Read this when
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
He wrote this whole book by blinking one eye. 🦋 Your body can be a diving bell; your mind can still be a butterfly.
Who it's for
Bauby, editor of French Elle, had a massive stroke at 43 and woke with locked-in syndrome, able to move only his left eyelid.
Feelings it meets
What it is
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a 1997 memoir by Jean-Dominique Bauby, the former editor-in-chief of French Elle, who had a massive stroke in December 1995 that left him with locked-in syndrome. He wrote the book by blinking his left eyelid as a transcriber recited a frequency-ordered alphabet, choosing it letter by letter.
Where to find it
In print (Vintage International in the US); widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain. A 2007 film directed by Julian Schnabel is a strong companion.
Before you start
Heads up: Locked-in syndrome after a stroke.
Age: Ages 14+
I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.William Ernest Henley, “Invictus”
