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Sneakerhead
Runtime 1 hr 55 min When Amanda Eyre Ward's 13-year-old son, Harry, dove headfirst into the world of sneaker culture, she found herself baffled by his obsession with flashy, expensive shoes that seemed like mere status symbols. Determined to bridge the gap with her teenage son, Ward reluctantly decided to embrace the mantra of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em".
As she shed her preconceptions and immersed herself in the quest to snag the latest drops, Ward discovered a community far richer than she had imagined. Sneaker culture, she realized, wasn't just about shoes—it was a gateway to entrepreneurship, a vibrant community, and a powerful form of creative expression that was transforming Harry's identity before her eyes.
In her irreverent, insightful voice, Ward recounts this transformative journey in Sneakerhead. Through vivid prose and engaging conversations with Harry and fellow enthusiasts they encounter, Ward's eyes are opened to the depth and significance of her son's passion. Throughout, Ward paints a vivid portrait of an important piece of American culture—a phenomenon that transcends mere footwear to embody aspirations, creativity, and belonging.
In embracing her son's world, Ward not only discovers a newfound appreciation for sneakers but also for the unique individual her son is becoming. Sneakerhead, ultimately, is a testament to the magic that unfolds when parents invest in understanding and encouraging their children's passions.
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©2023 Amanda Eyre Ward (P)2024 Audible Originals, LLC.
As she shed her preconceptions and immersed herself in the quest to snag the latest drops, Ward discovered a community far richer than she had imagined. Sneaker culture, she realized, wasn't just about shoes—it was a gateway to entrepreneurship, a vibrant community, and a powerful form of creative expression that was transforming Harry's identity before her eyes.
In her irreverent, insightful voice, Ward recounts this transformative journey in Sneakerhead. Through vivid prose and engaging conversations with Harry and fellow enthusiasts they encounter, Ward's eyes are opened to the depth and significance of her son's passion. Throughout, Ward paints a vivid portrait of an important piece of American culture—a phenomenon that transcends mere footwear to embody aspirations, creativity, and belonging.
In embracing her son's world, Ward not only discovers a newfound appreciation for sneakers but also for the unique individual her son is becoming. Sneakerhead, ultimately, is a testament to the magic that unfolds when parents invest in understanding and encouraging their children's passions.
Read less
©2023 Amanda Eyre Ward (P)2024 Audible Originals, LLC.
2 pages, Audible Audio
First published August 8, 2024
4 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Eyre Ward
16 books1,416 followersAmanda Eyre Ward’s new novel. LOVERS AND LIARS, will be published in May, 2024! It is the story of a librarian in love.
Here is a very long bio: Amanda was born in New York City in 1972. Her family mved to Rye, New York when she was four. Amanda attended Kent School in Kent, CT, where she wrote for the Kent News.
Amanda majored in English and American Studies at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She studied fiction writing with Jim Shepard and spent her junior fall in coastal Kenya. She worked part-time at the Williamstown Public Library. After graduation, Amanda taught at Athens College in Greece for a year, and then moved to Missoula, Montana.
Amanda studied fiction writing at the University of Montana with Bill Kittredge, Dierdre McNamer, Debra Earling, and Kevin Canty, receiving her MFA. After traveling to Egypt, she took a job at the University of Montana Mansfield Library, working in Inter Library Loan.
In 1998, Amanda moved to Austin, Texas where she began working on Sleep Toward Heaven. Amanda finished Sleep Toward Heaven, which was published in 2003. Sleep Toward Heaven won the Violet Crown Book Award and was optioned for film by Sandra Bullock and Fox Searchlight. To promote Sleep Toward Heaven, Amanda, her baby, and her mother Mary-Anne Westley traveled to London and Paris.
Amanda moved to Waterville, Maine, where she wrote in an attic filled with books. Amanda’s second novel, How to Be Lost, was published in 2004. How to Be Lost was selected as a Target Bookmarked pick, and has been published in fifteen countries.
After one year in Maine and two years on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Amanda and her family returned to Austin, Texas.
To research her third novel, Forgive Me, Amanda traveled with her sister, Liza Ward Bennigson, to Cape Town, South Africa. Forgive Me was published in 2007.
Amanda's short story collection, Love Stories in This Town, was published in April, 2009.
Her fourth novel, Close Your Eyes, published in July, 2011, received a four-star reiew in People Magazine, won the Elle Lettres Readers' Prize for September, and inspired the Dallas Morning News to write, "With CLOSE YOUR EYES, Austin novelist Amanda Eyre Ward puts another jewel in her crown as the reigning doyenne of 'dark secrets' literary fiction."
Close Your Eyes was named in Kirkus' Best Books of 2011, and won the Elle Magazine Fiction Book of the Year. It was released in paperback in August, 2012.
