Sorry for the delay in writing part 3 of the renowned Top 10 frisbee books. But with the enforced lay-off caused by the apocalyptic current events I feel inclined to pick up and continue this blog.

So here are numbers 6 and 5

6. Free Style Magazine

A strange choice as this is, as the name suggests, a magazine not a book but for all frisbee-lovers this had to make the list. There has been just 4 editions of the magazine and it now appears to be out of print but, if you are able, try to get hold of a copy. You will not be disappointed. Its an eclectic mix of fashion, music, art and frisbee. Its not cheap (if memory serves me right about £20 a copy) … but it does come with its own specially designed frisbee. Ive got two editions (first and fourth). One of the frisbees is in the style of a 7inch vinyl record made by Discovering the World, the other made by Wham-O is designed by renowned British fashion designer, Paul Smith. They are beautiful! Its not just the disc though, the pictures and articles about the frisbee are a delight. This is written by a team who clearly love their subject matter!

Issue 1 with Paul Smith-designed frisbee

And in at five …

5. Flat Flip Flies Straight: true origins of the frisbee by Fred Morrison and Phil Kennedy

Can I admit here to having reservations about this book? Its really three books in one. The first part is an autobiography of Fred Morrison, the creator of the first plastic flying disc and his invention; the second (“The Yellow Pages”) debunks myths; whilst the third is a guide to collecting.

Part 1 is an interesting read as it identifies all the trials and tribulations Fred and Warren Franscioni (his business partner) endured to ensure the success of the frisbee. The third part on collecting discs held little interest to me as I have never got too excited about collecting things.

It is Part 2 (“The Yellow Pages”) that is the most thought-provoking. This part seems to be a score-settling exercise. Fred seems angry with a lot of people: Warren Franscioni’s daughter for suggesting her father is the forgotten man of frisbee; Victor Malafronte; Ed Kenndy, vice-president of the moulding company back in 1948; the journalist Jeff McMahon. Many people who he believes have told incorrect stories on the history of the frisbee come in for stinging criticism.

Whilst not the best written (there is a little too much colloquialisms for my liking) it is a fascinating history of the frisbee by the man at the epicentre of its explosion into popular culture.