Near Death Experiences Books

Richard Dawkins wrote the following 3 books, which completely and UNIMPEACHABLY demonstrated that complex life as we see today could have appeared, and in fact did appear and evolve, here on earth without invoking any intervention from a being more developed than we are (thus no God, Witchcraft, UFO's, magic, intervention, or anything more advanced than we are). Why is this so hard for people to grasp? The 3 Dawkins books are (selfish gene; blind watchmaker; and devil's chaplain).

On another very related note, I recently read a book which was written by a neurosurgeon/neurobiologist called "A brief tour of human consciousness", which very well explains the limitations of our sensory perception organs (eyes, ears, etc). An appearance of "light", or the appearance of feeling or movement of an appendage which has been missing for a long time, is a very limited perception (affixes on about 1.5-3.0% of brain. Even more damaging for this view is that since we can only detect a portion of the visible spectrum (i.e. so far ultraviolet and infrared are mostly undetectible). However, If anyone who digs this book wants to worship "light" as being "God", I am all for anything that gets people thinking.

Personally, for me, if I was to ever accept a God, it would be the rulemaker himselve (i.e. the speed of light is constant, so is gravity, energy and matter are interchangeable in our universe, dark matter prevents the universe from expanding exponentially into nothingness). Please some scientist e-mail me and tell me why there aren't 28 colors instead of the R.O.Y. G. B.I.V. 7 that we have always been taught? How do we know if we don't see them? Why are we so sure that for instance radio waves are not visible if our eyes were only more discriminating?

I wonder if string theory posits completely different bubble universes with differing rules?

Summary: Please understand that "bright lights" will appear anywhere a person is dying at less than an instantaneous death, and the bright light is merely the inability to see anything at the edges of a focused beam.

I had been looking for a book that specifically corelated the scientific structure and nature of light with spirituality. This book did just that. Don't expect an intensly dry scientific, deeply scholarly approach. The book is fairly simple and to the point, but it makes it's point in a clear, readable, straigtforward way. By addressing near death experiences, quantam studies of light, and the cosmological anthropic priciple Baumann makes a case for the existence of God, spirituality, and its immanent proximity to our experience. He does a little Biblical apologetics that is OK, but a tad fundamental for me. Overall I genuinely enjoyed and appreciated this book and would strongly recommend it to those looking into this subject.

Don't judge this book by the negative reviews. Dr. Baumann has an idea that he documents with scientific data. He is not seeking converts but giving you new ways to look at old ideas. If you are totally opposed to any notion of God, don't bother reading it. Because I found it a fascinating read, doesn't mean I am invoking the supernatural. R. Phillips, MD

Worthwhile read. I found the first half a little heavy in the physics and sometimes hard to follow, but the bottom line was always readily apparent. The second half was particularly worthwhile. It does make one think about light, Schroeder's theories and how scientists truly are at a loss to explain it's quirky behavior and ubiquitous presence.

Dr. Baumann has presented a difficult topic in an understandable way.

This is a book to study not a quick read through -- if you are truly interested in the subject. rr

For not the first time, I feel I have been "suckered" to some extent by glowing reviews by people who must either be the author's friends or fellow authors at the same publishing house. I too have read widely -- really, really widely -- in this field, and this book would not make my Top 100. When an author repeatedly cites Brad and Sherry Steiger as sources -- well, I don't think too many serious seekers look to the Steigers for insights. The book is riddled with distracting typos which likewise suggest it is not a serious work. The author does seem to have solid academic credentials and to be a well-meaning individual, but you are going to be disappointed if you are expecting a well-written, in-depth treatment of this subject. It is comprehensive in scope and would serve as a good introduction for someone who has not read widely in the field, and I hesitate to be too harsh toward anyone with the author's impressive background who is willing to dive into the evidence for a scientifically taboo subject such as life after death. I wouldn't go so far as to say "Don't buy it" -- merely "Don't buy it thinking it is going to be something of the level you would expect from a Professor Emeritus at Temple University." If you are going to buy this, spend a few dollars more and also buy "Death and Personal Survival" by Robert Almeder, who is also a professor. You'll see what I'm talking about.

The multifaceted scientist, therapist and dentist Donald Morse is the Editor of the Journal of Religion and Psychical Research that focuses on the common ground between parapsychological research and religious and spiritual issues. This voluminous book is just one of his many intellectual feats. Morse wrote it as an attempt to conquer his own fear of death and help others do the same.

