Philippe Petit is renowned for his audacious high-wire walk between the twin towers of the World Trade Center, an act famously dubbed the "artistic crime of the century." His performance was characterized by daring precision and artistic vision. Petit's high-wire feats have captivated audiences worldwide, cementing his legacy as a unique figure in performance art.
The star of MAN ON WIRE offers a meditation on the ecstasy of conquering our fears and reaching for the stars - 'Anyone who has ever tried to do something well, anyone who has ever made personal sacrifices for an art or an idea, will have no trouble understanding what it is about' Paul Auster
Revealing new and unconventional ways of going about the artistic endeavor, a master of the impossible, known for his epic 1974 walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, shares strategies and insights for tackling the challenges and possibilities of everyday life.
In this book Philippe Petit re-creates a six-year quest to realise his dream, in adventure as thrilling as the walk itself. In an unforgettable memoir he tells the story of how he conspired, connived, improvised and insisted his way to this 'coup', abetted by a motley crew of accomplicies, a miracle and his passion.
One night in 1974, a young Frenchman secretly - and illegally - rigged a tightrope between the twin towers of the World Trade Center. At daybreak, he gave the high-wire performance of all time, making eight crossings over the course of an hour, 110 floors up above the earth, as a hundred thousand people gathered on the ground to watch. In To Reach the Clouds, Philippe Petit re-creates a six-year quest to realise his dream, an adventure as thrilling as the walk itself. In an unforgettable memoir he tells the story of how he conspired, connived, improvised, and insisted his way to this 'coup', abetted by a motley crew of accomplices, the occasional miracle, and his own unflagging passion. He reveals himself to be not only a virtuoso of the air but also a bold and inspired performer on the page. Animated by never-seen photographs and Petit's ingenious sketches, To Reach the Clouds is a tour de force of the imagination and a serenade to his beloved towers. 'Philippe Petit planned and executed the perfect crime by walking on a high wire between the twin towers - and the whole world loved him for doing it.' Guy F. Tozzoli, President, World Trade Center Association