Beautiful Butterfly
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It's difficult to read this book and not be thinking about the sheer mammoth effort it took to write each letter, each word. Writing by indicating 'yes' or 'no' with an eyelid as another pointed to letters is an accomplishment beyond the words themselves. The sheer effort of writing leaves us with a lean book, nothing unneccessary. The book gives us a look at the inner life of someone 'locked in' but obviously never 'locked out'. As someone with a disability who works with others who have disabilities, this book served as a message that it is possible to live within our bodies, within our minds. That there is a human being inside every body, every shell. It is a reminder about what makes us uniquely human. Reading the book it is impossible not to be angered by those who turn away, who don't take time ... it is impossible not to ask yourself who you'd be locked in. A powerful read.
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Excellent
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Puts into perspective the mind that works and how is it treated when the body seems useless. It is very telling about us as human beings and how little we value humanity itself
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Impressively written yet still cold
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I was recommended this book by my English teacher, who found it the most inspiring book that she's ever read. So I bought it and managed to get through it in two days. The true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby and his struggle to cope with a rare disease known as locked-in syndrome is certainly horrific beyond belief. This book tells of the last months of this amazing man's life, amazing because he not only had to cope with this disease but also managed to write this book using only his eyelid. However, despite that I didn't find the book to be as inspiring as my teacher had described. Don't get me wrong, I truly admire this remarkable man and find it to a terribly upsetting story. Yet the book mostly seems to describe the events of his life rather than the effects of his illness and there's an awful lot of narrative but not a great deal of emotion. Therein, perhaps lies Bauby's dignity and certainly his life should not merely consist of his illness, yet I did find the book to be rather uninvolving. As a story this is both inspiring and sad, yet it doesn't work as a book.
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A memoir worth reading
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Some great books come in small packages!!!This a short but phenomenonally inspirational book written by a truly gifted writer. Instead of writing with computer, he used his left eye to blink each letter out because he was paralyzed from a condition called "locked in syndrome." He used his short time left to share his story describing his love for his children and his regrets around the life he had carved out for himself before suffering from this LIS affliction. His last months spent paralyzed actually set him free to describe his realities and fantasies. I found this book sad yet somewhat miraculous that someone could maintain a sense of strength and spirit with so little physical life left. I would recommend this book without any hesitation.
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A doctor's perspective
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I have cared for several "locked-in" patients in my career. I have only barely imagined the inner life of these poor unfortunates. I was fascinated by the author's observations of the medical staff at his hospital, and I can clearly see that they are authentic. Sensitive staff members can feel his pain. Others are detached and even uncaring.
What is remarkable about this man is the life he was capable both before and during his illness. His strength, his humor, and his insight. His book gives us an insight not only into his particular illness, but into the isolation of any serious illness. He describes the fears and frustrations, the loneliness, and the need for inner strength.
I haver recommended this book to all the neurologists I know, and to patients and hospital staff. I feel this book teaches us about being human. You cannot but gain by reading it.
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