Yesterday I finished The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, the memoir of the editor of French Elle magazine. In his mid-forties, he suddenly became quadriplegic and wrote the book my blinking his left eye. He died two days after it was published. It went on to become an international bestseller.
It’s amazing that someone in his state was able to write a book, but the writing itself is pure poetry. Here’s this man who’s trapped in a body that can’t function, yet he transports himself to other worlds by remembering what it’s like walking down the streets of Paris, going to the races, working all night in the office, playing with his children. He captures every detail and he does it thankfully…as if his memory is just as good as the actual experience. This is a wondrous book, a quick read, and perfect for the holidays.
I hear they are making it into a movie. I’m curious to see how it turns out. The words are so gripping and descriptive. It’s like a 100+ page poem.
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