Customer Reviews
Amazing and unique read - By: Serena Seghedoni, 01 Dec 2008 
The enthusiasm for life that Jean-Dominique Bauby demonstratedin the whole book was amazing. And it was not for a matter of faiths or beliefs, but for a simple & pure love of life & everything that's part of it. Like the way he makes up recipes & tastesin his mind, or he listen to soft voicesin his head that he calls butterflies. And even the way he classifies & changes the whole world around him, making it more exciting & new even if at the same time he is perfectly aware of his situation & of the way this makes his relatives & friends feel. He perfectly knows that they don't know anything about what's still inside this man that they see, who is so different from the one they knew before. He knows that his kids treat him different, & that everybody keeps going on with their lives without him, & then visits & tries to hide the tears. And this awareness which usually would make anyone fall into an absolute despair became for him a pretext to appreciate what he had, which is his mind, & his memories.
It's a book that I was expecting would have made me very sad (which it did,in those moments when he wasin a bad & pessimistic mood), but for the most part it just made me feel lucky & special to be able to appreciate all this a thousand times more. The fact that makes it so unique is that it links something so tragic like an accident that leaves you almost completely paralized with being happy & living life fully, introducing the idea that, if something doesn't go exactly like you want or if you're unhappy, it might be because of you waiting too long to follow your wishes & then not being able to grasp all the chances we get.To be able to be happy just for the fact that I can walk & laugh & talk to people, & watch & hear, & realize how beautiful being alive is. It made me want to go out & do something, live it fully & take any possible chance I can, without missing out on anything.
Fall in love with every day life again - By: Kasey J, 26 Aug 2008 This is possibly the worst situation anyone could ever bein yet, Bauby tried his hardest to remain positive & showed heroic humour throughout the entire book. Whilst an unbelievably sad situation, the book is not depressing.
You can read the whole book quite quickly. Even those who don't read often can enjoy this reasonably short story with a huge positive impact.
For me, this book has reunited myself with the life we are supposed to be living. Appreciating whatever little we might have, whether it be the ability of complete or limited physical movement, or material possessions, we are unable to enjoy them if we don't appreciate them.
We must stop & smell the flowers more, or watch a butterflyin action when we have the opportunity. For me, doing these kinds of things, honours Bauby more as it is my way of showing appreciation of his efforts to survivein a crushed state.
For now, Jean-Dominique Bauby can restin peace. Andin the day of resurrection, he shall walk, talk & enjoy the real life again.
John 5:21, 28 & 29
excellent - By: Andrew P. Logie, 21 Aug 2008 Short enough to readin one sitting, this book is well worth the read. It describes the vivid thoughts of a man struck down by a debilitating stroke at the peak of his career. Darkly comic & ultimately optimistic, the book is a compulsive page turner, & makes an excellent companion to the movie. Its all the more remarkable given that it was written through the medium of a blink of an eye.
Lasting impression - By: A. Forrest, 30 Apr 2008 "Le Scaphandre et le Papillon" is a fantastic read full stop. I understand other's thoughts on this book & I respect their opinions, but for me, this book has had a lasting impression. I have also watched, about 2 years after having read the book, the French film version which was fairly accuratein relation to the book. I found that I gained enough insight into his former life to suffice - one must not expect memoirs of his entire life, but a focus upon his life after the stroke with a few references to his 'former' life. Both the book & the film are well written & produced & I have recommended & will continue to recommend it to anyone & everyone.
Five stars dosent do it justice... - By: D. Ashton, 27 Mar 2008 I admit it, i'm emotional; I cried at this book, but for good reason;
The brain rarely fails, but when it does, god almighty, does it fail!
I couldn't bear reading this book for longer then a few moments at a time, because I knew what was happening to him.
Nevertheless, to place itin the context of the reader; imagine your arms, your legs, everything being tied down, tied down so tight you can't feel them, you can't feel your heart, nor your lungs. You have yourself, your brain. That's all.
Terrifying, & a grim reminder of what awaits us if we do not take care of our brain.
