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

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Synopsis
In December 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby, the forty-three-year-old editor of French Elle, suffered a massive stroke that left him completely and permanently paralyzed, a victim of "locked-in syndrome." Where once he had been renowned for his gregariousness and wit, Bauby now found himself imprisoned in an inert body, able to communicate only by blinking his left eye. The miracle is that in doing so he was able to compose this stunningly eloquent memoir, which was published two days before Bauby's death in 1996 and went on to become a number-one bestseller across Europe. The second miracle is that is less a record of affliction than it is a celebration of the liberating power of consciousness. In a voice that is by turns wistful and mischievous, angry and sardonic, Bauby tells us what it is like to spend a day with his children; to imagine lying in bed beside his lover; to conjure up the flavor of delectable meals even as he is fed by tube. Most of all, this triumphant book allows us to follow the flight of an indomitable spirit and to share its exultation at its own survival. (Taken from the back cover)
Copyright:
1997

Book Details

Book Quality:
Excellent
Book Size:
134 Pages
ISBN-13:
9780375701214
Publisher:
N/A
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Editions Robert Laffont, S.A.
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
Nonfiction, Disability-Related, Biographies and Memoirs, Health, Mind and Body, Communication
Submitted By:
Pratik Patel
Proofread By:
Carrie Karnos
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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