Published in 2003, the book recounts the achievement of Philippe Petit, a French man who walked on a tightrope wire between the roofs of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in August 1974.

The story follows the French street performer turned high-wire artist Philippe Petit as he attempts what he describes as "the coup of the century".

Philippe then put on his black shirt and tights (which were specially prepared for the occasion), picked up his 28-foot balancing pole, and started walking on the wire.

The book was adapted as an animated short film of the same name in 2005 by Michael Sporn for Weston Woods Studios, Inc[2] and it was narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal.

The Walk, a biographical drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Philippe Petit, was released in September 2015 by TriStar Productions.

Kirkus Reviews wrote, "Readers of all ages will return to this again and again for its history, adventure, humor, and breathtaking homage to extraordinary buildings and a remarkable man."

The School Library Journal wrote, "With its graceful majesty and mythic overtones, this unique and uplifting book is at once a portrait of a larger-than-life individual and a memorial to the towers and the lives associated with them."