In 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby was the editor-in-chief of French Elle, the daddy of two young childen, a 44-year-old man known and cherished for his wit, his style, and his impassioned lifestyle. By the end of the year he was also the victim of a rare kind of stroke to the brainstem. After 20 days inside a coma, Bauby awoke into a body which got basically stopped operating: only his left eyesight functioned, enabling him to find out and, by blinking it, to make obvious that his brain was unimpaired..Read More about The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death Almost miraculously, he was shortly 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, again and again. Just as, he managed eventually to compose this amazing book.

By converts wistful, mischievous, angry, and witty, Bauby bears witness to his perseverance to live mainly because fully in his mind’s eye as he previously been able to do in his body. He explains the joy, and deep sadness, of seeing his kids and of hearing his aged father’s voice on the telephone. In marvelous sequences, he imagines traveling to other places and situations and of laying next to the girl he loves. Given just intravenously, he imagines preparing and tasting the entire flavor of delectable dishes. Over and over he returns for an “inexhaustible tank of feelings,” keeping in touch with himself and the life span around him.

Jean-Dominique Bauby died two times after the French publication from the Diving Bell as well as the Butterfly.

This book is a lasting testament to his life.