The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death by: Jean-Dominique Bauby

by: Jean-Dominique Bauby

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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 362.19681
EAN: 9780375401152
Edition: 1
ISBN: 0375401156
Label: Knopf
Manufacturer: Knopf
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 131
Publication Date: May 13, 1997
Publisher: Knopf
Release Date: May 13, 1997
Studio: Knopf

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Books > Subjects > Biographies & Memoirs > Specific Groups > General AAS
Books > Subjects > Biographies & Memoirs > General
Books > Subjects > Biographies & Memoirs > General AAS

Editorial Review:

Amazon.com Review:
We've all got our idiosyncrasies when it comes to writing--a special chair we have to sit in, a certain kind of yellow paper we absolutely must use. To create this tremendously affecting memoir, Jean-Dominique Bauby used the only tool available to him--his left eye--with which he blinked out its short chapters, letter by letter. Two years ago, Bauby, then the 43-year-old editor-in-chief of Elle France, suffered a rare stroke to the brain stem; only his left eye and brain escaped damage. Rather than accept his "locked in" situation as a kind of death, Bauby ignited a fire of the imagination under himself and lived his last days--he died two days after the French publication of this slim volume--spiritually unfettered. In these pages Bauby journeys to exotic places he has and has not been, serving himself delectable gourmet meals along the way (surprise: everything's ripe and nothing burns). In the simplest of terms he describes how it feels to see reflected in a window "the head of a man who seemed to have emerged from a vat of formaldehyde."

Product Description:
In 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby was the editor-in-chief of French Elle, the father of two young childen, a 44-year-old man known and loved for his wit, his style, and his impassioned approach to life. By the end of the year he was also the victim of a rare kind of stroke to the brainstem. After 20 days in a coma, Bauby awoke into a body which had all but stopped working: only his left eye functioned, allowing him to see and, by blinking it, to make clear that his mind was unimpaired. Almost miraculously, he was soon able to express himself in the richest detail: dictating a word at a time, blinking to select each letter as the alphabet was recited to him slowly, over and over again. In the same way, he was able eventually to compose this extraordinary book.

By turns wistful, mischievous, angry, and witty, Bauby bears witness to his determination to live as fully in his mind as he had been able to do in his body. He explains the joy, and deep sadness, of seeing his children and of hearing his aged father's voice on the phone. In magical sequences, he imagines traveling to other places and times and of lying next to the woman he loves. Fed only intravenously, he imagines preparing and tasting the full flavor of delectable dishes. Again and again he returns to an "inexhaustible reservoir of sensations," keeping in touch with himself and the life around him.

Jean-Dominique Bauby died two days after the French publication of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

This book is a lasting testament to his life.

Customer Reviews Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Very Inspiring
This is a very inspiring and amazing book. Bauby's situation might have seemed hopeless to most, but he turned it into an opportunity. He devised an alphabet which could be communicated by using the only body part he could move, his left eye. Through this communication vehicle he was able to "talk" to his family, friends ... Read More

Rating:

- Amazing
A rare look into the mind of a severely affected stroke victim. He has more courage than I have and I am glad he took the time to share his world with me.

Rating:

- acceptance of fate is his gift
First, the story of this man communicating with the world by blinking his left eye is fascinating. The description of prioritizing letters based on their frequency of use in the French language is really cool.

However, the real wonder in this book is Jean-Dominique's acceptance of fate. He is certainly not ... Read More

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