Lisa's Library: Bauby's Brave Book

Someone just asked me "What are you reading?" and if I had any book suggestions ... I will share a selection from my library periodically via EVOLUTION REVOLUTION. Let me warn you that I am obsessed with NON-Fiction, Memoirs, Autobiography, Bio's, Texts and reference materials!

My first suggestion is an inspirational read called "The Diving Bell and The Butterfly" By Jean-Dominique Bauby. Scottish Songstress Angela McCluskey suggested the book to me about 5 years ago. I immediately ordered it on-line.

Bauby with his children before his stroke.

SYNOPSIS: "In 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby was the editor-in-chief of French Elle, the father of two young children, 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."

Let Bauby's words inspire you and as you read them know that he blinked each letter, one at a time to form each word! A totally inspirational an quick read at 131 pages. How brave and amazing! The strength of the human spirit never ceases to amaze me.


A foreign language film "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" was made based on the book (FYI: Angela's Uber Talented Husband Paul Cantelon is American composer of contemporary classical music and a film score composer. He is also a violinist, pianist, and accordionist, who is also a founding member of American alternative band Wild Colonials. He composed the score for the film!)
I have yet to enjoy the film. Has anyone seen it? It is on my "to watch list" for sure.

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did. I re-read it from time to time and it has a permanent place in Lisa's Library.