The diary of Jean-Dominique Bauby who, with his left
eyelid (the only surviving muscle after a massive
stroke) dictated a remarkable book about his experiences
locked inside his body. A masterpiece and a bestseller
in France, it is now a major motion picture directed by
Julian Schnabel. On 8 December 1995, Jean-Dominique
Bauby suffered a massive stroke and slipped into a coma.
When he regained consciousness three weeks later, the
only muscle left functioning was in his left eyelid
although his mind remained as active and alert as it had
ever been. He spent most of 1996 writing this book,
letter by letter, blinking as an alphabet was repeatedly
read out to him. 'The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly' was
published in France on Thursday 6th March 1997. It was
immediately hailed as a masterpiece. And then, three
days later, he died. 'The Diving-Bell and the
Butterfly', which records Bauby's lonely existence, is
probably the most remarkable book about the triumph of
the human spirit, the ability to invent a life for
oneself in the most appalling of circumstances, that you
will ever read. It has now been made into a captivating
film, directed by Julian Schnabel and starring Mathieu
Amalric, which was the winner of the award for Best
Director at Cannes and nominated for the Palm
d'Or. |
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