Skyscraperman
Encyclopedia
Skyscraperman is a 2010 memoir of Dan Goodwin
, written by Dan Goodwin and co-written / edited by D. B. Guidinger. Dan Goodwin, an American rock climber known as SpiderDan, in the 1980s donned a Spider-Man
suit and successfully scaled the outside of the tallest buildings in the world, including the Sears Tower
, the John Hancock Center
, and the North Tower of New York
's World Trade Center
. According to Goodwin, the reason he climbed tall buildings was to call attention to the inability of fire departments to conduct firefighting and rescue operations in the upper floors of skyscraper
s.
Skyscraperman tells of SpiderDan's experiences on the buildings, including his battles with the many obstacles, both natural and human, as well as his motivations, training regimen, and various aspects of his personal life. The book segues to 9/11 at the World Trade Center as viewed on television through the eyes of SpiderDan, describing not only his reaction to seeing the building he scaled collapse, but also his thoughts on watching the scenario he had forewarned play out in real time.
The book's appendix includes 'The Skyscraper Defense Act', Dan Goodwin's comprehensive view of what must be incorporated in current and future skyscrapers in order to prevent a repeat of what occurred in New York on September 11, 2001.
The foreword
to Skyscraperman is written by Stan Lee
, the co-creator of Spider-Man
.
Dan Goodwin
American Dan Goodwin is a building, rock, and sports climber, as well as a stage-four cancer survivor, originally from Kennebunkport, Maine, United States, and living as of 2010 in Lake Tahoe, California.-Building climber:...
, written by Dan Goodwin and co-written / edited by D. B. Guidinger. Dan Goodwin, an American rock climber known as SpiderDan, in the 1980s donned a Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
suit and successfully scaled the outside of the tallest buildings in the world, including the Sears Tower
Sears Tower
Sears' optimistic growth projections were not met. Competition from its traditional rivals continued, with new competition by retailing giants such as Kmart, Kohl's, and Wal-Mart. The fortunes of Sears & Roebuck declined in the 1970s as the company lost market share; its management grew more...
, the John Hancock Center
John Hancock Center
John Hancock Center at 875 North Michigan Avenue in the Streeterville area of Chicago, Illinois, is a 100-story, 1,127-foot tall skyscraper, constructed under the supervision of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, with chief designer Bruce Graham and structural engineer Fazlur Khan...
, and the North Tower of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
. According to Goodwin, the reason he climbed tall buildings was to call attention to the inability of fire departments to conduct firefighting and rescue operations in the upper floors of skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
s.
Skyscraperman tells of SpiderDan's experiences on the buildings, including his battles with the many obstacles, both natural and human, as well as his motivations, training regimen, and various aspects of his personal life. The book segues to 9/11 at the World Trade Center as viewed on television through the eyes of SpiderDan, describing not only his reaction to seeing the building he scaled collapse, but also his thoughts on watching the scenario he had forewarned play out in real time.
The book's appendix includes 'The Skyscraper Defense Act', Dan Goodwin's comprehensive view of what must be incorporated in current and future skyscrapers in order to prevent a repeat of what occurred in New York on September 11, 2001.
The foreword
Foreword
A foreword is a piece of writing sometimes placed at the beginning of a book or other piece of literature. Written by someone other than the primary author of the work, it often tells of some interaction between the writer of the foreword and the book's primary author or the story the book tells...
to Skyscraperman is written by Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
, the co-creator of Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
.