As the author had a Near-Death Experience, Searching for Eternity starts off with a survey of research in this field, including cases he personally studied himself. The author concludes that NDEs cannot be explained by normal factors and in this respect gives some attention to Susan Blackmore's skeptical hypothesis. Similarly, he discusses Out of the Body Experiences, apparitions and mediums. Even the bizarre subject of physical immortality through cloning is not ignored.

The following chapters deal with the concept of a personal divinity in relation to recent notions in the physical sciences. Just like Melvin Morse, with whom he shares his family name, the author had a Jewish upbringing and this clearly influences his views, though it does not imply a closed mind towards other currents of thought. This is also confirmed by an overview of about 160 pages dedicated to a wide spectrum of ideas about the hereafter, from a great diversity of religious and spiritual movements.

For instance, Morse is very critical about the protestant christian theory that only a belief in Jesus (rather than one's integrity) would protect you from damnation, and he's markedly positive about the hereafter depicted by Bo Yin Ra.

Don Morse ends his book with a personal theory about the afterlife that is both based on his personal beliefs and on the scholarly evidence and his general conclusion reads:

"There is so much evidence for an afterlife that it is unreasonable to deny it or chalk it up to mere fantasies." (blz. 365)

This book serves as a good introduction for anyone interested in life after death, personal evolution and spirituality. Readers who do not agree with the personal perspective of the author, are offered plenty of information about other views, both in the text and in the references.

It is this special combination, which makes the book a valuable contribution to the literature about these subjects.

Morse's book was inspired by his own near death experience and later struggle with death anxiety. As a result he has given us an account of his personal pilgrimage in search of the meaning of life and death.

One of the most impressive aspects of the work is the large number of topics Morse is willing to explore. Above all, Morse has an open mind. The reader will do well to approach the book with the same. There is much to be found here which may affirm one's beliefs. It is also possible to encounter much that is unsettling.

Dr. Morse's book is the best book I have ever read on this topic and I have read practically all of them. Search For Eternity is a comprehensive analysis of the scientific, religious and physical evidence for life after death. I am convinced that when science is finally able to verify that consciousness survives physical death and describe what life after death is really all about, you will be able to find that it was already quantified in Dr. Morse's book. Dr. Morse has brought together all the most convincing evidence that exists and put it in a single book. This, in itself, was quite an achievement. I highly recommend this book to any serious seeker of truth. You will find that Searching For Eternity has covered more concepts on the subject of the survival of consciousness than the combined total of a great many other books. Searching For Eternity is a must read for the beginning seeker as well - as it also provides an excellent foundation for researching the multitude of individual theories and aspects that are related to the survival of consciousness after death. Read Searching for Eternity before delving into any particular subject concerning the afterlife and you will get a broader understanding of that subject as it relates to the whole. This book is one of the best I have ever read, if not the best, and I have read them all. Thank you, Dr. Morse, for putting it all together into one book. This book is just what the true seeker has been wanting for a long time.

I was expecting much more from this book after reading other readers' reviews. The information pertaining to near death and other experiences has been told many times before and little new is offered here. The book gets terribly bogged down in less than helpful long and boring descriptions of the development of various religions and their viewpoints, many of which are on the "fringes" and provide little by way of persuasive argument. The perspectives of several of these fringe religions are so clearly speculative as to be ridiculous and no foundation is provided to support their particular contentions or viewpoints. About half of the book is taken up with this irrelevant detail. Equally ridiculous was the lengthy treatment given to the afterlife perspectives of certain individuals. If Stephen Hawking was included in that group, it might have been worth reading. The rantings of various unknowns I found to be less than persuasive. I found it amazing that the author, a man who actually had to undergo treatment for death anxiety, was comforted by the information presented in the book. I am happy for his success and wish him nothing less. However, if you are looking for help in dealing with this difficult topic, look elsewhere.

We Live Forever is written by one of the most approachable researchers in any field. It reads like a novel, but is the story of PMH's life and her work, including her conclusions after 40 years of research in near death experiences.

Reading this book is an excellent way to spend a weekend, and her conclusions might be something you've never considered.We Live Forever: The Real Truth About Death

This is an outstandstanding book and the only one I've read that is accurate in descriptions of NDE and religious experiences. I've experienced both..I am 'different' from the masses and find it difficult to fit in due to past experiences and on-going present happenings that occur so frequently they are 'natural' to me.
Thank you, P.M.H. Atwater for this book...!!

