The Pain Journal (Native Agents)

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Summary: The final words and journey of Bob Flanagan
Review: Bob Flanagan spent his entire life dying: he was born with cystic fibrosis in 1952. Most individuals with this disease of the lungs don't make it out of childhood, but with a combination of strength, humor and a bit of S&M, Flanagan survived to be 43, almost unheard of even in this medical age. This book is literally a diary he kept during the last year of his life. Best known as the subject of "Bob Flanagan: Supermasochist", there isn't much kink or S/M in this. This is a man dealing with mortality, reviewing his past life, trying to accomplish all he has set out for himself before he is gone. At that same time that this journal was being written, a documentary was being made, which would eventually be called "Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan" and it won the Sundance Special Grand Prize in 1997. This journal is an excellent companion to the film, and a final view of the man in his own words.