By the time that the 2008 film Man on Wire premiered, Philippe Petit was already renowned for his spine-tingling walk between the towers of the World Trade Center. But how did he do it? Written when he was just 23, Petit's poetic handbook explains how preparation and self-control contributed to such feats as walking between the towers of Notre Dame and the WTC. Addressing such topics as the rigging of the wire, the walker's first steps, his salute and exercises, and the work of other renowned high-wire artists, Petit describes the ecstasy of conquering our fears. Paul Auster translated the text, and in the foreword, reminisces about his first encounter with the young Petit.