I couldn't put this book down and I have bought several more copies as gifts. "We Live Forever" is P.M.H. Atwater's account of her own three near death experiences and her learnings from them, as well as the beliefs she has garnered through her vast research on this topic. She is also the author of "The Big Book of Near Death Experiences," a well-researched and very large tome, and a chief go-to book for this type of information. "We Live Forever" is much different. The writing here is subjective, personal, inspiring and comforting -- not the objective stance of the researcher. It reads more like a good novel. She tells us it took her a long time to get up the courage to share her own story and what she personally is taking away from her NDE's and her research. For me, knowing more about the experience of death (the sense of hearing goes last!) makes me more ready to meet it one of these days, though not over eager!

Near death experience.....I would like a clear diffenition of these words.Four years ago I died in a horse riding accident, it is recorded that I was dead (not near death) for at least 28 minutes....When I had recovered enough, in 9 months, I went on an expedition to find others that had experienced what I had....I ask others that had claimed to have died what was the nature of their experience, without first revealing mine. In all the people I had spoken with and emailed I only found 2 persons that could accuratly describe what the other side is like.....complete with the feelings, sights, music, smells,....As all of us are different, and we are the sum of all of our own experiences....then each one of us has a different experience????? I keep focused on my quest, but I did not find this book of help to me.

This is the best book I have read on NDEs. Could be very helpful for those who fear death.

Everyone will benefit from reading this book. It transcends age, gender, social status, culture, and religion. Its positive effects are numerous and far-reaching. For many people, reading it will be life-changing. Jason Hughes' story is both inspirational and spiritual. But it's also down-to-earth and accessable. It is an open, honest, bare-your-soul memoir, told by an incredible man!

I was deeply moved by reading it. There were parts that were breathtakingly beautiful. His words touched my Heart and Soul. It made me laugh and it made me cry; I sympathized and I empathized. It totally captivated me. I could see myself, in many ways, throughout his story, and realized that I wasn't alone in many of my own experiences and perception of pain. It validated many things that I already knew, gave me new perspective on others, but mostly, I felt the Love that was obviously poured into its creation. It is truly a Love Story. Read it; feel it; learn from it. You won't regret it!

i am friends with jason and his book is breathtaking and amazing, i honestly do not know one person that could not benefit from his book, its life changing in your own life!! i am purchasing a book for everybody i know!! if you do not have this book yet buy it!!

Jason Hughes' memoir, One Man's Love Story, is a truly inspirational read. I was captivated by his story and related to many aspects of his trials and tribulations in life. This book serves as a compass for those questioning their direction in this world. Prepare to be enlightened!

One Man's Love Story was breathtaking, spiritual, WONDERFUL!!! If you have not had the pleasure of this book yet, I would highly suggest that you read it. It is not everyday that a book of this calibur comes into our lives.

This book presents itself as a near death experience memoir, but
in fact is merely an autobiography of a young man's life as it was before,
and after, a bad car accident. The author didn't write about having a
near death experience in the sense of crossing over to other realms,
meeting a spiritual being, having a life review, etc.
The book has a self published feel to it, and is like a young person's
diary of daily events written over a period of several years.
it is not very interesting, and is poorly written.

If you like climbing and comedy, you'll like this book. Approximately 70 short stories of climbs that almost ended badly. You can learn from this book. But some of the lessons are very elementary. Like the climber climbing big wall Yosemite with a new girl he had just met who had never climbed. Might want to pick your partner a little better. And another quick tip, you might want to stay away from the drugs and alcohol while climbing.

Each story ends with a quick analysis of what should have been done to stay out of the situation. Some of this is helpful. But generally it can be summed up in a sentence: Don't do dumb things while climbing. Unless, of course, you want to entertain readers.

A truly great book. I laughed so hard my sides hurt as I read "Nellies Night Out" and "Helluva Time on Mt. Dutzi." Long comically recounts classic stupid mistakes all climbers have made at one time or another but still provides a down to earth commentary so that we all might never be on the receiving end of these same mistakes.

I truly enjoyed this book - firstly, because it made me laugh out loud, and secondly, because it actually offers some wise words of advice for climbers. As I read these tales of climbing gone awry I could easily picture myself (younger and stupider version) and my erstwhile climbing buddies from college in many of the same precarious situations, mumbling to each other, "Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten us into."

