booknerd_therapist's review against another edition
4.0
Let me begin by stating what this book is NOT before I state what it IS.
It is not some ground-breaking body of scientific evidence of the divine. You will not find pages and pages of physical manifestations of God or any 100% conclusive proof that the afterlife exists. If that is what you are hoping to get from this book, you will be sorely disappointed. (And don't you think if that's what this book offered, it would be far more widely read?)
Just as in any matters of faith, if you believe, you believe; if you don't, you don't. Those who want to discount Alexander's claims will find ways to do so, and those that approach this book with an open mind can read his story and judge for themselves.
Eben Alexander is a neurosurgeon who, before catastrophic illness took place, was a Christian in name only. He attended church with family on occasion, and never officially labeled himself an atheist or even an agnostic, but he did not truly believe in God. Alexander comes to us, his readers, as a man who had every reason to doubt his own senses, which makes his message all the more compelling.
He suffered from an extremely rare form of meningitis which ultimately put him in a coma for seven days. The fact that he is alive is incredible enough, but the way he has completely regained all of his physical and mental faculties and his memories is the true miracle. The brain-eating bacteria should have rendered him a vegetable. Instead, he came out of the coma 100% healthy.
During his coma, Alexander had what we call a "near death experience," or NDE. This book is his journey into the afterlife and what he experienced there. Throughout the book, he also details his medical reports and explains why he firmly believes his experience was real (or "ultrareal," as he puts it) from a scientific standpoint. (For example, reasons why what he experienced couldn't simply be hallucinations.)
I enjoyed this book and found it fascinating. I think it is a great read for anyone who believes in the afterlife or is questioning. It is always good to have perspectives besides our own, especially when it concerns spirituality.
It is not some ground-breaking body of scientific evidence of the divine. You will not find pages and pages of physical manifestations of God or any 100% conclusive proof that the afterlife exists. If that is what you are hoping to get from this book, you will be sorely disappointed. (And don't you think if that's what this book offered, it would be far more widely read?)
Just as in any matters of faith, if you believe, you believe; if you don't, you don't. Those who want to discount Alexander's claims will find ways to do so, and those that approach this book with an open mind can read his story and judge for themselves.
Eben Alexander is a neurosurgeon who, before catastrophic illness took place, was a Christian in name only. He attended church with family on occasion, and never officially labeled himself an atheist or even an agnostic, but he did not truly believe in God. Alexander comes to us, his readers, as a man who had every reason to doubt his own senses, which makes his message all the more compelling.
He suffered from an extremely rare form of meningitis which ultimately put him in a coma for seven days. The fact that he is alive is incredible enough, but the way he has completely regained all of his physical and mental faculties and his memories is the true miracle. The brain-eating bacteria should have rendered him a vegetable. Instead, he came out of the coma 100% healthy.
During his coma, Alexander had what we call a "near death experience," or NDE. This book is his journey into the afterlife and what he experienced there. Throughout the book, he also details his medical reports and explains why he firmly believes his experience was real (or "ultrareal," as he puts it) from a scientific standpoint. (For example, reasons why what he experienced couldn't simply be hallucinations.)
I enjoyed this book and found it fascinating. I think it is a great read for anyone who believes in the afterlife or is questioning. It is always good to have perspectives besides our own, especially when it concerns spirituality.
spike4mal's review against another edition
I didn’t feel this was proof at all. This was just him rambling about his experience, but now actually putting any of it into words. I ended up skimming the last few chapters.
spiderfelt's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not sure how to process, let alone rate this book. The author's story is compelling. His professional experience provides a unique perspective from which to explain the infection, coma and NDE.
kath61's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting book which is a bit weird in parts. It discusses scientific evidence which may explain his spiritual experience when in a coma but I don't think it covers all possibilities, the main one being it all happened as he woke up. I would be interested to find out more about him though.
sunshower12's review against another edition
I started reading this book, but after I got curious and did some more research, I'm throwing it in the trash. There are many events that occurred in this authors life that he strategically ommitted, changed, or manipulated in the book. One of his biggest things he left out, was that he was a negligent, dishonest, and sneaky neurosurgeon. He would screw up people's surgeries and then change the paperwork later on to match the lies he would come up with to cover his mistakes. Eventually, after many, many medical bungles and screw ups (which is devastating when you consider that he held people's lives in his hands), he was phased out of practicing medicine. His reputation as a respected neurosurgeon was ruined, and he knew it. Suddenly at a crossroads... in his life and career.. this book appears out of nowhere to garner him celebrity status almost overnight! How fortuitous! Was this an honest depiction of a real "death" experience, from an open and ernest man? Or a dishonest ploy to reinvent his image and career? I'm inclined to believe the latter. If his previous actions show anything, it is that he has a history of deceit. I get why he left all of that out, though. To have faith in Eben's story, we must first have faith in Eben himself, and the quality of his character. He's unfortunately, nothing more of a fraud, and the fact that he continues to fool people to this day by playing to their sense of hope that an afterlife does exist, is sick.
