Chipped, Jose Vadi
Chipped, Jose Vadi
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Chipped
Writing from a Skateboarder's Lens

Author: José Vadi

Narrator: Andrew Joseph Perez

Unabridged: 4 hr 54 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 12/31/2024


Synopsis

Chipping a board is a natural part of skateboarding. Novice or pro, you'll see folks riding chipped boards as symbols of their stubborn dedication toward a deck, a toy, and aging bodies that will also reach their inevitable end.

In Chipped, José Vadi personalizes and expands upon this symbol. Written after finishing his debut collection Inter State, Vadi used these essays to explore his own empathy in aging, and to elaborate on the impact skateboarding has had on culture, power, and art. From tracing a critical mass skater takeover of San Francisco's streets, to an analysis of visceral '90s skate videos and soundtracks, to the solace found skating a parking lot during a global pandemic, Vadi expands our understanding of the ways skateboarding can alter one's life.

Vadi acts as a "ethnographer on a skateboard," writing, living, and animating an object, likening the board and skate ephemera to the fear of being discarded, wanting to be seen as useful, functional, living. These essays analyze the legacy of seminal texts like Thrasher magazine, influential programming giants like MTV, and skateboard artists. Chipped is an intimate, genre-pushing meditation on skateboarding and the reasons we continue to get up after every fall life throws our way.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Ethan on July 06, 2024

Though there are only two distinct periods of my life when I picked up a skateboard and attempted to learn how to ride (2009 and 2021, at 12 and 24 years old, respectively), I’ve always wanted to be a skater. There was some part of skater culture that felt like something I could identify with, the f......more

Goodreads review by Doug on March 09, 2025

I know I keep giving books 5 stars, but I guess my local librarians are just really, really good at putting books out on display that they know I’ll love. Ha. Seriously, though, this is the book I wish I could have written. It’s a series of interconnected essays about art, music, and poetry analyzed......more

Goodreads review by Colin on August 26, 2024

This was a great read! Vadi does an excellent job of articulating what it means to be a skateboarder and I truly connected with several of the essays in this book. While I rarely get out and skate anymore at this point in my life I will always identify as a skateboarder as it has undoubtedly influen......more

Goodreads review by Ricardo on August 25, 2024

Essay collections are messy by nature, but this is messiER, with essays that jump around subjects like a skater trying out a new skatepark.......more

Goodreads review by Tina on May 16, 2024

I was so excited to read CHIPPED: Writing from a Skateboarder’s Lens by José Vadi since I really enjoyed his previous book Inter State and I really enjoyed this book too! All the essays were really interesting and showcased how his life as a skateboarder shaped his writing and worldview. His passion......more