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    The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
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    The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
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    The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
    Audiobook2 hours

    The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

    Written by Jean-Dominique Bauby

    Narrated by Rene Auberjonois

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    In 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby was the editor-in-chief of French Elle, the father of two young childen, 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.

    By turns wistful, mischievous, angry, and witty, Bauby bears witness to his determination to live as fully in his mind as he had been able to do in his body. He explains the joy, and deep sadness, of seeing his children and of hearing his aged father's voice on the phone. In magical sequences, he imagines traveling to other places and times and of lying next to the woman he loves. Fed only intravenously, he imagines preparing and tasting the full flavor of delectable dishes. Again and again he returns to an "inexhaustible reservoir of sensations," keeping in touch with himself and the life around him.

    Jean-Dominique Bauby died two days after the French publication of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

    This book is a lasting testament to his life.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateNov 20, 2007
    ISBN9780739328743
    Unavailable
    The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
    Author

    Jean-Dominique Bauby

    Bauby Jean-Dominique Bauby was born in Paris in 1952. In 1996 he set up ALIS (Association du Locked-In Syndrome). Bauby died on 9 March 1997. He leaves a wife and two children.

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    Reviews for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

    4/5

    1,222 ratings93 reviews

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    • 3/5
      former editor of Elle magazine after a stroke that left only his left eye moving. what can you say about a book that was written one letter at a time with the eye twitch of the author. says a lot about the mistakes we make in human interactions and how much we really care. pieces of this are very insightful. It's a piece of art to be appreciated, almost defies review.
    • 4/5
      It was a quick read, but I enjoyed it. It's extraordinary how he was able to tell the story in the first place, but that he was able to still let his voice come through in his words was really special. I didn't feel it was a chance for him to wallow in self-pity (though god knows no one could blame him if he had) or to martyr himself. It was well balanced between being insightful about living with locked-in syndrome and also giving glimpses of who he had been before his stroke. Terrifying and heartbreaking, but at times funny and touching.
    • 4/5
      A very dense and rich book about a few months of life as a victim of locked-in-syndrom, A real testament to a life of the senses.
    • 4/5
      I had heard of this book before, but not read it or seen the film. The author is struck down which a stroke that paralyses his brain stem and leaves him in a locked in condition. He has limited movement of his head and can blink one eyelid. So, in some senses he is better off than those in a complete locked in state. However, as he says, "In the past it was known as a 'massive stroke', and you simply died." He is stuck in this state, with no likelihood of recovery, and describes it as being an active mind (the butterfly) stuck with a dead weight of a body (the diving bell). It is the paradox of modern medicine, that sometimes you can keep someone alive, but is this state being alive or not? It is certainly not a state of living. The book is a series of short essays, rather than a story, he revisits his past, the stroke, his life and how different it has become. The first few sections, dealing with how he becomes aware of the extent of his illness and the prognosis are heart breaking. The discussion of his father and how he is unable to leave his flat due to issue of old age and how the son cannot reply to the father's telephone calls is desperately sad, two being unable to communicate properly. The section of his children's visit on father's day brings home the enormity of his loss and their confusion as to how to manage this. It is not all depressing, though, there are flashes of beautiful writing, there is humour and there is self deprecation. The passge on how he can think up a sparkling reposte, but that it takes 10 minutes to take down tends to blunt the wit shows an active mind at work still, and frustrated by the body's limitations. It is melancholy, without being depressing. He regrets his current state and wishes he was not in it, but does not, to my mind, will himself to die. I'm left with his image of his mind, memory and imagination taking flight like the butterfly. It is a beautiful image that captures something of the miraculous nature of the human spirit. I find myself hoping that this butterfly took flight and remains free.
