discourse, there's a lot of fretting about how divided we are... David Litt's new memoir is about the connection he formed with the guy who helped teach him to surf, his brother-in-law, Matt" (00:02).

David Litt's Motivation for Learning to Surf

Scott Simon engages Litt in a conversation about his foray into surfing, a hobby suggested by his wife during the pandemic to cope with increasing anxiety. Litt explains, “I came around to her view. And the hobby I tried was surfing… I thought for the first time since I've known him… I think I want to be a tiny bit more like him in some respect” (02:30). Despite vastly different interests—Litt being a former speechwriter for President Obama and Matt Kapler, his brother-in-law, being a tattooed electrician and Joe Rogan enthusiast—the decision to learn surfing became a bridge between their contrasting worlds.

Building a Relationship with Brother-in-Law Matt Kapler

The initial interaction between Litt and Kapler was marked by stark differences. Litt describes, “We are so different. I own two computer monitors for work. He owns two motorcycles… We have absolutely nothing in common” (02:19). However, through the shared experience of surfing, their relationship transformed. Litt notes, “Anything but our differences… this time that we spent together created this foundation where now if something's going on in the news, I'm often curious about what he thinks” (04:37). This newfound connection allowed them to discuss topics they previously found contentious, fostering mutual understanding.

Overcoming Differences and Finding Neutral Ground

Contrary to the initial premise of finding common ground, Litt and Kapler discovered that their differences were more pronounced. Litt reflects, “We have absolutely nothing in common. And yet those differences don't matter nearly as much as we thought. And the neutral ground… is a space that isn't coded liberal or conservative” (07:30). Surfing served as this neutral space, providing a shared activity that transcended their political and personal differences. Litt emphasizes the importance of such neutral grounds in bridging societal divides, suggesting that common activities can foster connections despite differing ideologies.

Addressing Criticism and the Message of the Book

During the interview, Litt addresses a pointed review from the Washington Examiner, which criticized his portrayal of Kapler as a "patronizing and liberal elitist." Litt counters, “All memoirs to me are about change… this is a book about how much I learned from him, and I think he learned from me, too” (06:06). He underscores that the memoir illustrates reciprocal growth, highlighting how their differences ultimately enriched their relationship. Litt asserts that the critique may stem from a misunderstanding of his character's evolution throughout the book, ultimately advocating for the transformative power of embracing differences.

Final Insights and Reflections

As the conversation wraps up, Litt shares a personal anecdote about Kapler’s reaction to an early copy of the book. When confronted with the opening line highlighting their differences, Kapler "just started to laugh,” signifying acceptance and understanding (08:55). Litt concludes that personal transformation and finding joy in newfound connections are central themes of his memoir.

Furthermore, Litt references Joe Rogan’s interview with surfer Kelly Slater, highlighting the value of diverse perspectives: “I feel like I knew Kelly Slater. And I can see why he's so popular with his listeners” (08:12). This underscores the memoir's broader message about the importance of diverse interactions in fostering empathy and connection.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Andrew Limbong (00:02):
  "David Litt's new memoir is about the connection he formed with the guy who helped teach him to surf, his brother in-law, Matt."

• Scott Simon (02:30):
  "Why did you learn surfing?"

• David Litt (02:30):
  "I thought for the first time since I've known him… I think I want to be a tiny bit more like him in some respect."

• David Litt (07:30):
  "The neutral ground, which to me is a space that isn't coded liberal or conservative… for us, it was surfing."

• David Litt (06:06):
  "This is a book about how much I learned from him, and I think he learned from me, too."

• David Litt (08:55):
  "The first sentence of the book is, Matthew Kappler is my brother in law and we're very different… he just started to laugh."

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Conclusion

David Litt's It's Only Drowning offers a compelling narrative about bridging divides through shared experiences. By stepping out of his comfort zone and embracing the challenge of surfing, Litt not only discovers new facets of himself but also forms a meaningful connection with someone vastly different from him. The memoir serves as a testament to the idea that common activities can create spaces for understanding and unity, even in a polarized world.

For those seeking a story of personal growth, unlikely friendships, and the quest for common—or neutral—ground amidst societal divides, It's Only Drowning is a must-read.

