Roller Derby: The History and All-Girl Revival of the Greatest Sport on Wheels

I bought this book strictly for memories of when I watched it in the 50's. It served its purpose.

this is a great, glossy book giving a quick overview of the history of roller derby. awesome pictures! and the words are great too. recommended for people who are really into roller derby.

This was a very informative read. If you are interested in starting to Derby or just becoming a fan check it out.


DD Hunter
Stateline Roller Derby Diva

I absolutely love this book!
I have been playing roller derby for almost 3 years and never have I found something that so completely and beautifully illustrates what this sport is to me and what I love about it-- I feel like I need to keep it with me at all times so I can show it to strangers who ask me about derby. The book explains it so much better than I can.
The pictures are gorgeous, and obviously shot and selected by people who know and love derby. Granted, it is a coffee table book, but for someone who wants to know what roller derby is but doesn't have the time to commit to a novel and just wants to get the basic gist and leaf through pages and pages of phtographic eye candy, this book is perfect. This book is a must-have for any derby girl or derby fan, or family member or friend who wants to know what all the fuss is about.
Catherine Mabe knows derby, knows the derby community, and in general just knows what she's talking about. Her book is lovely. Buy it!

bad news first:
as a skater i'd have to say that i appreciated the book by melicious a bit more, it was a bit more inspiring and informational for a roller girl active in the sport. as willy callit sez, the captions could've been a bit more descriptive, but as that wasn't what the book was about that's more of a personal preference and not really a flaw. again, another personal preference would've been to see more national representation of current leagues, this one seems REALLY centered in the western conference. if you're an eastern girl and are looking for familiar faces, you probably won't see any unless you travel around a lot.
BUT this book has really great photography, i mean it's really, really nice. it's supported by thorough research and is a quality read. i definitely enjoyed it and am glad i bought it. if you want to know more about the origins of derby yesterday and today, and get up to date on how the game is played, you really need to read this one. recommended, for sure!