In 1974 Philippe Petit, a young street performer and tightrope walker from France, visited New York and did something unthinkable - he strung a wire between the newly built twin towers of the World Trade Center and walked across the chasm, 1350 feet above the ground. To Reach the Clouds is Petit's own account of the event. He describes the nerve-wracking preparations - nearly six years in the making and all done in secret - and the endless complications, the thoughts that motivated him, and the amazing experience of the walk itself, all in gorgeous language and with numerous images and photographs. A breathtaking book about a fascinating event. - Michelle (Sunset) - read on 3M Cloud Library
It's no surprise that such a feat inspired other creative works. Man on Wire is a documentary film about the high wire walk, featuring interviews with Petit and others who helped him with his plans. Children can also read about the story in picture book format with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers. To learn even more, search for Philippe Petit in U.S. History in Context, one of the library's free databases, featuring articles from various news and history publications (library card and PIN required for at-home access).