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This summary captures the essence of the NPR podcast episode discussing David Litt's memoir, highlighting key discussions, insights, and notable quotes to provide a comprehensive overview for those who haven't listened.

Transcript

[Andrew Limbong]

Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbong. In the national discourse, there's a lot of fretting about how divided we are, about how there are two Americas and they can't seem to talk to each other. And so there's a need for common ground. David Litt's new memoir is titled It's Only A True Story of Learning to Surf and the Search for Common Ground. Litt is a former speechwriter for President Obama, and the book is about the connection he formed with the guy who helped teach him to surf, his brother in law, Matt. But what's funny about this interview between Litt and NPR's Scott Simon is that it becomes apparent that common ground isn't what we should be looking for. Instead, maybe what might work to bind the two Americas is neutral ground. That's ahead.

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[Scott Simon]

Of people, David Litt fell into a funk, let's call it a depression. He certainly does during the pandemic. But the former speechwriter for President Obama and best selling author who describes himself as a Frisbee plane, farm to table eating and his words NPR listening image of a liberal did not soothe himself by baking bread or spinning pottery. He learned how to surf. Tutored by his brother in law, Matt Kapler, a tattooed electrician who doesn't believe in vaccinations and is a super fan of Joe Rogan. David Litt's new memoir, it's Only Drowning, a true story of learning to surf in the pursuit of common ground. He joins us in our studios. Thanks for hanging 10 with us today. Does anyone still say that?

[David Litt]

They do on longboards? So yes.

[Scott Simon]

Oh, okay, good.

[David Litt]

No, this is I've become the kind of surfer who's nitpicky about surf speak. So this is gonna be really fun.

[Scott Simon]

All right. I'll try and drop it. Why did you learn surfing?

[David Litt]

During the pandemic, my wife would regularly see me scrolling through the news and worrying. And she would say, you know, you really need to pick up a hobby. And I would explain, I already have a hobby and my hobby is scrolling through the news in worrying. And eventually I came around to her view. And the hobby I tried was surfing, in part because of my brother in law, my wife's younger brother Matt. And the two of us are different in literally every way. I mean, he owns two motorcycles, I own two computer monitors for work. He once throughout his back training to become an ultimate fighter, and I once throughout my back lifting a bag of cat litter. So we're not very similar people, to put it mildly. But. But during the pandemic he seemed to thrive at a time when I was wilting. And most of what he does in life I could never imagine myself doing. I was not about to buy a motorcycle, I was not about to cover myself in tattoos. We've known each other for about seven seconds and you can already tell that's not my kind of person, that's not who I am. And yet he's a hardcore surfer. And that was the one thing I think in the back recesses of my mind I could imagine doing that he did. And I thought for the first time since I've known him, I guess he must know some kind of secret. I don't want to be Matt, but I think I want to be a tiny bit more like him in some respect. And surfing, looking back on it, I think was the way in.

[Scott Simon]

Let me ask about the surfing part. It involves a lot of flopping around, right?

[David Litt]

It does when I do it. What I learned the hard way was that the best time to surf is to learn to surf is around age 7 and 15 is old and 20 is geriatric. And I started at 35 and, and so I learned very quickly this was the most physically demanding thing I've ever done because there are muscles that are used by surfers and essentially nobody else. And so that was an eye opening experience just to try to paddle a surfboard. And then on top of that, dealing with the fear that comes from being a tiny animal on a very small plank in a very large ocean. As an adult, that's a challenge.

[Scott Simon]

Did you and Matt, your brother in law, talk about your differences much?

[David Litt]

At first we didn't at first, I would say the opposite. Anything but our differences. But something pretty remarkable happened, which is during the time that I write about in the book. And then even since then, just this time that we spent together created this foundation where now if something's going on in the news, I'm often curious about what he thinks. Not because I think I'm going to agree with him or vice versa, but because he's a friend. And so we can talk about these things that before we just couldn't talk about.

[Scott Simon]

I mean, you didn't just surf togethers. You indicated you would go on surfing trips.

