Dogtown: The Legends of the Z-Boys: Amazon.ca: C. R. Stecyk III, Glen E. Friedman: Books

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There was so much aggression... they were more like a street gang than a skate team. -- SkateBoarder Magazine circa 1975

Book Description

In the early 1970s, the sport of skateboarding had so waned from its popularity in the 1960s that it was virtually non-existent. In the Dogtown area of west Los Angeles, a group of young surfers known as the Zephyr Team (Z-Boys) was experimenting with new and radical moves and styles in the water which they translated to the street. When competition skateboarding returned in 1975, the Z-Boys turned the skating world on its head. . Dogtown The Legend of the Z-Boys is a truly fascinating case study of just how an underground sport ascended on the world. These are the stories and images of a time that not only inspired a generation but changed the face of sport forever. The Legend of the Z-Boys has been described as "The Dogtown text book" and an insightful companion piece to the movie: "DogTown and Z-Boys". . Spanning 1975 – 1985, the first section of the 240 page book includes the best of the "DogTown" articles written by C.R. Stecyk III as they originally appeared in SkateBoarder Magazine. The second half compiles 100’s of never before seen skate images from the archive of Glen E. Friedman - many of which appear in the movie. Both Stecyk and Friedman acted as executive producers and advisors for the award winning film, Dogtown and Z-Boys to be released nationwide simultaneously by Sony Picture Classics in April 2002.

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First Sentence
Somewhere in the Arizona desert lies the estate of Barry Goldwater. Read the first page

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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews

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4 star:		(2)
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Average Customer Review

4.8 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I own, April 23 2006

By

Hannah (Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dogtown: The Legends of the Z-Boys (Hardcover)

As a former skateboarder, I naturally wanted to go and see the movie and ended up buying the book shortly thereafter. I am very pleased with the well-written articles and how well the pictures turned out, even though there is one picture in the book that has been missing for over 25 years. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the book, you will not be dissapointed.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Almost as good as having my old Skateboarders..., Jan 3 2004

By

L. Alper (Englewood CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Dogtown: The Legends of the Z-Boys (Hardcover)

Finally, collected in one hardback book are all of the "Dogtown" articles from the mid 70's Skateboarder magazine. What a treat!

In their original incarnation, these articles (especially the single page "Who's Hot!")festooned the walls of my bedroom. Even if the originals hadn't disappeared over the years, most probably never survived the pillaging of their contents; thus, a hardback reprint is a treasure! But the real surprise is how well these articles were written.

Your average 13 year old skate nut is hardly a literary critic. So, I didn't really expect the articles themselves to still hold up nearly 30 years down the road. SURPRISE! They are extremely well-written, in a very adult voice. I'm amazed so many of us read these as young teens, they are really quite sophisticated. Whether Stecyk is writing as "John Smythe" or himself, his voice is intelligent and never descends to the "whoa, dude rad!" depths unless quoting a specific skater. The skaters themselves sound quite self-aware, and each has a distinctive attitude that comes thru, even in the first articles. Stacy Peralta is the proto-typical laid back SoCal surfer guy, into peace & inner-growth. Tony Alva is always & forever the rock star, fully into the babes & bling bling being thrown his way, but never losing sight of skating. Jay Adams is the unpredictable, mischievious imp, while Bob Biniack is thuggish & Wentzle Ruml is devil-may-care & funny.

Friedman's photos are awesome of course, & the color seperations & printing quality lavished on these photos is really impressive. This could have easily been a throw-away done for nostalgia or to cash in on the resurgence of "old school" skating, but instead someone took the time to do it right. The cover alone is a masterpiece of photo-reproduction. "The Legend of the Z-Boys" is a major bargain at this price.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Companion To The Movie..., Jan 30 2003

By

Nemo (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dogtown: The Legends of the Z-Boys (Hardcover)

Glen Friedman is one of the pioneers of skateboarding. Of all the famous pictures you've run across through the years, of skating in the 70's and 80's, he probably took most of them. From Tony Alva, to Tony Hawk. This book is great for someone like me who was skating in both decades and is still an avid follower of the genre. For anyone who remembers SKATEBOADER MAGAZINE, you will love this book.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars ********
I bought this book a couple of months ago and I constantly find myself going back to look at it. The pictures keep me in awe and the articles are fascinating. Read more

Published on Nov 28 2002 by youthxofxthexnation

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth Buying
I think the Z-Boys were very lucky to have Glen Friedman and Craig Stecyk around during their moment in the sun. Read more

Published on Sep 9 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars Look at it, read it, Love it!
Just got it! it's amazing, I couldn't be more stoked. I was prompted to write this review because a previous reviewer said this would have been better if it had more previously... Read more

Published on April 25 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars DOG DAYS
NICE LITTLE BOOK WITH LOTS OF PICS OF THE DOGTOWN DAYS.MOST ARE OF JAY OR TONY.ALSO MOST ARE FROM OLD SKATEBOARDER MAGS.A SOLID PIECE OF WORK.THIS WILL BE A COLLECTORS ITEM.GET IT.

Published on April 23 2002 by Matthew J. Scott

5.0 out of 5 stars The Begining of the Revolution
First off, the physical quality of this book is impressive. The binding, cover, and pages are extremely well done. This is a solid coffee table book. Read more

Published on April 17 2002 by D. Cameron

5.0 out of 5 stars Paper Magazine - May 2002
Due to severe droughts throughout California in the mid-1970s, swimming pools emptied out across Los Angeles and the Zephy-Boys changed skateboarding and art in America... Read more

Published on April 14 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars Vanity Fair Article
RAD BOYS

Celebrating L.A. Skate Greats

A nostalgic new documentary by one of the original Z-Boys, this insolent crew from the slummy beaches of Venice and lower Santa Monica... Read more

Published on April 3 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars The Bible!
This book has hardly left my side and I plan on keeping it that way! This incredible 'jewel' should not only be in every skaters collection but deserves a much wider audience. Read more

Published on Mar 30 2002 by Mr. S. J. Church

5.0 out of 5 stars Days of the Dogs
Another cult classic from the illustrious Glen E Friedman. Friedman's exploits are world famous and his influence is undeniable. Read more

Published on Mar 29 2002 by Juice Magazine

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME- PERFECT- AMAZING - COOL!
Friedman and Stecyk went all the way on this one. After seeing it at a film festival I thought the movie was amazing, but this book just took it all the way over the top. Read more

Published on Mar 18 2002