Over the Edge.
The secret story of the world’s highest flying rebellion.
Over the Edge is part coming-of-age-story and part social history of exercise with a dash of memoir about my own improbable discovery of the beauty and wonder of movement for movement’s sake. It charts the trajectory of nine youths from the Paris ghettos who start out going nowhere fast, and end up as international sports heroes with superhuman athletic abilities. Along the way their uncanny adventure draws in Hong Kong action movies, obscure 19th century sporting cults, award-winning stage shows, the world of Japanese Animation, the Vietnam war, and the history of postwar architectural movements, to name a few. It may seem complicated, but at its core Over the Edge is a simple tale about the desire to move.
I’m very happy to give those subscribed to the adventures of See&Do a taste of things to come by offering a download of the first chapter of my upcoming book on the story of parkour. The download will be available in the next few weeks so make sure you are signed up!
When will the full book be available? Not quite yet, but you’ll know as soon as it is.
Here are a few things people had to say about it so far:
“Julie Angel’s brilliant insight into Parkour is the reason it first began to fascinate me. I’ve devoured her films, and it made me hungry for a book about the origins of this strange, secret art. I couldn’t understand why no one had written it — and then I realized it could only be done by someone with Julie Angel’s personal access and penetrating intelligence. I can’t wait to plunge into it.”
“Julie takes a scalpel to the possibility of Parkour, its place in time and history, and her own initial resistance (and ultimate submission) to the discipline, slices it clean down the middle and exposes the nerve that connects mind to body to soul to world. This personal account of her own journey of discovery made even me want to try the freedom enjoyed in the movement of others I’ve observed for so long -and perhaps thanks to Julie I might just finally do that…”
Mike Christie (Director of the acclaimed documentaries Jump London, Jump Britain & Concrete Circus)
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“It’s full of rarely disclosed information and anecdotes about the origins of Parkour and its founders. The research is extensive and the tone is always inviting, entertainingly painting the picture of a game that grew to become an art shared by tens of thousands. I particularly enjoy the slight cheekiness of the tone, it’s relaxed, full of images to paint the picture of what you’re talking about. Easy to read and yet always informative, and it instores a very enjoyable connection with the reader, as if they were a buddy of yours. I think you nailed it. Now I really want to know what’s going to happen next !”
Thomas Couetdic
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“I loved it. I wasn’t sure what to expect and I was all set to say “yeah, it’s good, but…” and I can’t. It’s fantastic. I couldn’t stop reading. It carefully digs into the core of what motivates us to move, linking an inspiring, unlikely personal story with the emergence of parkour as a global phenomenon, with each offering insights into the other. ”
Andy Day
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