On July 26, 1938, John William Warde, a 26-year-old young man from a wealthy, entitled family in Southampton, New York, stepped out on the outside ledge of the 17th floor of the Gotham Hotel along Manhattan’s renowned Fifth Avenue. He would remain there for eleven hours.
This story, taken directly from newspapers of the day, would captivate the national attention and create a massive Manhattan gridlock as up to 100,000 spectators waited—even cheered—for the man to leap. It would be covered hour by hour on radio, in newspapers, in LIFE magazine, and even in the fledgling television stations of the day.
Written in one-hour increments—to parallel the tension of the actual events as they unfolded—Warde’s story, and the courageous (and sometimes crazy) attempts to talk him down, is a mesmerizing one and one that serves as a morality tale for every generation.
Rebecca W. –
“How did you ever unearth this story? Amazing research on what would otherwise have been just an obscure footnote in history. Masterful storytelling.”
Tyler B. –
“A thriller and a page turner all in one—a fantastic accomplishment for a true story set in the 1920s. A truly excellent book.”
Julia F. –
“I love true stories but this surpasses them all. One man. 11 Hours. And a hundred thousand spectators. What a story!”
Kyle S. –
“I loved the background on John Warde. It made him come alive for me and I felt for him through every page.”
Keith J. –
“An eye-opening example of how the media and public pressure influence our lives and then force us into unstable decisions.”
Arlene D. –
“What an incredible story that takes place in such a relatively short amount of time—fascinating from beginning to end.”