Customer Reviews

To Reach the Clouds: My High Wire Walk Between the Twin Towers

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a beautiful book that proves dreams do come true if you really want something bad enough and are willing to work hard enough no matter what the risk to reach that goal. It was Paris, 1968, when young 18-year-old street performer Philippe Petit saw a sketch of the proposed World Trade Center towers, and he was so awestruck that he drew a line between the two rooftops of the towers, and decided then and there that his ultimate goal was to one day walk on a high wire between the two towers. Over the next six years he perfected his craft. He did public performances atop Paris' Notre Dame in June, 1971, and he walked between the northern pylons of the world's largest steel arch bridge in Sydney harbor, as well as other high wire acts. One day in late summer 1974, Petit's dream came true. As thousands watched he made eights crossings between the towers, 110 stories above the ground, in less than an hour.

I think the most fascinating aspect about this story, was the lengths that Petit and his co-conspirators went to plan, train, and carry out this unauthorized feat. It's all here in vivid detail. And even if you didn't bother to read the text in this book, the photographs are amazing and breathtaking by themselves. This is a captivating memoir that captures the excitement, triumph, and joy of Petit's stunning achievement. Now that the towers are, sadly, gone, it's all the more important as a part of the towers history. I more than enjoyed this memoir, I was fascinated by it. It is certainly a positive and enlightening ray of hope for those who dream of the impossible!

Joe Hanssen

Firstly, i am so surprised that this book does not figure in the "Hype list" of any Media outlet. Luckily, i came across a short review of this book in a magazine and was intrigued to know that Sep11'2001 was not the first time that the towers of World trade centre captivated the attention of millions around. It was way back in 1974, when a French tightrope walker did the unprecedented daredevilry act of walking between the peak of two towers on a cable which he had rigged illegaly the previous night. He walked for 45 minutes from one tower to another, making the sky his theatre. Why did he do it?? Was it for fame? Money? Lunacy?? Philipe Petit's book explains the whole adventure in simple prose accompanied by sketches and photographs which were done during the unfolding of his "project". It is an amazing adventure. Reading it is like reliving it- Petit achieves that magic of retelling a story and giving his readers a feeling of experiencing it vicariously.

When Petit was asked by a TV crew why he did it - his answer was, when i saw three oranged, i juggle. When i see two towers, i walk ! ;-)

Petit was not alone in his effort to breakthrough the security of the towers and implement his plan. Aiding him where his friends who believed in his ability and went to great lenghts against all odds in planning and pulling off the feat.

This is a great book, in the true spirit of adventure and the endless capacity of a human to set and achieve his goals. One more imporant thing to note, Petit doesn't sound arrogant or egoistical. At the peak moment of his success, he is modest and humble, bowing to the gods in every element which helped him in the feat - the wind, the sea, the people below, his dear friends, the friends who stood by and the friends who gave up- he sees gods in all of them and thanks them for their role.

I am not given to effusive praise and there is nothing like a perfect ten. But, this is a fine read.

I remember seeing the WTC towers being built, still partly framed in steel, as a child in the late 1960's. I also remember a snippet of this event in the news in the 70s. But, it was (I think) Ken Burns' American Stories on TV that reminded me of it and really gave it perspective that blew my mind as to how unbelievable an event it was. To me, it wason a scale of things like landing on the moon. With that still fresh in my head, I looked into the event and found this book and was unable to put it down from the first page until I finished it.

This book is inspiring. Petit is a bit crazy, but to pull off a hack of this magnitude, you have to be. Genius is touched with madness. To say the feat is inspiring is a great understatement. The logistics, planning, obstacles overcome, and just plain luck that all aligned in the end were really incomprehensible - more so after reading this book!

I thoroughly enjoyed every page. Sometimes, I get overwhelmed with things I need to do and obstacles I face, and I look at that timeless picture of Petit between the towers on the cover of this book and I am inspired. If he could do THAT, certainly I can find a way to overcome whatever is in my way today. THis book is fantastic.

Phillipe's book is phenomenal. What he did was absolutely stunning, both physically and artisticly. There is a beauty to his story that manages to intertwine the human form with our techonological and architectural triumphs. He reminds us that it was a mortal being that inspired the towers; that we are still capable of surpassing our greatest achievements.

Those of you who criticize his character -- and I hardly think his character relevant to his art -- must have missed his performance on THE TONIGHT SHOW. He was by far the most charming and down-to-earth (forgive me) guest. Phillipe crossed broadway, despite the rain, and then sat with Letterman for an interview. His demeanor was sweet and he expressed his love for New York. By comparison, the hollywood princess next to him appeared ridiculous.

I highly recommend this book.

Philippe Petit pulled off the ultimate caper: to connect two post-modern towers by a slender thread, which he then danced upon, smiling, to the surprise of the world. The ultimate tribute to the towers is this story, written by a guy whose cleverness and hard work led to a celebration of the height of our aspirations. This Frenchman, who refused all the profits of fame, still aspires to create moments to remember. Do you dream? Do you look at the dullness of the world and see infinite possibilities? Then you should read this funny, poetic, inspiring book. This is a how-to book for dreamers.

I recently saw "Man on Wire" in the theatres (more on that later), and having seen this movie prompted me to seek out the book that high wire walker Philippe Petit wrote about his 1974 wire walk between the WTC Twin Towers.

