Journal Entry 1 by chelseagirl from Faringdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Thursday, January 27, 2005

I've dipped into my own copy of this now and then over the last few months and have finally finished it.

Jean-Dominique Bauby, editor-in-chief of the French Elle magazine and father to two young children, was left completely paralysed except for one eyelid when he suffered a massive stroke.

The book itself is an amazing accomplishment, and at times you have to remind yourself that the writer dictated it through the blinking of one eye, with a helper dictating the letters of the alphabet while Bauby painstakingly spelled out each word letter by letter.

What we have is a curious mix of observations on hospital life, the frustrations that Bauby suffers daily as he is locked in his body's prison, and recollections of his life before the stroke and paralysis. Parts of his writing are touching and moving, parts are uplifting but others I found didn't really grasp my attention - which is why it's taken me so long to get through this.

The most moving chapter for me is probably the one where Bauby recounts the day the stroke happened - an ordinary day filled with work and meetings and Beatles songs on the radio.
Bauby's words bring home just how precious life is, how short and fragile it is, and how we never know just when it will be snatched away from us:

"In the elevator strangers heap encouragement upon me and the Beatles launch into the finale of 'A Day in the Life'. The piano crashing down from the seventh floor. before it hits the ground I have time for one last thought: we'll have to cancel the play. In any case, we would have got there late. We'll go tomorrow night. Where could Theophile have got to? And I sink into a coma."

Overall, a fascinating work of art, the words of a dying man and a fitting farewell to a world Bauby was taken from far too soon.

In some ways I'd like to hold on to this to read again, but in others I don't think I ever will get round to reading it again, so I'm going to take this along to the BOSH (Berks, Oxon, Surrey and Hants) meet this evening.

 

Journal Entry 2 by ozone-nut from Yateley, Hampshire United Kingdom on Thursday, January 27, 2005

I've read so much about this book but never actually read the book! Time to put that right. 

Journal Entry 3 by ozone-nut from Yateley, Hampshire United Kingdom on Monday, January 31, 2005

A fascinating book, especially considering how it was written. I couldn't help wondering why, given the difficulties Bauby suffered in making even the most basic communication, why he decided to tackle something as ambitious as a book. But I'm glad he did. This book could so easily have been depressing but was not.

I'm sending it to a friend who isn't a bookcrosser, but who I know will like it. He probably won't register it, but he might just release it when he's finished with it.

Thanks, chelseagirl. 

Journal Entry 4 by ozone-nut from Yateley, Hampshire United Kingdom on Sunday, July 10, 2005

has been on a whistle stop tour of the southwest of England, but nobody journalled it! Now safely back on my shelf. 

Journal Entry 5 by ozone-nut from Yateley, Hampshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, January 03, 2006

I'm going to send this book off into the world on a very long journey to a far away bookcrosser. Hopefully it won't take too long to reach her. 

Journal Entry 6 by pyjamas on Wednesday, January 11, 2006

dear ozone-nut,

the book arrived (read: handed to me) just now and i'm so YAY!!!
i'm quite intrigued to read this and hopefully i'll get some nuggets of wisdom from the author's experience...
thank you so much for the kind thoughts and for the book :) i appreciate it trmendously...

i will return for another journal entry once i finished it...
thanks again!!!

pyjs

ps: no ticking, biting and demonic possesion was observed *wink*