[David Litt]

We did. Which scared me both the surfing part, but also the time spent together part. You know, when I first met Matt, which was in 2012, it wasn't that we clashed, but I knew right away that we had nothing in common. And to suddenly say, okay, we're going to spend a week in Santa Cruz, California, or we're going to hang out together and share a hotel room at an artificial wave pool in Waco, Texas, spending that kind of time. You know, I thought that this would mostly be a journey of about what happened in the water, and that's certainly there, and it's in the book. But then at the same time, so much of it was just driving from place to place or going to the grocery store to stock up before a big day of surfing.

[Scott Simon]

Look, I have to ask. Pointed review of your book in the Washington examiner by Mark Judge, who finds your view of Matt, your brother in law, patronizing and liberal elitist, because you don't seem to hold out the possibility that he might be right about anything. I wonder how you think about that.

[David Litt]

You know, I respectfully disagree with that. All memoirs to me are about change. And this is where I think he had a point. I think at the beginning of the book and the beginning of this journey, I would have told you that I didn't have anything to learn from someone like Matt. And actually this is a book about how much I learned from him, and I think he learned from me, too. But I think we learned from each other precisely because we are so different. And there are a number of ways where I can point to that, but one of the biggest ones is I handle fear much better because of what I would have told you three years ago was Matt's recklessness. You know, Matt is a good, very good surfer. He's not the best surfer in the world. The thing I have seen him do that no other surfer I've ever seen in the water can do is claw himself onto a wave. So a big wave is coming and he just gives it everything he's got and throws himself over the lip and. And watching him do that for the first time. I thought, okay, I want to be more like Matt. And I think that is part of what got him through the pandemic. And I think it's also, I hope, part of what I learned. So I guess what I would say is I suspect that the reviewer you mentioned may not agree on my character now, but we might be in surprising agreement about my character when I started the book. And I'm not just proud to have changed. I think life is so much more fun in this new iteration of myself. And in a big way, that's what this book is all about.

[Scott Simon]

You don't talk about common ground so much as neutral ground.

[David Litt]

I started off thinking that this would be about finding common ground in the sense that we would realize we're not so different. We actually have tons in common. And if anything was the opposite. Rama and I have spent three years together surfing and also just hanging out. And what we have learned is, yeah, we have absolutely nothing in common. And. And yet those differences don't matter nearly as much as we thought. And the neutral ground, which to me is a space that isn't coded liberal or conservative, it's not about the things that divide us. For us, it was surfing. But I think anyone listening has their own version of that.

[Scott Simon]

I gotta tell you, I hear from a few people who say they listen to both NPR and Joe Rogan.

[David Litt]

That does not surprise me. I mean, I'm to some extent one of them these days. I wouldn't describe myself as a huge fan of Rogan, but I would say listen to him talk about someone who you already like and more or less agree with, and you will find that episode really fascinating. And I will now highly recommend the Joe Rogan episode with Kelly Slater, who's a legendary surfer. And at the end of that interview, I didn't just feel like I knew more about Kelly Slater, I feel like I knew Kelly Slater. And I can see why he's so popular with his listeners, many of whom, as you point out, are also potentially listening right now or to NPR in general.

[Scott Simon]

Very next to last sentence of the book. You mention that Matt didn't want to see an early copy. Has he now?

[David Litt]

So he did. He originally didn't want to see an early copy. Later on, he said, well, actually, maybe I would like to see one. And so he's an electrician. He was doing a job in Asbury Park, New Jersey, where we live. So I drove over, parked behind his truck, walked into this empty house with an early copy of the book, and I was so nervous. I mean, reviews are scary, but this was the scariest review I knew I was gonna get. And the first sentence of the book is, Matthew Kappler is my brother in law and we're very different. And one of the biggest differences between us is that if I lived like him, I would die. And I saw him read that and he just started to laugh and I said, okay, we're gonna be okay.

[Scott Simon]

David Litt's new book, It's Only Drowning, thanks so much for being with us.

[David Litt]

Thank you for having me.

[Andrew Limbong]

And just a reminder that science signing up for book of the day plus is a great way to support NPR's book coverage and public media. And you'll get to listen to every episode sponsor free. So please go find out [e-mail] BookOfTheDay.

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