Climbing accidents and near accidents told in the classic "Largo" style. Each situation is colorfully written with lots of humor. Long then technically evaluates what caused the problem, and describes how to prevent such situations from happening. Keep 'em coming John!

Just hope you're not one of the people in his stories!

John Long is really telling us cautionary tales. But if anyone can make you laugh, snort, and giggle at the thought of some poor sod hanging by a fingernail to a crumbling mountain ledge, John Long is that man. Also cartoonist Tami Knight has an equally irreverent sense of humor.

However, if you are not laughing too hard, you will notice Long's Commentary and Prevention notes on each tale are precise, well written and helpful. The big moral throughout is you can never ever be too careful when rock climbing. Also, never assume anything.

I think this is a particularly good book for young people who have an interest in rock climbing. A solemn, dry book would never do the trick. It is difficult to grab this group's attention, particularly since the hormones are raging, and they are certain of their immortality. But they adore gallows humor, and just perhaps a few of these safety measures will stick in their minds and hearts.

John Long has a knack of coming on like your new best friend. Similar to Stephen King, you feel like he is telling his stories just for you and no one else. So settle in and enjoy the read!
-sweetmolly-Amazon Reviewer

David Fontana provides an enormous amount of information concerning research conducted into understanding life after death. The content covers research conducted going all the way back through the early research from members of the SPR, includes research conducted at Duke and Cambridge Universities (among others) through to the present day. The author covers all angles of arguments against an afterlife as much as could possibly done, presenting as a result an overwhelmingly strong case for survival after death. The thoroughness of the data is astonishing and very compelling. I consider this a textbook (without being dry as textbooks often are) for any parapsychology or psychical research student or individuals interested in the paranormal.

I'm not an author so I don't know exactly what goes in to creating a book. I can only imagine the hours that David Fontana spent doing the research for this book. It's not a quick read, but absolutely not a boring one. If your on the fence and your still not quite sure that there is an afterlife, you really should take the time and read this book. I've been on a mission the past 6 years, learning about all the different types of religion, so I also began looking at the subject from a scientific point of view. After reading this book, I Am so sure that there is an afterlife, I am no longer afraid to die. Thank you David for all your time writing this Great book!

This is far and away the best evidence given for this subject I have yet seen. The author also offers irrefutable arguments against the skeptics. Highly reccommended.

I felt very far removed when reading this book. What I mean about that is it is mainly based off of someones existing research from the late 1800's and early 1900's (there is some recent research also but the most compelling research seems to be based off of the past researched) with very little of the Author's own individual first hand research. Not only that, the old research is based on anecdotes of people who probably already believed in the paranormal. Not only that, most of the research presented did not really have counter rebuttals from that era, probably because back then it was more than likely accepted at face value and not truly scrutinized. Granted, the old researchers did do their best with their line of questioning but mainly we only know what the authors tells us. We really never get to know the full entire aspects of the research itself, like if there are any potential flaws or not, and this is what I mean by feeling so far removed because I am getting something from someone who got it from someone who got it from someone. I did also notice in this book that the author often builds up strawman arguments that would refute the paranormal and then tears it down. What that means is the author presents some arguments of rebuttal (not all) and tears them down, but often leaves out other valid arguments against the paranormal unmentioned.

However I do feel the strongest part of the book is the research presented of NDE's where he accurately states all the NDE's rebuttals and their research to replicate an NDE/OBE, and then proceeds to refute them quite effectively.

I went into this book very neutral on the belief in an afterlife, with hope that there is one but not entirely sure. I have left this book almost in the same place, with a slight nod to my hope being slightly more justified.

If you believe, you will continue to believe after reading this. If you are a true skeptic I do not think this book is convincing enough to sway that skepticism. If you are neutral on the matter it may make you lean towards belief. Overall a good book with decent research but can beg a lot of questions within the anecdotes/conclusions themselves.

David Fontana provides a very good overview of the evidence for survival of human consciousness/personality of the physical death of the body. He musters a considerable body of evidence from various areas of parapsychology to suggest, very strongly, that we don't die with our bodies. The literature on this subject is immense, and Fontana does a good job of surveying most of the important works. A notable and admirable feature of the book is that Fontana does not hesitate to point out weaknesses in certain arguments, though in the final analysis he clearly believes (with good reason) that the scientific evidence supports the idea of survival. The implications of survival are enormous and would likely change much about how we lived our lives if it were to be widely accepted.