    • 5/5
      Life changed for Jean-Dominique Bauby when he suffered a stroke that led to "locked in syndrome." Bauby painstakingly wrote the entire book using his only means of communication -- blinking an eye to individually select a letter from the alphabet read allowed to him by visitors and hospital staff.The book is rather short and divided into chapters that consist of reflections of Bauby's life before the stoke, life afterwards, and fantasies he uses to escape his "diving bell". While the book is brief and somewhat choppy, Bauby's insight makes it all the worthwhile. You'll have the utmost respect for all the little things in life and appreciate the basic things most take for granted.
    • 4/5
      Like most of my library, I bought this book used and its lingering smell of stale cigarettes left me leaving it on the shelf unread. However, I finally reopened it, wanting a short and quick read. I am disappointed in myself for waiting so long.Bauby suffers a massive stroke in which he is alive, but without any physical movement - except his left eyelid. The entire text is his, written through a complex transcription system of blinking. That the text is in any way merry is astonishing; Bauby makes you laugh and enjoy living as he clearly details his own suffering. It is a small work of genius.
    • 5/5
      Jean-Dominique Bauby is a victim of 'Locked-In Syndrome." At the age of 43, he suffered a massive stroke that left him unable to move or speak. His only means of communication -- his left eyelid. Bauby spent weeks painstakingly dictating this memoir -- letter by letter.I read this book in one sitting, it was that captivating. Through short vignettes, Bauby manages to describe the minute intimacies of his life in astonishing detail. From his first experience in a wheelchair, to bath-time, and finally through the development of his communication 'code' - Bauby's emotions touch on both anger and sadness without becomings desperate or hopeless.There are also times of hope and, ultimately, love -- when he describes the visits of his children or memories of this father. Throughout the book, I was struck by Bauby's ability to be thankful for small things -- the ability to move his limbs a fraction of an inch, sitting in the Cinecitta, and the the ability of his mind to fly away like a butterfly.It is not until the end of the book that Bauby describes his last day as a 'perfectly functioning earthling.' This most important day in his life is detailed with very little emotion. This makes the catastrophic details all the more haunting.This is one the most poignant memoirs that I have ever read, and one of my favorite books of 2008.
    • 5/5
      This should be required reading for everyone, but especially those who are in the medical field or a health caregiver. This short memoir by Jean-Dominique Bauby describes his life, and the thoughts that run through his mind, as a person stuck in "locked-in syndrome", which happened to him after he had a massive stroke. Afterwards, he was completely paralyzed except for his left eye. He communicated by blinking his left eye at letters recited by whoever was with him at the time. He died in 1996, just two days after this book was published. I can't help but wonder if technology today would have improved the quality of life for him.
    • 5/5
      To dictate a book entirely by blinking one eye is an astonishing feat in itself. To dictate one this good is just shy of a miracle. Our world owes a significant debt of gratitude to Claude Mendibil for helping Mr Bauby set his words free.
    • 5/5
      Changes you in a wonderful way...I feel like I found treasure chest of magnificent toys...and I have always had them...I just never opened the box to realize....
    • 4/5
      Amazing. I kept thinking in the short amount of time it took me to read this book, just how long it must have taken to write it, to blink out every letter of every word. I can't imagine living in that kind of prison. I took the way Mr. Bauby described his life before his stroke as being a superficial existence, that he didn't appreciate the things he had, not just the extravagance, but also the simple moments of his life. I got the feeling that if he could have one day back with his working body, it wouldn't be about the BMW or the fancy trips, it would be about spending time with his kids, watching his daughter do cartwheels and having a meaningful talk with his son.
    • 3/5
      I never really intended or wanted to read this and actually avoided the book on at least two occasions, but found myself bored and bookless, browsing the communal bookshelf at work. Deciding that you can't ignore a book if it crosses your path three times, I sat down and started to read.

      There's no getting around the fact that it's bloody miserable. It's poignant too and there's something uplifting about the fact that someone managed to dictate this with blinking as the only means of communication. On a good day, I can't make sense even with the utility of words and a big mouth and here's someone who wrote this book through blinks of an eye.