Amanda's fifth novel, The Same Sky, was published on January 20, 2015. It was named one of the most anticipated books for 2015 by BookPeople and Book of the Week by People Magazine. Dallas Morning News writes, "Ward has written a novel that brilliantly attaches us to broader perspectives. It is a needed respite from the angry politics surrounding border issues that, instead of dividing us, connects us to our humanity."
The Same Sky was chosen as a Target Bookmarked pick.
Amanda's new novel, The Nearness of You, was published on Valentine's Day, 2017.
Amanda's new novel, THE JETSETTERS, was chosen by Reese's Book Club and Hello Sunshine and became a New York Times bestseller. Her novel THE LIFEGUARDS was published in 2022.
Ask me anything and stay tuned for news about LOVERS AND LIARS and TV and film projects based on Amanda's work!
Here is a very long bio: Amanda was born in New York City in 1972. Her family mved to Rye, New York when she was four. Amanda attended Kent School in Kent, CT, where she wrote for the Kent News.
Amanda majored in English and American Studies at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She studied fiction writing with Jim Shepard and spent her junior fall in coastal Kenya. She worked part-time at the Williamstown Public Library. After graduation, Amanda taught at Athens College in Greece for a year, and then moved to Missoula, Montana.
Amanda studied fiction writing at the University of Montana with Bill Kittredge, Dierdre McNamer, Debra Earling, and Kevin Canty, receiving her MFA. After traveling to Egypt, she took a job at the University of Montana Mansfield Library, working in Inter Library Loan.
In 1998, Amanda moved to Austin, Texas where she began working on Sleep Toward Heaven. Amanda finished Sleep Toward Heaven, which was published in 2003. Sleep Toward Heaven won the Violet Crown Book Award and was optioned for film by Sandra Bullock and Fox Searchlight. To promote Sleep Toward Heaven, Amanda, her baby, and her mother Mary-Anne Westley traveled to London and Paris.
Amanda moved to Waterville, Maine, where she wrote in an attic filled with books. Amanda’s second novel, How to Be Lost, was published in 2004. How to Be Lost was selected as a Target Bookmarked pick, and has been published in fifteen countries.
After one year in Maine and two years on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Amanda and her family returned to Austin, Texas.
To research her third novel, Forgive Me, Amanda traveled with her sister, Liza Ward Bennigson, to Cape Town, South Africa. Forgive Me was published in 2007.
Amanda's short story collection, Love Stories in This Town, was published in April, 2009.
Her fourth novel, Close Your Eyes, published in July, 2011, received a four-star reiew in People Magazine, won the Elle Lettres Readers' Prize for September, and inspired the Dallas Morning News to write, "With CLOSE YOUR EYES, Austin novelist Amanda Eyre Ward puts another jewel in her crown as the reigning doyenne of 'dark secrets' literary fiction."
Close Your Eyes was named in Kirkus' Best Books of 2011, and won the Elle Magazine Fiction Book of the Year. It was released in paperback in August, 2012.
Amanda's fifth novel, The Same Sky, was published on January 20, 2015. It was named one of the most anticipated books for 2015 by BookPeople and Book of the Week by People Magazine. Dallas Morning News writes, "Ward has written a novel that brilliantly attaches us to broader perspectives. It is a needed respite from the angry politics surrounding border issues that, instead of dividing us, connects us to our humanity."
The Same Sky was chosen as a Target Bookmarked pick.
Amanda's new novel, The Nearness of You, was published on Valentine's Day, 2017.
Amanda's new novel, THE JETSETTERS, was chosen by Reese's Book Club and Hello Sunshine and became a New York Times bestseller. Her novel THE LIFEGUARDS was published in 2022.
Ask me anything and stay tuned for news about LOVERS AND LIARS and TV and film projects based on Amanda's work!
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 6, 2024
129/150 for Mama in 2024
October 3, 2024
I felt frustrated listening to this. The author explains her parenting style as basically hands off, stand back and watch, non-interventionist and describes her son’s hobby of tracking down and buying/selling rare, expensive sneakers as pointless, capitalist, conspicuous consumption. Then wonders why her son won’t talk to her and is disinterested. Umm?
As the story progresses, she begins to “invest” in her son’s sneaker hobby and finds it to be a real thrill to throw money around and basically buy the child’s affection in this way. This story is difficult for me to relate to, but slightly interesting. I would be more interested in reading a book from the perspective of her son. Now that would be an interesting listen/read!
As the story progresses, she begins to “invest” in her son’s sneaker hobby and finds it to be a real thrill to throw money around and basically buy the child’s affection in this way. This story is difficult for me to relate to, but slightly interesting. I would be more interested in reading a book from the perspective of her son. Now that would be an interesting listen/read!
