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Jean-Dominique Bauby

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Jean-Dominique BaubyNonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1997

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Book Brief

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Jean-Dominique Bauby

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1997
Book Details
Pages

131

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

France • 1990s

Publication Year

1997

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Lexile Level

1140L

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Super Short Summary

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby is a memoir composed of vignettes detailing his life and thoughts after a stroke left him with locked-in syndrome. Written with the aid of a special alphabet system, the memoir interweaves memories from different periods of Bauby's life with his current experiences in a hospital, alongside his imaginative musings and dreams.

Melancholic

Contemplative

Inspirational

Emotional

Bittersweet

Reviews & Readership

4.2

77,454 ratings

73%

Loved it

20%

Mixed feelings

7%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Jean-Dominique Bauby's The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is universally praised for its poignant and eloquent depiction of life with locked-in syndrome, showcasing extraordinary resilience and poetic prose. Some readers, however, find the narrative structure disjointed. The memoir is both heart-wrenching and inspirational, offering a unique perspective on physical and emotional confinement.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?

A reader who values poignant memoirs, reflective storytelling, and profound personal journeys would enjoy Jean-Dominique Bauby's The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Comparable to Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie and Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, this book appeals to those drawn to narratives of resilience and introspection.

4.2

77,454 ratings

73%

Loved it

20%

Mixed feelings

7%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

131

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

France • 1990s

Publication Year

1997

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Lexile Level

1140L

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