      I really felt for the writer as he spoke of being at the mercy of someone else for his personal hygiene. Anyone who's had any level of hospital experience will know that sometimes the thing which is worse than your body conking out is the way it leaves you without your precious sense of dignity, exposing you to strangers. Which is why despite seeing the courage and the strength it must have taken to compose this book, I couldn't help but be totally focused on the locked-in aspect and how it scared the fucking bejaysus out of me.

      Scary read.
    • 4/5
      What a book! The story behind the story is tragic and as Bauby's struggle is revealed, so too is the resilient nature of the human spirit. Wonderfully uplifting and moving, this book is definitely worth a look.
    • 4/5
      A list of the letters in the French alphabet, in order of common use. A man who can only turn his head and bit and move his left eye, due to a stroke. A system where a woman reads the list of letters over and over again, stopping and writing down a letter when the man blinks.

      Holy just I don't even what. Uuuuuugh. Composing, repeating, memorizing sentences in your head so you can dictate them later. Going through the process of revision like that too!!

      This book isn't about all that, though he does give you some idea what he's gone through to get his thoughts on paper. It's about reflections on his life, society, and his current situation where one of his greatest sadnesses is not being able to hug his young son.

      WOW. A very short read... and worth it. I think EVERYONE should read this. Why isn't it assigned more in school!?
    • 4/5
      Beautiful, terrifying, and inspiring.
    • 4/5
      I have just finished reading it twice firstly because it is only 130 pages long and secondly it had quite an affect on me.For those who does not know the history behind this book, Baubey was editor of French Elle when at 43 suffered a massive stroke which left him a victim of 'locked in syndrome' only able to communicate with the outside world by blinking one eye.This book left me both up-lifted and disturbed by the same measure. At the time he was a few years younger than I am at present but was no longer able to enjoy simple pleasures like eat, drink or take a bath which we all do without much thought yet while there is naturally a certain amount anger and remorse the general tone of the book is not self-pitying and there is even a little light humour as he remembers past experiences. I was left wondering how I would cope in a similar position and whether or not it made me more or less in favour of euthanasia (forgive me if mis-spelt but not word tend to use too often). Would the will to survive be an over-riding consideration or would I look for escape?If you are looking for some great literary masterpiece then this is not for you, mainly because you would be missing the point totally, but if you are looking for something very different and in it's own way challenging to read then I would heartily recommend this book.
    • 4/5
      I heard about The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly many years ago. As part of our English GCSE work we looked at the play Whose Life Is It Anyway? and Jean-Dominique Bauby's autobiography came up in conversation. I didn't get to read it then though, the subject matter interested me, but I wasn't sure that it was the sort of thing that I really wanted to read (at the time).Then, a couple of years ago, it was the book choice for the HTV book club, so I grabbed a copy from the local library. I immediately fell in love with the cover. It was truly beautiful, all shiny and sparkly, like a butterfly's wing. Last year The Book People advertised their Stranger Than Fiction set of books and the main books that sold it to me were The Perfect Storm and this book. I really wanted a copy of my own, I would have loved to have had the copy pictured above, but I'm happy with the one I got.It's a truly incredible story, and it's quite horrifying to think about. Imagine being trapped in you own body, unable to move and your only method of communication is via blinking one eye (the other having been sewn shut for its own protection). It's a truly incredible story. Somehow all the more special because it's true, Bauby is telling his own story.It's a very short book. I started reading it in the morning, and was a good portion of the way through it by the time I stopped. When I went to bed (rather late) I decided to read on and realised I was over half-way through it. So I just kept going, it's far too good to stop and can easily be read in one sitting. I ended it finishing it shortly after midnight.I do rather selfishly wish that it was longer. It's a selfish thought of course, when you consider the effort that went into its creation. Bauby had to work with another person who would run through the letters of the alphabet and watch