Written by: Ruth Pott-Negrine
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The Answer Is Never: A History And Memoir Of Skateboarding
Jocko Weyland (Century, £9.99)

Disproving the theory that skateboarders are all ignorant time-wasters who've never picked up a book in their lives, Weyland has written a tome on his passion. Billed as a history and personal memoir, this book is intended to chime with anyone who's ever picked up a skateboard so clearly a failed effort one balmy summer's evening in 1997 wasn't a complete waste of time.

Sadly, skateboarding just didn't seem important to me, but as far as Weyland is concerned, the world was created and then came the half-pipe. His notion of skateboarding being the life-blood of creation is trying; Weyland seems to find it an affront that his cause is sneered at by the users of pavements and council officials, when more than likely they just found it irritating.

While the tale is well-written enough to interest even the least grebo-like amongst us, the style reverts into pretentious language and fails to be Kafka on the streets. The use of jargon also puts up a barrier between the casual reader and die-hard skater, which is a little off-putting for those people not au fait with the whys and wherefores of skating.

Ultimately this is a well-written read but the convoluted style contrasts badly with the very essence of skateboarding; that it is the voice of the `kids' rebelling against the powers that be. A noble attempt at a book but, unless the reader has vowed to wear baggy trousers till their dying day, it will fall on deaf ears.

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