The Man Who Touched the Sky by Johnny Acton
On August 16th 1960, Joe Kittinger went up in a balloon. And kept going. This is the story of an incredible journey, but beyond that it is the history of man's unfolding relationship with the sky. When Joe Kittinger finally came to a halt, he found himself in a paradoxical world of preternatural colour where the sun blazed from a sky as black as pitch. A few minutes on the very border of space were enough to persuade him to throw himself from his open gondola with relish. This is the tale of the fulfilment of one of our most ancient dreams; to escape the confines of the earth and find out exactly what lies beyond the beautiful blue dome of the sky. In the process, it overthrows the universal myth, enshrined in the West in the legends of Icarus and the Tower of Babel, that the realm above the clouds is strictly for the gods. A thousand years from now, when people look back on the roots of the Space Age, this is where it will all seem to have begun.
"- 'A fascinating and exhilarating read, both for thrill-seeking balloonists and the earthbound alike' - Sir Richard Branson - 'Expert, beginner or vertigo sufferer, this is entertainment of the highest calibre' - Bertrand Piccard (joint first successful non-stop circumnavigator of the world in a balloon) - 'The Man Who Touched The Sky is written with such liveliness and fluency.. has an impact that gets close to the actual experience. Truly exciting, this book is a triumph' - New Scientist - 'Enthralling and astonishing... The main narrative is thoughtfully interlaced with the history of our relationship with the sky, encompassing Greek mythology and NASA science, lending more weight to an already excellent read' - Stephen Torsi (Borders), The Bookseller - 'A ripping yarn of the most heroically vintage Boy's Own variety... This book has it all' - Focus - 'Breathtaking... beautiful, emotional and devoutly humbling. The very best of reading.' - The North Wales Chronicle - 'Both zealous and absorbing' - Georgraphical magazine
Johnny Acton was born in 1966. Since studying philosophy and theology at university, he has been variously a mini-cab driver, television researcher, an obituarist for The Times and the founder of a popular chain of soup bars, Soup Works, where he co-authored the books 'Soup' and 'Mushroom'. He currently lives in Berkshire with his wife.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780340819333 |
| ISBN 10 | 0340819332 |
| Title | The Man Who Touched the Sky |
| Author | Johnny Acton |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Hodder & Stoughton |
| Year published | 2003-06-23 |
| Number of pages | 256 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |