Amped
How Big Air, Big Dollars, and a New Generation Took Sports to the Extreme
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
Visit www.david-browne.com Amped is the first comprehensive account of the history, culture, and business of action sports-skateboarding, snowboarding, BMX, and freestyle motocross. Journalist David Browne interviews more than 100 athletes, pioneers, industry executives, manufacturers, and the adolescent amateurs at the heart of this movement. On his journey, he unravels the eye-opening tale of a flourishing culture that continues to reject old-fashioned stick-and-ball sports in favor of individualistic forms of expression, and that culture's struggle to hold on to its integrity despite the demands of corporate sponsors. David Browne is the music critic for Entertainment Weekly and author of Dream Brother: The Lives and Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley, which was a finalist for the Ralph J. Gleason Award. A former reporter for the New York Daily News, he has also written for the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone, and New York, among other publications. He lives in Manhattan. "A rapid, thrillingly written look at the industry's evolution, one that fully appreciates the dizzying heights as well as the devastating lows that extreme sports have witnessed over the last four decades."-Spin "A must buy!"-Maxim "Whether he's hanging out with the pros on the tour bus, checking in with participants at a skate camp or meeting with ESPN executives to discuss the launch of the X Games, the candor Browne elicits from his interview subjects is impressive."-Publishers Weekly "Well researched and nicely presented, Amped is an engaging look at the history and increasing popularity of action sports."-San Francisco Chronicle Also available: HC 1-58234-317-9 $24.95
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
These days, top-ranked skateboarders, snowboarders, BMX racers and motocross riders can make millions in product endorsements in addition to their competitive earnings. As the music critic for Entertainment Weekly, Browne has an easy point-of-entry into this subculture through its avid appreciation for punk rock and heavy metal, but his overview approaches the extreme sports scene from a variety of angles. Whether he's hanging out with the pros on the tour bus, checking in with participants at a skate camp or meeting with ESPN executives to discuss the launch of the X Games, the candor he elicits from his interview subjects is impressive. He effectively describes the tension felt by the athletes, who strive toward a punk rock ethos of integrity and credibility as they navigate the increasing commercialization of their sports, but as an author, he hangs back at the sidelines. Though Browne seems fascinated by athletes who shrug off even life-threatening accidents by maintaining "injuries help to keep you focused," his narrative lacks an internal edginess that would ensure its appeal to participants in these sports, and his emphasis on marketing could be an equal turnoff. Older, less hip readers, however, will be able to glean some insight into what their kids and grandkids are up to these days.
