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Parkour and the Art du déplacement
Parkour and the Art du déplacement

Parkour and the Art du déplacement

Strength, Dignity, Community

SPORTS & RECREATION

170 Pages, 5 x 6.5

Formats: Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Trade Paper, $16.95 (US $16.95) (CA $16.95)

Publication Date: October 2013

ISBN 9781926824918

Rights: WOR X CA

Baraka Books (Oct 2013)

eBook

eBook Editions Available

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Overview

Parkour, the art of displacement, or freerunning—whatever the name, this new discipline born in the Paris suburbs is rapidly being adopted by people throughout the world. Not satisfied to suffer through urban life, these athletic artists or artistic athletes want to thrive in it, all the while earning dignity by daringly reappropriating three fundamental motor skills: running, jumping, and climbing. Vincent Thibault explores the philosophical and spiritual aspects of the art of movement and offers ideas on health, sports, urban living, and the relationship between the body and the environment. Reflecting on the culture of effort, he also avoids the misguided notion that depicts parkour as just another of those elitist extreme sports, instead providing a thoughtful, lyrical adventure into martial arts and chivalry in an urban setting.

Reviews

“There are very few relevant books on our discipline . . . this is one of the rare books of quality. It is not a manual but instead a clarification on parkour philosophy in which the author addresses themes like freedom, effort, fear, pride, solitude, courage, humor, and important social and community aspects of art.” —Dan Edwardes, director, Parkour Generations and Parkour UK

" [...] a must-read for any beginners looking to get into parkour and find out more about the discipline, and a highly recommended book for anyone else (traceur or not). [...]  it is important to have a text that summarizes who we are, what we do, and why we do it in such a concise, interesting, and enlightening way." —Thomas Dolan, Parkour instructor, New York Parkour

"In a world gone mad with narcissism and a relentless focus on individual achievement, this is a completely refreshing and inspiring point of view. Thibault opens up a big door for us and new ways of thinking about moving through the world. [...] Even if you never plan on running through an urban environment, this book will open your eyes to a new way of training and being." —Frank Forencich, Cief Creative Officer, Exuberant Animal, Training and Publications for Health and Performance

"The book is exceptional in that it details many of the spiritual aspects of parkour ... if you’re looking for a new perspective and a deeper connection to your discipline, this is the book for you." —Patrick Witbord, American Parkour

"Parkour and the Art du Deplacement is a must-read for any beginners looking to get into parkour and find out more about the discipline, and a highly recommended book for anyone else (traceur or not). There are not many books about parkour available at this time, and it is important to have a text that summarizes who we are, what we do, and why we do it in such a concise, interesting, and enlightening way." —Thomas Dolan, NYParkour

"An affirming, positive and thoughtful read, which I now recommend. It would be a wonderful thing to share with younger people who are drawn to urban spaces and physical activity such as parkour . . . . There is a lot to think about in this book." —Melwyk - Melanie, indextrious.blogspot.ca

Author Biography

Vincent Thibault is the cofounder of the Académie québécoise d'art du déplacement (Quebec Parkour Academy) and the first Quebecer to be a certified instructor in the discipline, for which he trained in France and the United States. He is in close contact with some of the world authorities in parkour, also called freerunning, and is the author of a two collections of short stories, two novels, and two books on philosophy and spirituality. Casey Roberts is a Montreal literary translator originally from the United States and the recipient of a John Glassco Prize awarded by the Canadian Literary Translators Association. He lives in Montreal, Quebec.