PositiveThe New York Times Book ReviewIn Kicks ... the story of sneakers is, as Smith’s subtitle suggests, an American one: of humble origins and unapologetic success, of self-expression through consumerism and association with celebrity, of a product being put on a pedestal and a brand name serving as artist’s signature ... but it relies too much on contemporary sources ... He recounts the controversies surrounding the slavelike working conditions at overseas contract factories, but has little to say about the industry’s environmental impact ... Smith is not a \'sneakerhead\' himself, and Kicks is not for the initiate. But there is enough material on the cult of the sneaker to satisfy most curious outsiders.
