Review
“Christian was my biggest competition, and when he was on fire, he was unbeatable. I have great reverence for him. We had a blast. We were paving a path with no idea where it would lead.” (
Tony Hawk )
“Christian is responsible for transcending the underground skateboarding lifestyle into a mainstream sport. He is the sport’s first rock star.” (
Danny Way )
“Christian and I gained the whole world, then lost everything that makes life worth living, and found victory on the other side. Christian’s amazing story will help multitudes find their true identity.” (
Brian "Head" Welch )
“Only one thing soars higher than Christian skating vert and that’s his love and commitment to God. If you dare drop in on Hosoi’s life, you’re in for a gnarly ride!” (
Stephen Baldwin )
“I’ve always said that Christian had the best style of skateboarding-ever. It’s amazing how similar our lives have been. It’s good to see him overcome everything that he has.” (
Jay Adams )
“Christian is one of the very few greats and one of the most important skateboarders in skate history.” (
Stacy Peralta )
“Skateboarding is a monster nobody can control, but Christian was one of the few skaters that forever changed the way people skate. As skateboarding’s rock star in the ‘80’s, Christian was everywhere. It’s like we turned around and he was gone.” (
Grant Brittain )
“Check out Christian Hosoi’s new book, as in go get it now!” (SkateBible Blog )
“Somehow in all the autobiographical mix of self-deprecation and aggrandizement, his true desire shines through: “My hope and prayer is that you also meet the One and Only”.” (Publishers Weekly )
“...a tell-all biography documenting his rise to dominance, his subsequent incarceration, and recent return to the sport that made him a legend - all told by Hosoi himself.” (Hypebeast )
“The man who invented the Christ-Air is telling his story in his new book. Even if you’ve seen the documentary,
Rising Son, the book is a must read. It offers lessons from specific stories and info from his riveting life.” (Mass Appeal )
“Christian Hosoi was…carving full sentences into the cement with his perfect runs. He was the one with the swagger to pull off women’s jeans, hair extensions, and the blasphemous nickname ‘Christ.’ Tricks are for kids. Hosoi was trying to see the sun.” (ESPN's Grantland )
From the Back Cover
Raised at the legendary Marina Del Rey Skatepark—where his father was the manager and the Dogtown and Z-Boys crew were his mentors—Christian Hosoi never questioned that he would become a full-time skateboarder. But no one could have predicted his meteoric rise to the apex of a burgeoning sport—or the spectacular way he would crash and then create himself anew.
A professional skater by thirteen, known for his rock-star flair and dramatic aerials, Hosoi was at the top of the world before he was twenty, engaged in the rivalry that would shape years of skating: Christian Hosoi vs. Tony Hawk. At the height of his celebrity in the late 1980s and early '90s, Hosoi was the highest-paid skateboarder in the world and made the most of his celebrity status, counting Hollywood's elite as his friends. But the kid who first got stoned at age eight later found himself smoking meth full-time. And as Hawk walked away with every accolade, Hosoi went underground.
In January 2000, he was convicted for trafficking $65,000's worth of methamphetamine across state lines. In this gripping memoir, Hosoi recounts the crushing reality of his prison sentence and the day he made the phone call that would save him—to his now-wife, Jennifer. She guided Hosoi toward Christianity, to the faith that sustained him in prison, welcoming him into a new life when he was released nearly five years later.
In the summer of 2009, Hosoi won the gold medal in the X Games Legends Competition. He won gold again in 2010. And now Hosoi's classic skateboard designs are flying off the shelves once again.
Packed with interviews from skateboarding stars past and present, Hosoi is not only a tell-all about fame, fortune, and failure—it's also a strong testimony to the power of faith and the gift of change.
