Skateboarding is more than just a sport; it’s a raw, unfiltered expression of freedom and creativity. Whether you’re a newbie looking to kickflip your way into the scene or a seasoned pro eager to explore the sport’s rich history, the right book can be your guide. The culture of skateboarding has inspired some remarkable literature that takes you on a journey from the concrete jungle to the world of words
In this article, we’ve curated a list of the best skateboarding books that will not only ignite your passion but also sharpen your skills. Get ready to ollie into a world where words and wheels collide, as we unveil the must-reads for every skateboard enthusiast.
14 Best Skateboarding Books
Here are our best skateboarding book suggestions for those interested in reading skateboarding books to improve their skills, learn new techniques, or enjoy the stories every time they flip the page. So read ahead.
1. Skateboarding
This book came out in 2006 and was written by Clive Gifford. It is one of my favorites from the times when I had little to no interest in Skateboarding. This book is an introductory guide, and skateboard stunts are explained in such an interesting way in this book that it made me try them all myself; thanks to SkateBoarding, I can now do ollies, grinds, and verts.
Moreover, the killer photography and cinematic illustrations keep the readers indulged. This book covers everything from skateboarding tips to techniques. So, if you have no trainer, let this book pave your way and be a pro skater.
2. Locals Only
If you are interested in the history of skateboarding, then Locals Only is the perfect book to grab. This book is based on the story of legendary skateboarders Z-Boys of DogTown in the vibrant era of the 1970s. Locals Only is about a young photographer’s journey who captured the beauty of young, talented skaters in the streets of LA, San Fernando Valley, Venice Beach, San Francisco, Baja California, and Mexico.
This book has 120 pictures, each describing the skills of a ridiculously talented skating group. Moreover, the Q&A part is my favorite because it let me experience the feelings of Z-Boys, in their words, who showcased their skateboarding talent while creating a masterpiece like this.
3. The Mutt
If you are looking for the best skateboarding books, don’t forget to grab “The Mutt.” This amazing book is written by Rodney Mullen and Sean Mortimer. I love every bit of this book because, through this, I got to learn the inspiring story of world skateboarding champion Rodney Mullen.
He is the most famous freestyle skateboarder of his time and has won 35 titles in less than five years. What broke my heart when I was reading this book was that his father forced him to quit skateboarding, but gladly, he refused and revolutionized the world of skateboarding and gave a new identity to street skating. Many of his fans still love watching his videos and playing his video games.
4. Mark Gonzales
In the list of best skateboarding books, Mark Gonzales shines the brightest. It is named the “Most Influential Skateboarder of All Time.” This book is about the best skateboarder, The Gonz, who entered the world of skateboarding at the age of 13, and in 3 years, he got featured on the Thrasher magazine cover.
This book is a perfect blend of the skateboarding skills of Gonzales captured beautifully by Sem Rubio. It took decades to complete this masterpiece, including Gonzales’s skateboarding, writing, and artistic skills. Moreover, this book became an impressive and exceptional part of Rubio’s monograph.
In this book, you will learn about Gonzales’s every brand collaboration and his impact on skateboarding and pop culture. Furthermore, this book includes famous interviews of Gonzales with Soike Jinze, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Tony Hawk, Tommy Guerrero, and many others, where he shared his views, personal insights, and skateboarding tricks that anyone can learn in no time to be an incredible skater. This book made me realize how amazing and multi-talented person Gonzales is.
5. DreamSeller: An Addiction Memoir
DreamSeller: An Addiction Memoir is another masterpiece of the world’s best skateboarding books. If you are interested in learning about the fame and life of a great skater, then you must read this book. It is about a young skater who got fame at a very early age.
I got goosebumps while reading this book; it is a rollercoaster of emotions that changed a person’s life in a few years. It starts with the wild rise of fame of a 14-year-old skater who got into the elite skating team in the US and appeared in multiple magazines, interviews, and films. But his drug addiction turned his life and destroyed the fame he got from his talent.
He fought his battle against his heroin addiction and worked on himself again to get over his addiction with the help of his friends and classmates. This book is beautifully written, depicting the brightest and darkest phases of a young skater who couldn’t handle fame and lost his charm before getting his life together once again.
6. Skateboarding and The City
If you are searching for a book that takes you on a tour of skateboarding and how it evolved with time, then this book is for you. I found many surprising entries in this book that made Skateboarding and the City more interesting to read.
This book helped me learn about the history of skateboarding starting from California, how it changed with time, and how media sparked and highlighted the rising influence of skateboarding in America. On each page, you will experience this multidisciplinary sport’s cultural and sociological aspects. The most interesting thing about this book is that it comes with QR codes near every picture that you can scan and learn more interesting facts about the topic from YouTube videos.
7. Skate the World: Photographing One World of Skateboarding
If you want to feel the skateboarding world exceptionally, don’t miss out on Skate the World. All the best actions of the world’s greatest skateboarders of all time are beautifully captured by an award-winning photographer, Jonathan Mehring. Each shot holds the beauty, heart, and soul of skating culture.
This book will take you to the streets of New York, Hong Kong, Istanbul, and beyond, featuring skateboarding stars like Tony Hawk, Nyjah Huston, and Eric Koston. Out of 200 thrilling skating photographs, many shots are published by world-famous magazines. I was awe-struck by how each photograph is brilliantly taken and explains the exciting skate culture worldwide.
8. The Skateboard Art of Jim Phillips
I always find colorful and artistic skateboard decks attractive, and if you love skateboard art, this book is a perfect choice. This book bombards the readers with the aesthetics and colors of the skateboard world. Thanks to the eye-captivating art of Jim, it lets me see the beauty of colorful decks, logos, layouts, stickers, ad art, and much more with my eyes.
