ALLAN DORD / NICH CORBLE
The Wall of Death in its various forms has thrilled and entertained audiences since the 1920s. Across the generations crowds have flocked to watch the seemingly impossible as riders tackle the vertical face of the Wall and compete with each other to perform ever more outrageous stunts. The Wall's story includes danger, eccentrics, foreign adventure, murder, bears, lions and dynasties - tracing the history of popular entertainment along the way.
This, the first comprehensive world history of the Wall of Death, explores its origins around the turn of the nineteenth century and chronicles the Wall through its glory days before and after the Second World War, its subsequent decline and more recent revival. Along the way we discover the men and machines, including the great Indian Scout motorbikes, how the Wall has entered entertainment folklore and the innovations used to stand out from the crowd, ranging from the spherical Globe of Death to the use of cars and go-karts.
Co-written by Allan Ford, who has been a Wall rider for over thirty years, and including over 150 original images, this is a fascinating and unique insight into a part of entertainment folklore.
