A review by amberunmasked
After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond by Bruce Greyson
2.0
Bruce Greyson didn't win me over with After. This collection of near-death experiences (NDEs) has many interesting cases in it, but the presentation of those cases is lacking. Since it reads like a text book, it's boring. Still, there are poignant facts worth taking notice of if you can manage to slog through the pages.
Do you remember that ending of the Lord of the Rings movies where it felt like it was ending, but then it didn't and fooled viewers three or four times? Reading After is like that. Even in Greyson's final chapter where he's specifically summarizing each lesson learned, there were too many false wrap-ups with "and that brings us to the next lesson," type of structure. There were at least seven lessons spelled out in the conclusion.
If the subject of what happens after we die appeals to you, there are certainly plenty of books on it. Due to the various ways in which people face death, take note that suicide is addressed sporadically. Greyson calls them "suicide attempters" which in 2021 when language has evolved to be more inclusive and sensitive, these subjects should be referred to as "suicide survivors" at the very least. The main conclusion of addressing suicide is that, even though people had pleasant experiences when they left their bodies, they were not compelled to try again and get to that peace any quicker. The opposite happened among that demographic. They were more inclined to appreciate every moment of living.
For others who were taken from their bodies by means of accident or natural causes, there were some cases where returning to their living state after having time in a state of complete peace left them utterly depressed.
Greyson does interview subjects who have set religious practices and others who have lapsed and atheists. Some people saw what they expected to see: deceased loved ones, Jesus, or a God of one form or another. Certain people were surprised by what they encountered.
Greyson has a passion for his psychiatric practice and for the NDE subject. That much comes through. The book just did not stick the landing in organization and presentation of people's deeply personal stories. His writing between the stories is extremely repetitive.
Do you remember that ending of the Lord of the Rings movies where it felt like it was ending, but then it didn't and fooled viewers three or four times? Reading After is like that. Even in Greyson's final chapter where he's specifically summarizing each lesson learned, there were too many false wrap-ups with "and that brings us to the next lesson," type of structure. There were at least seven lessons spelled out in the conclusion.
If the subject of what happens after we die appeals to you, there are certainly plenty of books on it. Due to the various ways in which people face death, take note that suicide is addressed sporadically. Greyson calls them "suicide attempters" which in 2021 when language has evolved to be more inclusive and sensitive, these subjects should be referred to as "suicide survivors" at the very least. The main conclusion of addressing suicide is that, even though people had pleasant experiences when they left their bodies, they were not compelled to try again and get to that peace any quicker. The opposite happened among that demographic. They were more inclined to appreciate every moment of living.
For others who were taken from their bodies by means of accident or natural causes, there were some cases where returning to their living state after having time in a state of complete peace left them utterly depressed.
Greyson does interview subjects who have set religious practices and others who have lapsed and atheists. Some people saw what they expected to see: deceased loved ones, Jesus, or a God of one form or another. Certain people were surprised by what they encountered.
Greyson has a passion for his psychiatric practice and for the NDE subject. That much comes through. The book just did not stick the landing in organization and presentation of people's deeply personal stories. His writing between the stories is extremely repetitive.