In 1995, 43-year-old Jean-Dominique Bauby had a career as editor-in-chief of French Elle magazine. In December of that year, he suffered a massive stroke, leaving him with locked-in syndrome – a prisoner of his physical body, being totally paralyzed except for the use of his left eye.

His indomitable spirit shines through in “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” which was written by him in this paralyzed condition. His physical therapist acquainted him with an alphabet based on the most-used letters. Using the grueling method of having a scribe reciting letters until she came to the one he wanted and he blinked, he was able to write his story.

Rather than being a record of Bauby’s woes and and complaints, it is rather a tribute to the freedom of consciousness. He shares memories of the things that mean the most to him in his life – smells, tastes of foods, the time spent with his children, the smiles of friends – even as he lies within his “diving bell,” unable to eat, drink or communicate in a normal way.

A testament to living real life at its fullest, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” was published just 12 days before Bauby died in 1996. It was an instant publishing phenomenon in Europe. Dive into this book and discover its transformational properties.

Merry Titus, who reviews books for the Reporter, is a King County Library System employee at Covington Library.