for his blink each time they reached the letter he wanted. It must have taken so much effort to get even a sentence out, I really can't complain about the fact that I wish there were another 160 pages to devour during my reading session.It's a book which really speaks for itself, there's so much I could say for it, but I think it would be far better for you just to go out and read a copy yourself. You'll fall in love with it, you just can't help but love it. Bauby has the chance to be such a tragic character, but he isn't really, it's incredible how he's able to keep going and produce a fantastic book. Though you can feel his pain in the text, the way he's longing for his lost life and independence. It's a real shame that he never got the chance to make more of a recovery; he died shortly after the book's publication.
    • 5/5
      This book reminded me a lot of "Johnny Got His Gun," but more gentle. I can personally relate because of an autoimmune disorder where I constantly feel "locked-in," and being bedridden and going through the routine of so many doctors and hospitals, I felt like I was actually experiencing what Jean-Dominique was describing. Speaking of descriptions, Jean-Dominique's writing is as beautiful as the story told within them: "Hunched in my wheelchair, I watch my children surreptitiously as their mother pushes me down the hospital corridor. While I have become something of a zombie father, Theophile and Celeste are very much flesh and blood, energetic and noisy. I will never tire of seeing them walk alongside me, just walking, their confident expressions masking the unease weighing on their small shoulders. As he walks, Theophile dabs with a Kleenex at the thread of saliva escaping my closed lips. His movements are tentative, at once tender and fearful, as if he were dealing with an animal of unpredictable reactions. As soon as we slow down, Celeste cradles my head in her bare arms, covers my forehead with noisy kisses, and says over and over, 'You're my dad, you're my dad,' as if in incantation. Today is Father's Day."
    • 4/5
      This is an empowering story about strength over adversity and a testament to the human condition. After suffering a devastating stroke, Jean-Dominique Bauby's life goes from elite magazine editor to a completely paralyzed, "locked-in," patient. The story details Bauby's struggles to learn how to communicate by blinking his left eye and how he connects with the people around him. It's a sad story, but it is uplifting as well.
    • 4/5
      How can one properly criticize this book knowing the extreme challenges that were put to Jean-Dominique Bauby in writing it? Once the vibrant head of French "Elle" magazine, he suffered a debillitating stroke that left him with locked-in syndrome, his only means of communication his one remaining functional part: a blinking eye. Through the collaboration of his speech therapist, who invented a system of reciting letters of the alphabet out loud for Bauby to choose with a blink, Bauby was able to make known the daily life, pain, and challenges of one whose brain is still first-rate, but whose body is rendered useless. We see his joys in his active imagination, where he can go anywhere and do anything. But more powerful are his challenges: the hospital employees who ignore or mistreat him, the inability to hold his children, the loss of hope for independant life.The book is short and I would have loved to have been given more. But, as I noted earlier, it feels callous to demand more when you realize just how much effort went into getting one sentence down, let alone over one hundred pages. The film deals with this by exploring the friction in the dynamics between Bauby, his ex-wife, and his current lover. The book has little such character development, and the mother of his children is but a blip in the novel. Instead, we are focused squarely on Bauby and his struggles, which provides more than enough meat for a discussion.Sadly (or mercifully?), Bauby passed away days after his book was published. His legacy is hopefully the insight that greater compassion and understanding is necessary for those dismissed as "vegetables."
    • 4/5
      I read this book in the couple of hours before I went to sleep - it had been sitting on my shelves for years and I thought it was about time I tried it. It is the amazing memoir of a man who suffered a major stroke and woke from his coma to find that he was suffering from 'locked in syndrome' and that while his mind was intact the only part of his body that he could move was his left eyelid (he dictates this memoir by blinking when his helper says the correct letter in the alphabet). This is an incredible story, I cannot imagine dealing with his situation with the good grace and humour apparent in the book. The saddest part is that he died two days after the the book was published.
    • 4/5
