The Impossible

Cole Louison ’00, The Impossible (Lyons Press, 2011)

The Impossible is a history of skateboarding, starting with its humble beginnings in California in the ’60s through its emergence as a global juggernaut today. The story focuses primarily on two men, Rodney Mullen and Ryan Sheckler. Mullen is considered the godfather of the world of skateboarding, while Sheckler is a modern-day skateboard phenomenon who became a celebrity at age 13.

Cole Louison has written about skateboarding and other topics for Outside, McSweeney’s, New Yorker, New York Times, and GQ—where he works today. He lives in New York City.