April 15, 2025
Listening to this felt like being stuck in a conversation I couldn’t escape—one where nothing truly mattered, but everyone kept talking like it did. It tried to tap into themes of obsession, identity, and material culture, but never really committed to exploring any of them with depth or purpose. Everything felt skin-deep. Shiny on the outside, hollow underneath.
The setting bounced between cities and social circles that should’ve felt dynamic, but it all blended into one flat backdrop of privilege and trend-chasing. There was this constant attempt to make sneakers feel like some kind of sacred symbol or emotional currency, but it never landed. The obsession just came across as shallow, not fascinating. It didn’t feel like a passion—it felt like a fixation with no soul behind it.
The characters were paper-thin and exhausting. I never connected to any of them, and their motivations felt either overly dramatic or completely unbelievable. There was no grounding, no emotional tether—just a parade of decisions that made me roll my eyes more than once. I kept waiting for something real to break through all the aesthetic and attitude, but it never came.
The writing style, especially in audiobook format, made it worse. It was stiff and try-hard, filled with awkward metaphors and dialogue that sounded like it had been lifted from a half-hearted satire. The narration didn’t help—everything felt overly performed, like it was trying to add depth that just wasn’t there in the text.
Honestly, it was a chore to get through. I finished it out of sheer stubbornness, hoping there’d be some kind of payoff or point to all the surface-level drama. There wasn’t. Just an empty box pretending to hold something valuable.
Read more here: https://annietheinkdrinker.wordpress....
The setting bounced between cities and social circles that should’ve felt dynamic, but it all blended into one flat backdrop of privilege and trend-chasing. There was this constant attempt to make sneakers feel like some kind of sacred symbol or emotional currency, but it never landed. The obsession just came across as shallow, not fascinating. It didn’t feel like a passion—it felt like a fixation with no soul behind it.
The characters were paper-thin and exhausting. I never connected to any of them, and their motivations felt either overly dramatic or completely unbelievable. There was no grounding, no emotional tether—just a parade of decisions that made me roll my eyes more than once. I kept waiting for something real to break through all the aesthetic and attitude, but it never came.
The writing style, especially in audiobook format, made it worse. It was stiff and try-hard, filled with awkward metaphors and dialogue that sounded like it had been lifted from a half-hearted satire. The narration didn’t help—everything felt overly performed, like it was trying to add depth that just wasn’t there in the text.
Honestly, it was a chore to get through. I finished it out of sheer stubbornness, hoping there’d be some kind of payoff or point to all the surface-level drama. There wasn’t. Just an empty box pretending to hold something valuable.
Read more here: https://annietheinkdrinker.wordpress....
February 25, 2025
While this story could be very relatable to parents who are trying to connect with their kids, this came off as very clingy and helicopter parent.
Every kid wants their parent to be involved in what they find joy in, but no kid wants their parent to be so involved that they take it on for themselves and this book kinda felt like that.
Also the documenting of the whole shoe buying process seems like it was more for the mother's book deal then really trying to get involved.
I will say that anyone that tried to "get rich quick" or fell into the whole scalping mark up will find some level of enjoyment and break down to this audio book as well as anyone who has a real love for sneaker culture.
Ending on a 2.5 rating because this felt very forgettable and a little desperate of the mother which wasn't enjoyable.
Every kid wants their parent to be involved in what they find joy in, but no kid wants their parent to be so involved that they take it on for themselves and this book kinda felt like that.
Also the documenting of the whole shoe buying process seems like it was more for the mother's book deal then really trying to get involved.
I will say that anyone that tried to "get rich quick" or fell into the whole scalping mark up will find some level of enjoyment and break down to this audio book as well as anyone who has a real love for sneaker culture.
Ending on a 2.5 rating because this felt very forgettable and a little desperate of the mother which wasn't enjoyable.
April 3, 2025
**Book Review: *Sneakerhead* by Amanda Eyre Ward**
*Sneakerhead* is a thrilling and emotional novel about ambition, secrets, and the dark side of the sneaker industry. The story follows a mother searching for her missing son, leading her into a world of high-stakes sneaker deals, crime, and deception. Amanda Eyre Ward masterfully blends mystery with deep emotional themes, creating a fast-paced yet heartfelt read. The book explores family bonds, privilege, and the lengths a mother will go to for her child. With vivid storytelling and unexpected twists, *Sneakerhead* keeps readers hooked until the last page. A must-read for fans of suspenseful and thought-provoking fiction.
*Sneakerhead* is a thrilling and emotional novel about ambition, secrets, and the dark side of the sneaker industry. The story follows a mother searching for her missing son, leading her into a world of high-stakes sneaker deals, crime, and deception. Amanda Eyre Ward masterfully blends mystery with deep emotional themes, creating a fast-paced yet heartfelt read. The book explores family bonds, privilege, and the lengths a mother will go to for her child. With vivid storytelling and unexpected twists, *Sneakerhead* keeps readers hooked until the last page. A must-read for fans of suspenseful and thought-provoking fiction.
