Not a great book, but with no doubt about an extraordinary idea of a very strange man indeed. What makes people do things? Perhaps this helps understand, or at least helps finding a good (extreme) place to start thinking about it. ( )

This is a poetic book that takes your breath away with its photography. Even black and white photos of Petit walking the high wire between the two towers are dramatic and mesmerizing. Petit focuses on his six year journey from the moment he reads a newspaper article about the construction of the World Trade Center to the fateful early morning when he completes his journey. While there was a lifetime of preparation for this achievement the moment is all.
Yet it is with his spare and, at times, poetic prose that he captures the reader's attention with his many moments of improvisation along the way as he gathered the necessary aid and materials to accomplish his task. The reality of his journey is in many ways stranger than fiction until you reflect that this event actually happened. For many of us it happened in our lifetime and this record of it helps to preserve the memory of the New York City skyline from the previous century. The event has been preserved on film in the excellent documentary Man on Wire.
Philippe Petit is an individual artist, a magician, a juggler, and a funambulist of uncommon stature and abilities. He will always be remembered for his artistic achievements and his unique accomplishments on the high wire. ( )

One of the best books i have ever, ever, ever read. Found it a few years ago and have evangelicised on it ever since! Truly uplifting, beautiful, and poetic. No other book has ever had my heart pumping with excitement as much as this. Even though [from the cover alone] you know that "he does it" - the suspense when I turned the pages just before he steps on the wire was incredible! So glad the film has been such a success, Petit deserves high praise indeed! ( )

OK, I have no great love for Philippe Petit. I'm sure he is a raving egotist and an overall pain in the kiester to be around. But I found this book, and the movie based on the book, to be extraordinarily compelling reading and viewing. Quite simply, I couldn't put the book down until I had finished it. And the fact I read every page of this darn thing, including the acknowledgments and notes in the back before I would give it up is telling.

Walking a wire between the twin towers of the World Trade Center is an extraordinary achievement. It seems completely impossible that anyone could have such courage. I am reading the book, and I know the man survives this, but my heart was beating fast nonetheless. I've seen more beautiful books. (This one is bound so cheaply it looks like it will disintegrate if I pass it along to all my friends, as I intend to.) And I have seen a great many books that are better written. But there are few that have this kind of emotional impact on me. What a wonderful way to spend an evening! ( )

Picture Book--depicting the tale of the man who crossed the tight rope between the twin towers. Amazing and inspirational. Don't worry, the ending is happy. ( )