Synopses & Reviews
When most Americans hear the words "roller derby" today, they think of the kitschy sport once popular on weekend television during the seventies and eighties. Originally an endurance competition where skaters traveled the equivalent of a trip between Los Angeles and New York, derby gradually evolved into a violent contact sport often involving fake fighting. But after nearly dying out in the nineties, derby has been making a comeback. From a mere handful of leagues in the United States just a few years ago, there are now more than 17,000 skaters in more than 400 leagues around the world, with hundreds of thousands of die-hard fans.
Down and Derby will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the sport. Written by veteran skaters as both a history and a how-to, Down and Derby is a brassy celebration of every aspect of the sport, from its origins in the late 1800s, to the rules of a modern bout, to the science of picking an alias, to the many ways you can get involved off skates.
Informative, entertaining, and executed with the same tough, sassy, DIY attitude leavened with plenty of humor that the sport is known for, Down and Derby is the first and last book on derby youll ever need.
Review
"Part manifesto, part how-to-guide, Down and Derby demystifies the world of roller derby, showing readers it's as inclusive as it is cool. After finishing this book, you no longer have an excuse for keeping your boring name or for never trying on a pair of skates. This is required reading for anyone who's searching for new ways to be fearless." Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney
Review
"Feminism can come in the form of placards and protests, but Down and Derby proves that a girl's liberation can also involve strapping on a pair of skates, taking on a kick-ass nickname, and throwing a few hip checks in the process." Marisa Meltzer, author of Girl Power
Review
"Axles of Evil and Kasey Bomber are two of the most sincere, awesome, kick-ass women I've ever met. They are champions of roller derby — and not just in a flashy way but in a really smart way. Being able to have learned to skate under their wing has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Down and Derby is the next best thing to training with them personally. If you love derby this is the book you've been waiting for." Ellen Page, star of Whip It
Review
"As someone who has witnessed the many transitions of roller derby almost from the beginning, I can say that this chronicle isn't just for fans of all the stages of the game, but for anyone who wants to enjoy an inspiring story about truly fascinating people." Jerry Seltzer, derby pioneer and owner of the original Roller Derby league
Synopsis
"Part manifesto, part how-to-guide . . . required reading for anyone who's searching for new ways to be fearless." --Carrie Brownstein
When most Americans hear the words "roller derby" today, they think of the kitschy sport once popular on weekend television during the seventies and eighties. Originally an endurance competition where skaters traveled the equivalent of a trip between Los Angeles and New York, roller derby gradually evolved into a violent contact sport often involving fake fighting, and a kitschy weekend-television staple during the seventies and eighties. But in recent decades it's come back strong, with more than 17,000 skaters in more than four hundred leagues around the world, and countless die-hard fans. Down and Derby will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the sport. Written by veteran skaters as both a history and a how-to, it's a brassy celebration of every aspect of the sport, from its origins in the late 1800s, to the rules of a modern bout, to the science of picking an alias, to the many ways you can get involved off skates.
Informative, entertaining, and executed with the same tough, sassy, DIY attitude--leavened with plenty of humor--that the sport is known for, Down and Derby is a great read for both skaters and spectators.