The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life and Death

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	• The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Vintage International) Jean-Dominique Bauby Vintage, 2007 - 131 pages average customer review:based on 180 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

amazing and terrifying

It is hard to imagine being in this situation. We are given an insight into a condition that makes us think what would we want given such a limited quality of life. I wish we could have heard from his family about their feelings and communication with their husband and father. It was incredible he was able to learn to dictate this book and credit to the women who so patiently helped to give us this short account of this tragedy.

Heartwarming Miracle

My MD recommended this book when it was first published in France. I had to special order an English version. He said it was "a must read". I have since bought and given away countless copies of the book. The message of hope, mercy, and grace bring tears of joy to me each time I read it. I have read it many many times and each new reading gives me a new insight into the diving bell. It is a an easy read, but I am reminded of the great effort it took to write it. God's mercy gave him strength to blink the book and his own grit gave him the spirit to finish it. Many of us with medical issues can relate to his words, but I don't think I have ever met a person with such courage.

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A Unique Book

The word "unique" is probably overused, but here it applies. This book was written by a stroke victim who was paralized except for one eye-lid. He laboriously wrote the book with the help of a therapist who kept reading the alphabet and the author would blink his eye when she came to the right letter. In this way, he is probably the only completely paralized stroke victim who could transmit his feelings and memories. Since his brain and senses functioned perfectly, he was able to do this. If you think that this is a depressing book, you are wrong - it is really uplifting. The movie made from this book is also very much worth seeing.

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The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life and Death

I thought this was a wonderful quick read. I saw the movie and couldn't wait to read the book. How amazing that in all his struggles he was able to write this book. It shows you that even without body function the amazing strength of his will can go on.

A life confirming read

After reading this book, this mans account of his two years imprisoned in a body that will only allow him to blink one eye, I must daily reconfirm how fortunate I am to type this review and walk about freely.

I cannot imagine anyone reading this without being profoundly affected by it.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, page 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

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