Alain de Botton
Alain de Botton, FRSL (; born 20 December 1969) is a Swiss-born British philosopher and author. His books discuss various contemporary subjects and themes, emphasizing philosophy's relevance to everyday life. He published "Essays in Love" (1993), which went on to sell two million copies. Other bestsellers include "How Proust Can Change Your Life" (1997), "Status Anxiety" (2004) and "The Architecture of Happiness" (2006).
With Bare Hands
With Bare Hands is Alain Robert's autobiography, published in English in 2008. Thanks to a career of high-risk urban ascents, the French climber has gained the nicknames "The French Spiderman" and "The Human Spider". The title "With Bare Hands" refers to his practice of climbing without the use of any safety equipment. The book follows Robert's achievements, from his childhood climbing cliffs in the gorges of southwestern France, to travelling the world looking for new skyscrapers to climb. The book offers insights into the mentality and motives of the world's most famous urban climber. It was first published by Blacksmith Books in Hong Kong and was edited and adapted by John Chan. The book was also published by Maverick House Publishers in the English language across Europe and in Australia and New Zealand.