Book Alain Robert

Alain Robert is a French climber of rock faces and city towers, born 7 August 1962, known around the world as "the French Spider-Man" and "the Human Spider." His specialty is free soloing skyscrapers: scaling some of the tallest structures on Earth with only climbing shoes and a small bag of chalk, relying on window frames, ledges and the slightest protrusions in a building's facade. Many of his ascents leave no opportunity to rest and stretch over several hours, demanding extraordinary strength, focus and nerve. Over the years he has climbed landmarks including the Burj Khalifa, the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House and Montparnasse Tower, along with the Citicorp Center in 1994, the Luxor Obelisk in Paris in 1998 and Chicago's Sears Tower in 1999, becoming the second person ever to scale it. Some of his climbs have been carried out with official permission and corporate sponsorship. He shared his story in the book With Bare Hands, published in 2008. As a speaker, Robert offers audiences gripping first-hand accounts of fear, risk, preparation and determination, illustrated by jaw-dropping feats of urban adventure.