Hosoi: My Life as a Skateboarder Junkie Inmate Pastor

by Christian Hosoi

Overview

A mix of Tony Hawk and Brian Welch comes together in skateboarding legend Christian Hosoi, who reveals everything about his rise, fall, and redemption, in this amazing tell-all—from being named the greatest skater of all time to bottoming out on drugs to finally finding redemption through God.

Fans of Slater Kelly’s Pipe Dreams and Brian Welch’s Save Me From Myself, and followers of Tony Alva, Jay Adams, and Steve Caballero, will be captivated by this extraordinary, star-studded story, a gripping read that ranges from the heart of the 1980s skateboarding scene to the inside of a prison, from Hollywood parties to intense prayer sessions.

Hosoi: My Life as a Skateboarder Junkie Inmate Pastor takes readers to the heart of one little-known world after another—and he portrays them in all their gore and glory for all the world to see.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062024305
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/12/2012
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.36(w) x 9.08(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Christian Hosoi is widely recognized as one of the greatest skateboarders of all time. A professional by thirteen, he went on to become an industry icon. After serving time in prison for drug trafficking, he devoted his life to Christianity. Since then, he has risen to prominence in the skateboarding world once again and was the subject of a full-length documentary narrated by Dennis Hopper, Rising Son. Hosoi is an outreach pastor at the Sanctuary, "the raddest church" in Huntington Beach, and lives in Southern California with his wife, Jennifer, and four sons.

Chris Ahrens has worked as a full-time writer for nearly thirty years, with four popular books on surfing to his credit and bylines in publications that include the Los Angeles Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, Outside, Family Circle, Skateboarder, Surfer, Surfing, and The Surfer's Journal. He wrote and directed the award-winning skateboarding documentary D.O.P.E. (Death or Prison Eventually), and served as editor-in-chief of Risen magazine from its inception in 2002 until May 2010.

What People are Saying About This

Brian "Head" Welch

“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.”

Danny Way

“Christian is responsible for transcending the underground skateboarding lifestyle into a mainstream sport. He is the sport’s first rock star.”

Tony Hawk

“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.”

Stacy Peralta

“Christian is one of the very few greats and one of the most important skateboarders in skate history.”

Grant Brittain

“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.”

Jay Adams

“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.”

Stephen Baldwin

“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!”

Editorial Reviews

You don't have to like skateboarding to like Hosoi. Brilliantly written with Chris Ahrens, Hosoi's memoir does more than tell-all; he includes extended passages written by friends and more than 100 photos to show how he rose to the top of his sport and turned it into art. Readers do have to tolerate a lot of second-hand smoke (from drugs) in the book, but this helps readers feel the gravity of addictions that brought Hosoi crashing to the bottom of the pipe. He vividly recounts the California skateboarding scene with friends and the illicit stuff they smoked, shot up, and swallowed. This tell-all and fall from grace is different from all the others in its rad truthfulness mixed in the end with evangelical fervor. Even in talking about faithfulness to his soon-to-be wife, it's embarrassingly honest. 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." (June)

Publishers Weekly

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

“Check out Christian Hosoi’s new book, as in go get it now!” — SkateBible Blog

“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

“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 Publisher

Christian is one of the very few greats and one of the most important skateboarders in skate history.

Stacy Peralta

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 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

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

Christian is responsible for transcending the underground skateboarding lifestyle into a mainstream sport. He is the sport’s first rock star.

Danny Way

...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

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

Check out Christian Hosoi’s new book, as in go get it now!

SkateBible Blog

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

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