"To Reach the Clouds: My High Wire Walk between the Twin Towers" (244 pages; originally released in 2002) is a reconstruction, both verbally and visually, of this extraordinary event. Petit tells the tales of the early days, of his high-wire walks between the Paris Notre Dame towers and at the Sidney Harbor, only to be caught by the fantasy of the World Trade Centers, by a picture in a French magazine. The book details the preparations for the improbable feat, and it reads like a thriller (such as how did they manage to get all the gear into the Towers without being detected), even when you know the eventual outcome. The book comes with many visual details, like how Petit and his crew studied the WTC in detail (all the while trying to stay ahead of law enforcement and security guards). Petit brings a lot of poetic moments to the book, describing his inner feelings both as he was preparing for this impossible feat, and best of all as he is walking the high wire between the WTC towers. The book has a number of great pictures of that walk but to be honest I wished it had more.

In all, this book is a fabulous read, whether or not you have seen that "Man on Wire" documentary. But let me tell you that "Man on Wire" is one of the most fascinating movies I've seen recently. Best of all, Philippe Petit turns out to be one of the most engaging tale-tellers I've seen on screen in memory. Don't miss it!!

Writing in English, Phillipe Petit brings alive his 1974 high wire walk between the twin towers of the late World Trade Center.Through a spell binding account and through meticulous details Mr. Petit tells us about his incredible high wire feat. Nuimerous photographs and gripping descriptions are sure to bring moisture to the palms of most readers! A quick read, this book makes the reader hunger for more and the wish that Mr. Petit would follow with additional books about his exploits at Notre Dame in Paris and his Sidney Harbor walks.

In this day and age, when so many people are following sheep, it is inspiring to have one individual be undaunted by the obstacles forbidding him to try to accomplish a great work of art and human spirit. Philippe Petit is a individual who knows no bounds and is not afraid to try the seemingly impossible. A magician, an artist, a dignified man, "To Reach the Clouds" serves to teach and invoke what lays dormant in most of us...the desire to go after a dream and truly make it happen. No matter what it takes.

reading this wonderful book not only reminded me of times past but of now and last year.
i live and work very close to the world trade center site and phillipe's memories and story entwined with my own to create a very powerful emotional experience.

his story is one that speaks not only of his walk in the clouds but OUR walk through life. his story captures both the beauty and the challenge of every life on earth.

read it folks, it is beautiful. (cool pictures as well).

I have been living near the Twin Towers for over 30 years, and try as I did, I always had to go into length about Minoru Yamasaki's wondrous structure that architects loved to hate. Imagine my joy when someone comes to the rescue and captures the awe I saw since I stood at the base of the Twin Towers as a child and looked up, up, and up. The sheer simplicity, overstretched grandeur, and minimalist repetition can only be brought to scale by a man whose dreams supersedes his size.

Sure, you can read about it in Wikipedia, but under the watchful, crafty pen of Philippe Petit, you will be taken on a true journey from conception to realization. We begin with Petit's background as a child in France, learning pickpocketing, fencing, horseriding, painting, juggling, tightrope walking, and magic tricks. After being thrown out of five schools, we grasp that our author has a penchant for defying authority, one that sends him, inevitably, on a crash course with the New York Port Authority the day he set eyes on the Twin Towers.

Over six years in planning, with an endless list of accomplices (the cheery, angelic Jean Francois is an absolute delight) from both sides of the pond, Petit's daredevil tightrope walk across the near complete Twin Towers (World Trade Center 1 & 2) arrived only after several attempts to penetrate security, coordinate assistants, and gather all the necessary tools to be smuggled onto site.

Even though a coffee-table book in appearance, To Reach The Clouds is built masterfully, taut with suspense, gaining in momentum, only to be surprised by setbacks, followed by a surge. The format of storytelling here is analogous to the rollercoaster nature of inspiration for every artist.

A virtuoso narrative passage occurs in the sequence on the night before the big morning of the walk. Operating without any light, the accomplices and Petit illegally make their way to the roofs of the world, only to work in total darkness. After pages and pages of black and white photos, blueprints, snapshots, and a stock image or two of construction equipment, the photos all but disappear for a passage of 30 pages. If Petit has to work in the dark, so do we, the readers. And the moment dawn arrives, the first photograph appears. Wonderful! It's almost as if we, the readers are right there at the crack of dawn.

A very emotional picture occurs on Page 184, in the snapshot of New Yorkers gawking up in disbelief. Having lived through both attacks on my favorite skyscrapers when man's hate and his religion destroyed, it is truly breathtaking to see what man and his art instead, can inspire.

I found it puzzling that someone gave this book a 1 star. Petit is not nasty. A rebellious individual who pits nerves against the unforeseen disappointments of the creative endeavor can be forgiven for being short once in a while, but Petit does take the time, for example, to think of the lives of construction workers and tighten the cables of their platforms even at his most stressed moment. He thanks even the people who abandoned him before his walk, reasoning that without their help (however incomplete it may have been) he would have never arrived at his destination.

He also offers a beautiful historical story of the collapse of the San Marco tower in 1902 as an afterward to 9/11, and also a promise to walk across the structure that will stand where the World Trade Center once stood. Even if that day doesn't arrive, Petit and this book has already given us the privilege to have a beautiful and lasting memory when we think about the World Trade Center. Thank You Philippe.