In this first ever biography of Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte, New York Times #1 best-selling author, Ian Halperin takes you from the humble origins of this former French Canadian street performer, through his years of trial and struggle, to his brilliant success in bringing the extraordinary Cirque du Soleil to sold-out audiences worldwide. Experience the relentless drive of this unique visionary, his passion for life, the Cirque, and women. Halperin takes you inside Laliberte's world, with its never-ending cycle of hyper-intense work by day, followed by over-the-top partying by night. Sex, drugs, alcohol, partying-all fuel Liberte's creative genius. Laliberte means freedomA'' in French, but Laliberte gives freedom new meaning. Barriers to artistic creativity are ignored and limits don't exist, whether its limits on his art or the norms of social conventions, like marriage. Ian Halperin's book shows how this former accordion player, stilt walker, and fire eater made it to Forbes magazine's list of the world's richest billionaires. In 2008, Guy Laliberte was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.He became the world's seventh and Canada's first, space tourist on 30 September 2009. Laliberte spent 12 days on the International Space Station for his ''poetic social mission'' at a cost of $35 million.