Books on Snowboarding Grays on Trays came about, in part, out of the publisher's frustration at not being able to find books on snowboarding that were not written for the juvenile department of the public library. Since then, several useful books have been published. Books, of course, are not a substitute for on-mountain experience, especially lessons with a professional instructor. But they can be a useful complement to lessons and experience. In that spirit, Grays on Trays offers the following. Snowboarding Skills: The Back to Basics Essentials for All Levels, by Cindy Kleh. Firefly Books, 2002, 128pp. In addition to offering both a glossary and an index (an unusual combination in this genre), Snowboarding Skills spends a lot of time on "the back-to-basics essentials," as promised in the subtitle. The chapter "board basics," for example, starts off on the topic of how to walk with one foot secured to the board--one of the early, difficult tasks of learning to ride. With lots of step-by-step photos, the first two-thirds of the book is a solid introduction for novice through intermediate riders, and lends itself well to those looking to get started, or to develop into solid cruisers. The last third of the book gives a too-quick whirl through riding in the park, pipe, and various snow conditions. More advanced riders will want to consult Kevin Ryan's book (see below). No-Fall Snowboarding, by Danny Martin, Fireside, November 2005, 304pp. If you've watched martial arts movies, you may have a sense of the feel of this book. Martin is a big fan of Bruce Lee. Martin makes heavy use of "shoulder steering," and on many occasions labels the technique taught by the American Association of Snowboard Instructors as "wrong." Even if you do not buy into his "patented" approach--it's not the approached used by the publisher of this web site, for example--there are still some useful sections in the book, such as the chapter on reading the terrain. Snowboarding, a Woman's Guide, by Julia Carlson et al. Ragged Mountain Press, 1999, 142pp. As the subtitle ("A Woman's Guide") suggests, the book pays special attention to the needs of women. Can you ride while pregnant? One woman explains why she did. (Note: the publisher of this web site, who is not a physician, wishes to point out that many web sites dealing with sports and medicine strongly recommend against engaging in fall-prone activities, such as snowboarding, during pregnancy). How should physical differences between the sexes affect equipment (women's feet tend to be more narrow in the ankle and forefoot, for example). "Grays" of either sex will appreciate the photos and references of older riders, some into their 50s. "Hey, I can do that" becomes more real when you see people of your own age. Like most books I have seen on the subject, "Snowboarding: A Woman's Guide" takes a while (three chapters) to get down to discussing the actual techniques of snowboarding, but offers a solid introduction to the fundamentals that will help any rider. Carlson opens and closes the book with thoughts on why it may be worthwhile for adults to learn how to snowboard. The book opens with the practical (less equipment than skiing) and closes out with mini-narratives of riding (carving, in powder, trees, carving, bumps, and terrain parks) that invigorate the spirit. The Illustrated Guide to Snowboarding, by Kevin Ryan. Masters Press, 1998, 317pp. Ryan packs a lot of material into the book. The early chapters deal with the most important piece of equipment an adult rider can have--the brain--and proceeds through techniques and tricks that may be beyond the grasp (or interest) of some. Nicely graded. If you're an intermediate or advanced rider, jump into the chapters just for you. There's something good about having a book that you can grow into. Ryan is also a friend of Grays on Trays. See the article on bootfitting that he contributed to the site, for example. Snowboarding for Women: A Guide for the Shred Betty Wannabe, by Chickie Rosenberg, Showdog Snowboard, 2004, 192 pp. At age 50, Chickie Rosenberg started snowboarding after 30 years of skiing, and one torn ACL. That was in 1990. Today she's a snowboard instructor at Killington, Vermont, and author of two books on the subject. This is her first one. The Snowboard Book: A Guide for All Boarders, by Lowell Hart, W.W. Norton, 1997, 160pp. An oldie but goodie, this book--"way back" in 1997--proclaims that snowboarding "is no longer solely the province of rebellious, image-conscious adolescents. In fact, the segments of the snowboarding population that are expanding the most are adults, small children, and women." Like most of the books here, it takes you through the basics and then has separate chapters for making adjustments for powder and ice. Snowboarding: A Guide for Guys, by Chickie Rosenberg, Showdog Snowboard, 2004, 199pp. A follow-up work to Snowboarding for Women, this book takes a somewhat different tone, but comes from the same author. The Complete Snowboarder, by Jeff Bennett et al. Ragged Mountain Press, 2000, 160pp. Not yet reviewed. Pretty Good for a Girl, by Tina Basich and Kathleen Gasperini, HarperEntertainment, 2003 Not a book on technique but rather an autobiography, Pretty Good for a Girl offers the perspective of one of the earliest snowboarding competitors. The story takes a while to develop, but then it shows how skateboarding (in Basich's case, in Sacramento) contributed to the development of snowboarding. In brief, Basich was a snowboarder before snowboarding was cool. The book offers a look back at the early equipment (lots of duct tape!), and early contests (her first competition came in 1986), and takes us up until 2002 or so. It gives us an informal social history of the sport as well, without the whining about the mainstreaming (such as it is) of the sport that sometimes plagues riders Sick: A Cultural History of Snowboarding by Susanna Howe, St. Martin's Griffin, 1998, 160pp. A bit stale by now, Sick [that's supposed to be a good thing in the snowboarding world] reminds us that snowboarding flows in large measure from the skateboard culture of southern California. Read it if you want an idea of the "attitude" the afflicts some riders. The Unofficial Guide to Skiing and Snowboarding in the West, by Claire Walter et. al, Wiley, 2003, 600pp. With resorts making changes each year, it's hard for any book to be up to date, but this selection gives you a good place to begin comparing destination resorts. Grays on Trays.com offers these links to books on snowboarding through Amazon.com. Buy your book here and support our activities to spread the joy of snowboarding to adults and all Grays on Trays. Comments? Questions? Stop by the GraysOnTrays discussion board to add comments or questions about snowboarding for adults. Return to the home page.