Midwest Shreds: Skating through America's Heartland

by Mandy Shunnarah

182 pages, Paperback

Published July 16, 2024

Reviews

[Randi Williams]

I love this book so much! I love it so much that I’m having trouble coming up with what to say about it because I’m just overcome with being stoked on it! 💗

[Marie Kruse]

As the mother of two skateboarders in the 80's, I loved this book. I cringe when I think of my sons on the half pipe without any protective gear. I live in Ohio so all the chapters about skating locations in the Buckeye state had special meaning to me. In fact, one location is across the street from my grade school! Who knew? I was impressed with the comradery among skaters regardless of their age, sex or race. Yes, some sexual and competitive conflicts but for the most part it was like a fraternity/sorority. I strongly encourage parents of current/past skateboards to read this book and then pass the book on to their sons/daughters to read. NOTE: I was disappointed that there were no pictures.

[Ellen Williams]

I knew nothing about skating, its history, or culture when I started this book. Mandy can write about any topic and make it fascinating- their writing is THAT good. I really enjoyed this book and learning more about the skating community. I enjoyed the humanness of this book through Mandy’s storytelling of theirs and others experiences within the community. “I don’t think it’s possible to truly love something without critiquing it or at least noticing its flaws and demanding it be better, do better. That’s why my feelings about shaking are complicated. I must reconcile loving a flawed thing and its flawed people.”

[Isabeau]

SO GOOD. MORE ARTICULATE REVIEW FORTHCOMING

[Mandy Shunnarah]

I'm a little biased since I wrote this book, but here's why I think it's 5-star-worthy:

- Whenever I get into a new hobby, I want to know its history. So when I started going to skate parks, I wanted to know more about skate history beyond the "West Coast is skate heaven" stereotype that's well-represented in existing media. I wanted to know about skating in other parts of the country and found there was nothing on the Midwest. So I wrote it! There's no other book like this.

- Midwest Shreds isn't just "hey, look at this cool skate park." There are interviews with professional and hobbyist skaters, skate manufacturers, ramp builders, and those keeping skate culture not only alive but healthy and welcoming for all.

- It's never *just* about skate parks. Skate parks reveal how city planning is often a racist enterprise and how access and resources affect people's ability to participate in the sport. It's about how sexism has affected women and nonbinary people's participation in the sport and how they're carving out spaces for themselves in the male-dominated skate world. It's about how disabled folks don't let their disabilities stop them from doing what they love and how they're making the skate world more equitable. And it's about how skating has been a mental health outlet––and a literal lifesaver––for many.

- In addition to the social justice angles, I explore philosophical angles, too. If you're fascinated by utopias, or at least the idea of them, you'll like Midwest Shreds.

- The book is part cultural history, part travelogue, and part memoir, so if you're into blended-genre books, you'll enjoy this.

[Don Morris]

Mandy gives a really good look at skating spots throughout the Midwest and how they shaped her both as a skater and as a person. It’s a little sad when she references Skate Naked since it closed earlier this year. Hopefully Columbus gets a new indoor spot in the near future.

[Shawna]

I learned a lot from this book and the writing is excellent. From reading about skate parks built in churches to learning about adaptive skating and people doing tricks on unicycles, this was a fascinating, inclusive, and encouraging read. I was engaged the entire book and couldn’t put it down. It’s an accessible read for anyone and I would recommend it to anyone in the Midwest and beyond. It’s written with care and extensive research. It’s sprinkled with relatable humor about trying new things, and the resilience it takes to fall and get right back up again. These skaters are gritty as hell.