bA vivid picture of how what we wear on our feet can tell us what it really means to be an American.--iVanity Fairib pbExpansive, thorough, and entertaining . . . a comprehensive look at how much the sneaker became a signature indicator of cool.--iThe Wall Street Journal ibbrb bbrbA cultural history of sneakers, tracing the footprint of one of our most iconic fashions across sports, business, pop culture, and American identitybbri ibriIt's gotta be the shoes.i pWhen Spike Lee said it to Michael Jordan in a 1989 commercial, it was with a wink and a nod--what makes MJ so good His Nike Air Jordan IIIs, of course. But as Nicholas Smith reveals in this captivating history, Lee's line also speaks to the sneaker's place at the heart of American culture. pOnce the athletic shoe graduated from the beaches and croquet courts of the wealthy elite to streetwear ubiquity, its journey through the heart of American life was just getting started. In this rollicking narrative, Nicholas K. Smith carries