Every page of this book gives an adrenaline rush that pictures the revolution of skateboarding from early skateboarding days to the present. So, if you want to see the skateboard world from the eyes of a talented California artist, The Skateboard Art of Jim Phillips is waiting for you.
9. A Secret History of the Ollie
A Secret History of the Ollie is the best skateboarding book in the history of this fantastic sport. It is written by majestic skateboard historian Craig B. Synder. I read this book to enlighten myself about the revolutionary era of Skateboarding, the 1970s.
If you are interested in skateboard history, you will find everything in this book, from its culture to lifestyle and rise in fame. The journey starts with the history and then takes the reader to learn about the most captivating skateboard trick, the ollie. The history of the ollie is explained in 1200 photographs, amazing shots, ads, etc., that captivate every reader, apart from learning about the history of skateboarding, revolutionary tricks, street culture, and human behavior.
10. Mastering Skateboarding
If you are a beginner skateboarder afraid to try cool skateboard stunts and tricks, this is for you. Per Welinder, a professional skateboarder who has won the gold medal in the X Games, wrote this book. He wrote this to train beginner skaters and help them execute skateboard tricks without fear of falling and failing.
Thanks to my father, who gave me this book to learn skateboard techniques from basic riding to attempting complex aerial maneuvers and performing stunts. Reading this book boosted my confidence and helped me improve my skateboarding skills. The best thing about it is that every trick is explained in a simple way that even a kid can master the art of Skateboarding if he reads the detailed instructions mentioned in this book attentively.
11. Skateboarding: Legendary Tricks
Here is the best skateboarding book for skateboarders who are still in the learning phase, like me. Earlier this year, I only knew the basics of skating the one fine summer day I got my hands on this great book.
Believe me, this book has made me a pro skater in less than a month, and thanks to Steve Badilo, who explained more than a hundred skateboard tricks with detailed instructions. The cherry on the top is the tips with each trick from professional skaters like Tony Hawk and Bam Margera.
Say goodbye to all your fears and learn skateboarding techniques and tricks from the professionals. Moreover, this book is not all about skateboard tricks and stunts; you will also get a chance to read about the history and culture of this wonderful sport through this book. So take advantage of the professionals and surprise everyone with your killer skateboard performance.
12. California Concrete: A Landscape of Skateparks
California Concrete: A Landscape of Skateparks is another captivating book that explains the skateboarding culture and the birthplace of this sport, Southern California. Skateboarding emerged from Southern California and captured every human’s attention in no time. In this book, you will learn about the skateboard culture, its revolution, and the skateparks of California.
The whole book is a collection of Amir Zaki’s photography skills. He captured various natural landscapes of California that depict the traditional and contemporary art of Skateboarding. Zaki is a fantastic skateboarder, and his effort to show the world the beauty of California’s landscape for skateparks is commendable.
This book got immense popularity and respect even from professional skateboarders like Tony Hawks. What’s so different about this book is that all photographs are shot at different times of the day when no one is around, which means Zaki truly captured the beauty of the concrete skateparks of Southern California. I can imagine how exciting these images were for a professional skater because I am not a great skateboarder, but his images made me shake a leg and try skateboarding in those areas myself.
13. Hawks
Skateboarding is not just about having fun. One should also learn about its history, legendary skateboarders, and culture because real beauty lies in the history, and it is what makes it more exciting. I have taken this name in this article many times and you must have figured it out until now; this book is about a great skateboarder of all time, Tony Hawks.
Tony has explained his journey in this book, from winning professional contests to inventing over eighty tricks and all the odds that come with this sport, like fractures, breaking elbows, falling unconscious, getting bruised, etc. Read this book, and you will know how hard it is to be a legend. He wasn’t a skilled skater by birth; it took him thirteen years of hard work to master the art of skating and be where he is now.
If you are looking for some inspiration, this book is a perfect choice. I don’t know how to explain it in words, but a child with a 144 IQ who was expelled from school is now a legendary skateboarder, and this book covers every important event of his life from childhood till now that made him Tony Hawks the professional skateboarder.
Through this book, you will get to know Tony Hawks better, from his childhood struggles to every odd he went through to become a professional skater. I really like this book, and all those who Tony Hawks inspires should read this, but be ready for an emotional rollercoaster ride because this book is full of happy, sad, embarrassing, and struggling moments of Tony Hawks.
14. Impossible
Impossible is yet another masterpiece that covers the history of skateboarding fantastically. The best thing about this book is that it explains the history, culture, and the most prominent skateboard players.
Moreover, you will find everything about skateboarding in this book. Journalist Cole Louison intelligently explains the history and how players made this sport attractive by inspiring many young minds. Indeed, Impossible is the most inspiring and informative book on skateboarding I have ever read; you must read it.
FAQs
Are skateboards good for girls?
Skateboarding is gender-neutral, so yes, girls can skateboard, too. Here are the Best Skateboards for Girls.
How do you skateboard for beginners book?
For beginners, “How to Train Your Skateboard” is a great book that explains practically useful skills and tricks for beginner skaters super easily.
Conclusion
Skateboarding is the most fun sport and hobby of many youngsters, but this sport has deep roots that one should learn, and who can explain anything better than books, right? So, for all those who love to read and are looking for the best skateboarding books, whether to learn about its history or improve their skateboarding skills, this article has everything for everyone.
Take some time out and enjoy reading the best skateboarding books suggested by us. Thank you.