The Skateboard Life

A highly-visual celebration and cultural overview of skateboarding through the voices of the biggest names in the sport

Skateboarding is more popular than ever. In the last five years, and especially since the 2020 Olympics, where skateboarding debuted as an official sport, it has gone mainstream and will keep getting bigger and bigger.

The sport was put on the map in the late 70s when legendary skater Rodney Mullen created one of the most famous skateboarding tricks, the ground Ollie. It became popularized in the early 80s when Thrasher magazine, with its counterculture vibe, was established. Then, in 1982, a little known skater named Tony Hawk came onto the scene at just 14 years old, changing the face of the sport forever. Since then, skateboarding has gained traction, but it has often been portrayed from a one-dimensional perspective. In reality, the sport and the stories of prominent skaters are extremely diverse.

Enter The Skateboard Life. Through 65 dynamic profiles of skaters and over 100 striking images, Dr. Neftalie Williams reveals how skateboarding has permeated every inch of our global culture—Media, Art, Fashion, Music, Business, and Education. From the legends: Tony Hawk and Paul Rodriguez; to the Olympians: Nyjah Huston and Sky Brown; to the artists: Mark McKee, the most celebrated skateboarding artist of all time; to the activists: Briana King, Vogue model, artist skater, and women's and queer skateboarding advocate. Never before has this mega-roster of skaters been featured together.

In addition to the profiles, there will be interstitials that include famous skate parks around the world and the coolest looking boards. The Skateboard Life will appeal to skaters of all levels: dreamers, beginners, and experts alike.