Synopsis
Traces the history of the sneaker from its days as a summer shoe for children to its serious use for athletes and importance as a fashion accessory, with quotes, anecdotes, and cartoons.
From the Publisher
A Hit With the Critics"A smart, witty, well-informed, properly passionate book."--Todd Gitlin, author of Twilight of Common Dreams
"What brilliant fun and insight this book provides-a friendly, provocative sketch of the neo-imperial sneaker and how its powers of fantasy conquered hearts and minds, then the world."--William Greider, author of One World, Ready or Not
"While Tom Vanderbilt is always funny, iconoclastic, and penetrating, The Sneaker Book is no laughing matter. In this harrowing sprint around the global track of corporate capital, Vanderbilt reveals a world of exploitation, greed, and insanity Charles Dickens himself could not have dreamed up. After reading this book, the stench of the locker room takes on a whole new meaning."--Robin D.G. Kelley, author of Yo' Mama's DisFunktional!