August 14, 2024
This book is the story of the author's struggle to connect with her preteen son Harrison also known as Harry. Amanda tries everything to get Harry to open up about what's bothering him. All her attempts fail leaving her feeling hopeless. Things change when Amanda adopts Harry's new sneaker obsession to show him how absurd it is. Her plan backfires as she receives a whole shoe education from Harry and becomes quite the sneakerhead. Amanda achieved her ultimate goal of improving her relationship with her son to some extent. Overall, this was a light and quick read.
September 15, 2024
🎧: Sneakerhead by Amanda Eyre Ward
⭐️: 4/5
This was a solid, short listen that pulled at my heart as Ward tries to grasp onto connecting with her adolescent son as he starts to come into his own identity and personhood. Seeing her foray into sneaker culture was at times hilarious and other times endearing.
Minus one star for not digging into a few topics that came up deep enough - I’d love to hear more about what this effort struck in her (and did she ever sell that second coat she scored? 🫠).
⭐️: 4/5
This was a solid, short listen that pulled at my heart as Ward tries to grasp onto connecting with her adolescent son as he starts to come into his own identity and personhood. Seeing her foray into sneaker culture was at times hilarious and other times endearing.
Minus one star for not digging into a few topics that came up deep enough - I’d love to hear more about what this effort struck in her (and did she ever sell that second coat she scored? 🫠).
August 31, 2024
There’s something interesting and magical that happens somewhere in the third part of this audiobook. Something transcends the relatively boring two thirds as both son and mother learn things about themselves and the world around them. There’s growth and discovery. Just for that it went from meh to nice for me.
September 18, 2024
Meh. The author is trying to connect with her son and ends up getting roped into the sneaker culture. Unfortunately, she doesn’t really flesh out either facet of the book well. It’s ok and worth the listen if you have an audible subscription (it’s a free title) but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get my hands in this one.
October 6, 2024
Very short audiobook that helped me understand the craze to buy expensive sneakers. One of my friends has waited in line with her sons to get some first release sneakers, and I just never understood. The book is told from a mom's point of view, and I do sort of understand now. She did a good job explaining the associated lingo.
November 14, 2024
Meh. I am thrown by the low self esteem of the author and the semi whiny, sorry for herself attempts to parent. I think if it had been funnier it would have worked, but the earnestness made the story feel more of desperation to connect with her son.
December 15, 2024
Super interesting- I never knew anything about this part of the world (as in the world of people who buy and resell sneakers). Or course there's a work for people into this.
The parenting stuff was less interesting, I was more interested in Harry's parts.
The parenting stuff was less interesting, I was more interested in Harry's parts.
March 19, 2025
It was interesting to learn about sneakers and the collecting piece. I’m empathetic for her trying to connect with her kid. I’m frustrated at what seemed to be throwing money out the window with no limits or lesson for the kid.
November 1, 2025
I hope I remember some of the lessons from this listen when my now 8.5 year old son is in middle school- early high school. I love how this mom was able to bond with her son over his special interest, right at a time when he was becoming more withdrawn.
Lesson: What kept him engaged/connected/talking was when I asked him about what he was interested in (in this case, sneakers).
Lesson: What kept him engaged/connected/talking was when I asked him about what he was interested in (in this case, sneakers).
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August 16, 2024I loved the mother-son connections, but the resale aspect was frustrating. If you really love your shoes you’re not getting them just to flip.
August 19, 2024
Very amusing look at understanding our teenage kids. Fun read! Very short though.
August 24, 2024
A quick listen by audible original. Thankful it was included in my membership. Wasn't very interesting
September 3, 2024
There were some interesting things I previously didn’t know but the book itself was not something I expected. And what especially triggered me “Eye of the Tiger” is not a song by Duran Duran
September 16, 2024
I don’t care how much you try to make this boring, cringy book about a mothers plight, you can never get me to empathize with resellers. They are the scum of the earth.
September 17, 2024
Sweet short read about how the author found a way to connect with her teen son. As a boy mom this resonated with me deeply.
October 2, 2024
Interesting look into a culture I don’t know much about. Execution was ok. Trying to make the most of my audible subscription lately.
October 2, 2024
Loved it!
And Learned a lot!!!
And Learned a lot!!!
October 4, 2024
Audible
Ultimately a book about a mom trying so hard to remain connected with her son. Relatable.
Ultimately a book about a mom trying so hard to remain connected with her son. Relatable.
January 3, 2025
Great short story about parenting and relating to your kids
April 19, 2025
Quick book. Cute read.
June 7, 2025
This is the story of a mother who dove into her son's obsessions with sneakers and she quickly followed.
January 20, 2026
Short read, not a fan of the ending.
January 30, 2025
super cute
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews