Jean-Dominique Bauby was a French journalist, author, and editor of the French fashion magazine Elle. On December 8, 1995, at the age of 43, Bauby suffered a massive stroke. When he woke up twenty days later, he found he was entirely speechless; he could only blink his left eyelid. This rare condition is known as Locked-in Syndrome, a condition wherein the mental faculties are intact but the entire body is paralyzed. Bauby also lost 60 pounds in the first 20 weeks after his stroke.

Despite his condition, he wrote the book The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by blinking when the correct letter was reached by a person slowly reciting the alphabet over and over again. Bauby had to compose and edit the book entirely in his head, and convey it letter by letter through the only means available to him - blinking his left eye. This extraordinary effort not only demonstrated his indomitable spirit and mental fortitude but also resulted in a deeply moving and insightful memoir that explores the human condition and the power of the human spirit.