To Reach the Clouds (Faber & Faber)

One night in 1974, Philippe Petit 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. This memoir tells the story of how he conspired, connived, improvised, and insisted his way to this coup.