The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby

Memoir

Vintage

release year

The fact that The Diving Bell and the Butterfly even exists is miraculous, and Bauby’s spirit and positivity is inspiring and infectious.

The story of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is incredible. Jean-Dominique Bauby, the boss of Elle magaine in Paris, suffered a stroke. He wrote this while suffering from ‘locked-in syndrome’, in which he could only communicate by blinking one eye. He would have a helper start progressing through the letters of the alphabet (sorted for frequency), and use his eye to indicate when the letter was correct.

Subscribe Form

Try doing that for a single word. It’s infuriating. Imagine doing it for 150 pages. What an achievement.

I’m not sure what else to write. The book is legendary, and while it’s a charming and inspiring thing, the story of the book is always going to overshadow the story in the book. The writing is lovely, the stories are easy to read and relatable, and the book is short.

There’s not much else to say. I’m looking forward to checking out the film.

Tell your loved ones that they matter to you. Appreciate every day that you’re healthy. Take care of yourself. Read this book.