Why Knot?

On August 7, 1974, Philippe Petit stepped out on a wire illegally rigged between the New York World Trade Centre's twin towers, where he danced for nearly an hour. Since then, he has walked (legally) over the Louisiana Superdome; over Amsterdam Avenue to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine; and between the Palais de Chaillot and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. In all of his high wire walks, knots have been the essential components of each, the guardian angels protecting his life in the sky. Why Knot? explains how to tie more than sixty useful knots. All the knots included have been put to task during one wire walk or another and each passed the ultimate test: to contribute in holding a man’s life. The drawings are by Petit himself and are beautifully wrought works of art, some of which have been exhibited in Clic Gallery in New York. After years of research, Philippe presents a how to guide to what he considers to be the essential knots—which include the safest, the easiest and fastest to tie and untie, the most ingenious, the most simple and much more. The book will also include photographs of the knots being used by Petit while performing high wire walks and a red rope that will allow readers to practice their new knot skills. If you’re not already nuts for knots, with the help of this book, you will be transformed into a knot aficionado.