If you want to learn more, read this article:
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/interviews/a23248/the-prophet/
If you want to learn more, read this article:
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/interviews/a23248/the-prophet/
booksandbees's review against another edition
4.0
This book is autobiographical, with a fascinating mix between the scientific nature of the brain and the spiritual nature of our consciousness.
First, I think it takes a lot of courage for a well-respected doctor and scientist to publicly express his discovery of the afterlife and faith.
If you believe (because, in essence, there will never be proof of any afterlife), this book will give you hope and make you feel good.
For skeptics, this book may help you see the world in a different light, or you can use it as an object of ridicule. Regardless, this book is interesting and a bright light in a world that seems to struggle more and more with its purpose and fears.
Is the title correct? Is the story of dr. Alexander proof of heaven? I don't think so, but it is as close as we living humans can get. We will never have evidence of anything related to death in this lifetime. So, keep that in the back of your mind while reading this book.
Dr. Alexander explains it is impossible to explain what the afterlife is like, but one message comes through loud and clear. It's all about love. And love and empathy are tangible.
Everything is connected. We are all part of an enormous universe and experience only a tiny part of it on earth.
But most importantly, what's so compelling are his scientific facts and data from his medical case records which support his statements that his experience was not a hallucination or some compensation made by various parts of the brain. I highlighted many sections about physics, so I may want to read more about that.
This book will make you think and, most of all, feel good. It's a book about hope and the good.
The book became a bit repetitive at one point, and the writing could also have been a bit better. It feels a bit forced or stiff at times.
I also sensed this book was intended to be more religious, but it was curbed down to reach a wide variety of readers (?). That is not based on anything, just my thoughts while reading this book. He wants to help as many people as possible and spread the message: God is Love and waiting for us.
If you are afraid of death or just skeptical about God/the Creator/ Universe, this book is worth the read.
All in all, a fast and good read that will make you think more deeply about life beyond our material world.
"The fact that our heart yearns for something Earth can't supply is proof that Heaven must be our home." -C.S. Lewis
First, I think it takes a lot of courage for a well-respected doctor and scientist to publicly express his discovery of the afterlife and faith.
If you believe (because, in essence, there will never be proof of any afterlife), this book will give you hope and make you feel good.
For skeptics, this book may help you see the world in a different light, or you can use it as an object of ridicule. Regardless, this book is interesting and a bright light in a world that seems to struggle more and more with its purpose and fears.
Is the title correct? Is the story of dr. Alexander proof of heaven? I don't think so, but it is as close as we living humans can get. We will never have evidence of anything related to death in this lifetime. So, keep that in the back of your mind while reading this book.
Dr. Alexander explains it is impossible to explain what the afterlife is like, but one message comes through loud and clear. It's all about love. And love and empathy are tangible.
Everything is connected. We are all part of an enormous universe and experience only a tiny part of it on earth.
But most importantly, what's so compelling are his scientific facts and data from his medical case records which support his statements that his experience was not a hallucination or some compensation made by various parts of the brain. I highlighted many sections about physics, so I may want to read more about that.
This book will make you think and, most of all, feel good. It's a book about hope and the good.
The book became a bit repetitive at one point, and the writing could also have been a bit better. It feels a bit forced or stiff at times.
I also sensed this book was intended to be more religious, but it was curbed down to reach a wide variety of readers (?). That is not based on anything, just my thoughts while reading this book. He wants to help as many people as possible and spread the message: God is Love and waiting for us.
If you are afraid of death or just skeptical about God/the Creator/ Universe, this book is worth the read.
All in all, a fast and good read that will make you think more deeply about life beyond our material world.
"The fact that our heart yearns for something Earth can't supply is proof that Heaven must be our home." -C.S. Lewis
rebeccazacuto's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
Loved the discussions about neuroscience and consciousness and felt that the weakest parts of his storytelling were his recollection of the nde. I think the title of the book is slightly misleading; my primary take away is not that his nde is proof of heaven but rather that spirituality and science are interconnected/inform one another and that our scientific understanding of conciousness should be expanded. Overall he has a harrowing medical story and miraculous recovery that, stand alone, is remakrable
abstract_amber77's review against another edition
3.0
Though I am someone who believes in an afterlife in some form and who is fascinated by stories of near death experiences (NDE), I continue to look at such stories with great skepticism because we still don't understand them . With Dr. Alexander being a neurosurgeon, I was definitely interested in his experience and scientific point of view, but took his story with a grain of salt throughout the entire course of it. He did a decent job explaining the science behind the NDE, but he definitely let his emotions tell a lot of his tale. Parts of the narrative were downright cheesy to me, but I find that some of the information he presented is worthy of further research.
amandabookland's review against another edition
4.0
An insightful look into the events that occur when a brain ceases to live from the point of view from a neuroscientist.
theidioit's review against another edition
It's hard to rate nonfiction but my review of this was a very unique interesting read. I am not religious and did not go into the book thinking my mind would be blown. My mind was not blown but I have always believed in an afterlife and this book gave me some comfort about that.