Jean-Dominique Bauby; Jeremy Leggatt [trans.] — The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly

London, Fourth Estate, 2009 . Cloth. A wonderful example of this very scarce limited edition of Jean-Dominique Bauby's celebrated memoir, in a striking dust wrapper by artist Sam Porritt. A very scarce limited edition, being number 1,692 of a limited edition of 2,000 copies produced to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Fourth Estate.With a special dust wrapper commissioned by Sam Porritt.First published in 1997, only two days before Bauby died of pneumonia, this is a memoir composed after the author, editor-in-chief of French Elle, suffered a stroke that left him with locked-in syndrome, able to communicate only by blinking his left eye.Dictated letter by letter through this painstaking method, the book blends personal reflection with vivid, poetic imagery, as Bauby recounts memories, dreams, and observations from his hospital bed. In the publisher's original cloth binding, with unclipped dust wrapper. Externally, fine. Dust wrapper in exceptional condition, with minor light tide mark to tail of front wrap. Internally, firmly bound. Pages clean and bright. Fine . Ill.: Sam Porritt. Fine/Fine.