Huck releases first book Paddle Against the Flow
- Text by HUCK HQ
We are beyond excited to announce the imminent release of our first book, Paddle Against the Flow , a compendium of some of the best things ever said in the magazine.
For nearly a decade, Huck (is it weird to talk about ourselves in the third person?) has roamed the globe documenting counterculture as it unfolds, seeking out freethinkers. Now, we’ve collated all those insights into Paddle Against The Flow, a sort of how-to guide for a creative life from influential indie stars. Nas on language, Cat Power on looking inward, Spike Jonze on loving what you do, and Kim Gordon on feeling the flow. They are just some of the 60 doers and creators who share a diverse range of truths, creative wisdom, and life lessons in our new book.
Paddle is for a generation who — faced with harsh economic realities — make things happen by studying craftsmanship on YouTube, raising funding on Kickstarter or finding ways to create and collaborate from the bottom up. Paddle is for Generation DIY. That’s you guys, fyi.
Says our publisher Vince Medeiros:
“This book is dedicated to the millions out there who have thrown out the rulebook, defied authority, and challenged “the way things are” to dream and to try and make something different. The Huck Finns, Mos Defs, Spike Jonzes, Kim Gordons, Patti Smiths, Thoreaus, Zapatas, and Snowdens of the world. Everyone, really, who looked at the structure – restrictive, oppressive and full of shit – and thought, “Fuck this,” and instead chose to make it happen for themselves, refusing to be civilised while carving their own path to expression – and, ultimately, to freedom.
Have you ever paddled against the flow?
If so, this book’s for you.”
FEATURING
Douglas Coupland, Dave Eggers, Spike Jonze, Miranda July, Mark Gonzales, MIA, Nas, Beck, Kim Gordon, Pharrell Williams, Mos Def, Sofia Coppola, Judd Apatow, Ai Weiwei, Beastie Boys and many more.
Paddle Against the Flow is released on March 3 via Chronicle Books and is available from a bunch of places including the Huck Shop, Amazon, Urban Outfitters, Chapters Indigo, Hardie Grant, and Hugendubel.
Join us for the Paddle Against the Flow launch party at Huck’s 71a Gallery, Leonard Street, London EC2A 4QS, on Thursday March 19, 6-9 pm. RSVP here.
Latest on Huck
In the ’60s and ’70s, Greenwich Village was the musical heart of New York
Talkin’ Greenwich Village — Author David Browne’s new book takes readers into the neighbourhood’s creative heyday, where a generation of artists and poets including Bob Dylan, Billie Holliday and Dave Van Ronk cut their teeth.
Written by: Cyna Mirzai
How Labour Activism changed the landscape of post-war USA
American Job — A new exhibition revisits over 70 years of working class solidarity and struggle, its radical legacy, and the central role of photography throughout.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Analogue Appreciation: Emma-Jean Thackray
Weirdo — In an ever more digital, online world, we ask our favourite artists about their most cherished pieces of physical culture. Today, multi-instrumentalist and Brownswood affiliate Emma-Jean Thackray.
Written by: Emma-Jean Thackray
Meet the shop cats of Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan district
Feline good — Traditionally adopted to keep away rats from expensive produce, the feline guardians have become part of the central neighbourhood’s fabric. Erica’s online series captures the local celebrities.
Written by: Isaac Muk
How trans rights activism and sex workers’ solidarity emerged in the ’70s and ’80s
Shoulder to Shoulder — In this extract from writer Jake Hall’s new book, which deep dives into the history of queer activism and coalition, they explore how anti-TERF and anti-SWERF campaigning developed from the same cloth.
Written by: Jake Hall
A behind the scenes look at the atomic wedgie community
Stretched out — Benjamin Fredrickson’s new project and photobook ‘Wedgies’ queers a time-old bullying act by exploring its erotic, extreme potential.
Written by: Isaac Muk