The Diving-Bell And The Butterfly - Jean Dominique Bauby

"Read this book and fall back in love with life -Edmund White." This is printed at the back of this book.I should say the same thing.Wonderful book which gently looks the ups and downs of  the life.It is a  memoir of Jean-Dominique Bauby , a French journalist and editor of Elle magazine who suffered massive stroke and  was completely paralyzed(can not speak, can not move hands and legs ,can not turn) .It is called Locked-in-syndrome where mental condition remains stable but whole body paralyzed.

I can not think something like this to anyone,one can not express anything,like caged in his/her own body.But this author with all his might able to dictate this whole book by blinking only left eye.This kind of communication is called partner assisted scanning.In this author's case his partner was Claude Mendibil who devised a way to make this approach more efficient by rearranging the French alphabet in accordance with frequency of usage.So the author has to blink exactly when Claude reads his intended letter.I can not imagine how much struggle they both would have gone through.

Author's Alphabets arranged in accordance with usage

Each chapter gives insight into authors stay in hospital,his past and future.Determined to live to the fullest irrespective of his body condition Jean explores world in hospital and his life.This book is optimistic and life affirming ,the author too tried his best and to certain extend he succeeded in it. His genuine affection for his children and his dream of writing books gives great sympathy towards author.His books opened the door for many such people who are in a similar state and definitely created bit of awareness of about  'locked-in-syndrome'.

This book teach us that even when life is tough,we can still make it beautiful and worth living.A movie with the same name was released in 2007 and won many awards around the world.I have not watched adaptation yet. The author died days after the release this book.

Jean Dominique Bauby

More about the book

Click here to view the video of the author

Click here to know more about the movie