Once the athletic shoe graduated from the beaches and croquet courts of the wealthy elite to streetwear for everyone, its journey through the heart of American life was just getting started. In this history, Nicholas Smith carries us through the 20th century as sneakers became the totem of subcultures, including California skaters and New York MCs. Going further, Smith shows how sneakers were the cause of a global economic controversy, the muse of haute couture, and a lynchpin in the transformation of big sports into big business.