The most fun thing : dispatches from a skateboard life

**Named a Best Book of the Year by NPR __•__ Southwest Review __•__ Electric Literature** **Perfect for fans of __Barbarian Days__, this memoir in essays follows one man's decade-long quest to uncover the hidden meaning of skateboarding, and explores how this search led unexpectedly to insights on marriage, love, loss, American invention, and growing old.** In January 2012, creative writing professor and novelist Kyle Beachy published one of his first essays on skate culture, an exploration of how Nike’s corporate strategy successfully gutted the once-mighty independent skate shoe market. Beachy has since established himself as skate culture's freshest, most illuminating, at times most controversial voice, writing candidly about the increasingly popular and fast-changing pastime he first picked up as a young boy and has continued to practice well into adulthood. What is skateboarding? What does it mean to continue skateboarding after the age of forty, four decades after the kickflip was invented? How does one live authentically as an adult while staying true to a passion cemented in childhood? How does skateboarding shape one's understanding of contemporary American life? Of growing old and getting married? Contemplating these questions and more, Beachy offers a deep exploration of a pastime—often overlooked, regularly maligned—whose seeming simplicity conceals universal truths. THE MOST FUN THING is both a rich account of a hobby and a collection of the lessons skateboarding has taught Beachy—and what it continues to teach him as he strugglesto find space for it as an adult, a professor, and a husband. In The Tradition Of Barbarian Days, A Memoir In Essays Of Kyle Beachy's Decade-long Quest To Uncover The Hidden Meaning Of Skateboarding, And How This Search Led Unexpectedly To Insights On Marriage, Love, Loss, American Invention, And Growing Old. In August Of 2011, Writing Professor And Aspiring Novelist Kyle Beachy Published His First Essay On Skate Culture, A Brutal Takedown Of Nike's Scorched-earth Tactics Which Had Gutted The Once-mighty Independent Skate Shoe Market. It Would Not Be His Last. For A Decade And Counting, Beachy Has Been Skate Culture's Freshest, Most Illuminating, At Times Most Controversial Voice, Writing Candidly About The Increasingly Popular And Fast-changing Pastime Beachy First Picked Up As A Young Boy And Has Continued To Practice Well Into Adulthood. What Is Skateboarding? What Does It Mean To Still Skate At Forty, Four Decades After The Kickflip Was First Invented? How Does One Live Like An Adult While Engaging In An Activity And Lifestyle That Are Fundamentally Childish? How Does Having A Passion Like Skateboarding, Which Breaks Bones, Abrades Skin, And Takes As Much As It Gives, Shape One's Understanding Of Contemporary American Life? Of Growing Old And Getting Married? In The Tradition Of William Finnegan's Barbarian Days, Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance, And Murakami's What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, The Most Fun Thing Approaches Universal Truths Though A Deep Exploration Of A Specific Subject. It Is A Rich Account Of Beachy's Struggle To Pin Down The Meaning Of The Pastime That Became His Life's Greatest Obsession, And To Find A Place For It In An Increasingly Complicated Life As An Adult, A Professor, And A Husband. Named a Best Book of the Year by NPR • Southwest Review • Electric Literature Perfect for fans of Barbarian Days , this memoir in essays follows one man's decade-long quest to uncover the hidden meaning of skateboarding, and explores how this search led unexpectedly to insights on marriage, love, loss, American invention, and growing old. In January 2012, creative writing professor and novelist Kyle Beachy published one of his first essays on skate culture, an exploration of how Nike’s corporate strategy successfully gutted the once-mighty independent skate shoe market. Beachy has since established himself as skate culture's freshest, most illuminating, at times most controversial voice, writing candidly about the increasingly popular and fast-changing pastime he first picked up as a young boy and has continued to practice well into adulthood. What is skateboarding? What does it mean to continue skateboarding after the age of forty, four decades after the kickflip was invented? How does one live authentically as an adult while staying true to a passion cemented in childhood? How does skateboarding shape one's understanding of contemporary American life? Of growing old and getting married? Contemplating these questions and more, Beachy offers a deep exploration of a pastime—often overlooked, regularly maligned—whose seeming simplicity conceals universal truths. THE MOST FUN THING is both a rich account of a hobby and a collection of the lessons skateboarding has taught Beachy—and what it continues to teach him as he struggles to find space for it as an adult, a professor, and a husband. "In the tradition of Barbarian Days, THE MOST FUN THING is a memoir in essays of Kyle Beachy's decade-long quest to uncover the hidden meaning of skateboarding-a search that unearthed fresh insights on marriage, love, loss, and American invention. In January 2012, creative writing professor and novelist Kyle Beachy published one of his first essays on skate culture, an exploration of how Nike's corporate strategy successfully gutted the once-mighty independent skate shoe market. For a decade and counting, Beachy has been skate culture's freshest, most illuminating, at times most controversial voice, writing candidly about the increasingly popular and fast-changing pastime Beachy first picked up as a young boy and has continued to practice well into adulthood. What is skateboarding? What does it mean to continue skateboarding after forty, four decades after the kickflip was invented? How does one live authentically as an adult while staying true to a passion cemented in childhood? How does skateboarding shape one's understanding of contemporary American life? Of growing old and getting married? Answering these questions and more, Beachy offers a deep exploration of a pastime, often overlooked, regularly maligned, whose seeming simplicity conceals universal truths. THE MOST FUN THING is both a rich account of a hobby and a life and collection of the varied lessons skateboarding has taught Beachy-what it continues to teach him as he struggles to find space for it as an adult, a professor, and a husband"-- Provided by publisher