A Trace in the Sky

by Bertrand Piccard

From the child who dreamed about space while rubbing shoulders with the Cape Kennedy astronauts, to the initiator of the first trip round the world in a balloon and of the Solar Impulse project, Bertrand Piccard has always combined science and adventure to explore the human soul. By following that trace in the sky, he became a doctor, a psychiatrist and then a hypno-therapist, and turned his efforts towards research, to find out what makes life meaningful. A mixture of narration, personal experience and reflection, this book illustrates the ideas and thoughts which turned this 'scientist-adventurer' into one of the most sought-after speakers in the world. Aware of the fact that his readers are not getting ready for a flight in a balloon, but rather trying to find in his quest a source of inspiration for their personal and professional lives, he uses his aerial experiences to develop his concept of the philosophy of life, of human behavior, and of how to deal with stress and crisis situations. This lavishly illustrated, large-format book, with original layout, is a philosophical study of the author's flying experiences that draws far-reaching reflections on the psychology of life.

234 pages, Hardcover

First published September 16, 1999

About the author

Bertrand Picard is a Swiss psychiatrist and balloonist. Along with Brian Jones, he was the first to complete a non-stop balloon flight around the globe.

He was born in Lausanne, Vaud, a Swiss canton, into a family of explorers. His grandfather Auguste Piccard was a balloonist and his father, Jacques Piccard was an undersea explorer. He currently is trying to perform the first round-the-world solar flight, where he is the initiator, chairman, and pilot.

Reviews

[Frank Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The memoir of one of the more extraordinary scientists/adventurer/visionaries alive today. Piccard (yes, they took his name to give to Capt. Piccard of the next generation of Star Trek) is the grandson of the first man (Auguste Piccard) to breach the stratosphere in the first space capsule ever build (in 1931!!). His father (Jacques) was one of only two men to enter the Marianna Trench - the deepest trench in the ocean. Betrand was the first man to complete a non-stop balloon trip around the world. He's now working on building and flying around the world the first solar powered plane (full disclosure: Deutsche Bank is the primary sponsor of this effort).

The book is fasinating, fast moving and well written. I had the honor of having dinner iwth Betrand earlier this year in Zurich and I can only add that he's one of the most charming and nicest guys you would ever want to meet and have dinner with -- a rare package in today's world.

[Eagleeye · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, I listened to a radio interview with Bertrand Piccard and really enjoyed so much that I went and found his biography in the library. Well, lets just say the radio interview was much more intriguing and he has such a wonderful speaking voice. For me the book bogged down and got boring and since I usually read before bed, it put me to sleep and I couldn't finish it. I had the feeling that he has some important insights into life from all his experiences but alas I couldn't find them.