      A couple of lines or eight pages, a Middle Eastern stamp or a suburban post mark . . . I hoard all these letters like treasure. One day I hope to fasten them end to end in a half-mile streamer, to float in the wind like a banner raised to the glory of friendship. It will keep the vultures at bay.Jean-Dominique Bauby was the editor-in-chief of French Elle magazine when he suffered a massive stroke. On awaking from his coma he found that he was a quadraplegic, only able to turn his head and blink with his left eyelid. This is the book that he 'dictated' from his hospital bed by blinking. He died three days after it was published to great acclaim.E S A R I N T U L O M D P C F B V H G I Q Z Y X K W
    • 4/5
      It's hard to say this is a good book when it deals with such tragic matter. If you are having a bad day and feeling down on yourself just read this book. I can't imagine a more horrible problem than "locked in syndrome." The courage and determination that Jean Bauby had in writing this book is incredible. To translate every letter of every word by blinking his eye is just unbelievable. The best thing is that thru his efforts on this book he gave a voice to those that suffer this fate. His family and everyone should be extremely proud of the grace and dignity in which he handeled this infliction. It's a quick read and I would highly recommend it.
    • 4/5
      Like most of my library, I bought this book used and its lingering smell of stale cigarettes left me leaving it on the shelf unread. However, I finally reopened it, wanting a short and quick read. I am disappointed in myself for waiting so long.Bauby suffers a massive stroke in which he is alive, but without any physical movement - except his left eyelid. The entire text is his, written through a complex transcription system of blinking. That the text is in any way merry is astonishing; Bauby makes you laugh and enjoy living as he clearly details his own suffering. It is a small work of genius.
    • 4/5
      This has been on my wishlist since I first heard about it in the first weeks I was on BookCrossing. I refused to see the movie because I wanted to read the book first. This copy was purchased at a Friends of the Library sale in Rabun County, Georgia. The picture on the label in the book is from a mural that graced the walls at Redux in 2010.Beautiful, heart-wrenching, terrifying, illuminating, magnificent, hopeful, and oh so sad...I am terrified of illnesses and accidents that destroy minds, or that keep brains from expressing themselves.If one of my friends wants it, I'll send it to them, otherwise, I'll find someone who has it on their wishlist and pass it along as a RABCK. I waited 7 years for a copy. Maybe I can lessen someone else's wait.
    • 5/5
      When every word requires effort to communicate to the page, they are chosen very carefully. The writing is beautiful in its simplicity and careful use of words, not to mention its deep and introspective story of gradually losing the interaction with one's own life. When all he can do is think about life and no longer actively live it, Bauby crafts a stirringly beautiful (and short) book. One of the few times I saw a movie and then sought out the book afterwards.
    • 4/5
      Short but poetic and engaging. Even without realizing how long it took for Bauby to dictate this book, each chapter is still remarkable. I hope that I never find myself in his condition, but if somehow I do, I hope that I have the courage to face that life with the same amount of humor and creativeness that he did. The overall effect left me feeling very thankful for being fully in control of my body and able to enjoy life to its fullest.
    • 4/5
      The story of Bauby's experiences as a paraplegic who could only communicate using one winking eye. It tells the reader how it feels to be locked inside your body with no means of easy communication with the outside world. Extraordinary.
    • 5/5
      A lesson of a unique book for carrying all life. An unputdounable story of a man who had a stroke and writes a book blinking his left eye to choose letters and write an unforgettable story. A narrative to reflect on how worth things are in life and how we hard is the value of making wrong decisions.
    • 5/5
      This is a beautifully written, memoir by the editor-in-chief of the magazine, Elle. Bauby suffered a massive stroke in his 40s, leaving him unable to communicate except by blinking his left eye. Somehow, it is not a particularly sad book. It is obvious from his story that he was a man who lived "the good life" of wealth, travel, good food, and a loving family. In spite of all that he lost, his reflections are full of beautiful imagery of his past life, the day dreams that he used to manage his present situation and his hopes for the future. His thoughts seemed to seep directly into my mind, fully developed as images, without the normally required translation into written words. A tiny treasure.