For me a major flaw in the book is the poor copyediting. The same name is spelled two or three different ways on the same page or within a few pages (for example, at the top of p. 167, Fontana mentions "Australian-born medium Aviva Neumann." Three lines later the first name is spelled Avival, and two pages later it's spelled Avuva), there are lots of typos, the margins go from fully justified to left justified for a few paragraphs toward the end, etc. The biggest flaw in this regard is that almost none of the in-text citations in Chapters 15 and 16 have corresponding references in the bibliography. This makes it virtually impossible to track down the works cited if one wants to read them (as I do). This sloppiness in organizing the book and poor copyediting is not only very distracting and frustrating (since I'm the type of person that would like to read other works, and the missing references happen to be on topics that interest me most in this whole area), but it could provide skeptics with an avenue for criticizing the soundness of the scholarship. In general, these kinds of omissions make me wonder about the scholarship of a particular book, but in this case I don't think it undermines Fontana's argument. But still, they are very disappointing.

Perhaps some people might think three stars is a little harsh for the issues cited, but they are important to me and detract from the book's readability.

The field of NDEs and metaphysics is drowning in a sea of lying charlatans, all looking for fortune and fame. Dr. Morse's scientific rigor and integrity is a real breath of fresh air. Yet the book is an easy read and exciting. I've never hi-lighted so much. Out of the 6 NDE books I've read so far, it's my favorite.

Transformed by the Light is an exciting book for anyone who wants to know what it is like to die and go to "the other side." Melvin Morse reveals interesting details about how this affects people in positive ways. Some people end up being able to foretell the future through dreams and others become more intellectual.

This book focuses on positive near-death experiences (going to heaven) and how they affected the individuals in positive ways. This is interesting but it completely ignores the negative near-death experiences I've read in other books. For some people the tunnel and the light turns into a hellish experience, while all the experiences in this book are descriptions of a loving light and beautiful gardens.

For the other side of the story you might want to read To Hell and Back: Life After Death Startling New Evidence.

~The Rebecca Review

I have read so many of these books and studied so much on this subject I should have an honorary degree by now if there was such a thing. :)
Seriously though, Dr Morse' books are the most well studied on the subject of near death experiences as he has does his dedicated research for many years bed side, both medically and psychologically. The authors books have given me insight to my inner soul. Reading and studying these books gives me the feeling of inner peace. Less fear of the unknown. Less fear of the inevitable aspect of the conclusion of life, death. As I am a believer in God, this gives me a heightened sense of peace in my soul that there is a "higher place" that the soul goes as the body is at it's final resting place.

I really loved this book. I have had the unique problem of having had an experience that can only be attributed as a near death experience and a huge miracle. I wanted to be reading about near death experiences but found most books appealing more to people's need for some kind of spiritual sense than to scientific explanation. While both ends are needed, most books tend to be a spiritual base instead of looking to science and logic. This book was a god-send as it looked at experiences objectively from a scientific light!!! I would highly recommend this book!!!!!!!!!!

From TRANSFORMED BY THE LIGHT: "I was in a garden. All the colors were intense. The grass was a deep vibrant green, flowers were radiant reds, yellows, and blues, and birds of all beauty fluttered in the bushes. Everything was lit by a shadowless brilliance that was all-pervading. This light did not cast a shadow, which I realized when I cupped my hands tightly together and the palm side was just as light as the back side."

This is exactly what I hate about some of these near-death experiences. They're devoid of shadows. Devoid of chiaroscuro. (I can never remember how to correctly pronounce that word, but at least I can appreciate the stuff.)

This was my first book by Peter Clement, it was great. Grabs your imagination from the first page and holds it to the last! I have been a Robin Cook fan for a long time, Mr. Clements is giving him serious competition.

Dr. Earl Garnet in this book uncovers some amazing situations through the hospital which lead to various functions of the hospital, and how they are able to handle cases that come into the hospital. The hospital administrator is able to work in connection with Earl to look for some of these disturbing, yet interesting adventures that helps brings things to a closure. This book is recommended for anyone who is wnating an exhilirating, yet mysterious book to read.

Such a pleasure to discover an author who cares about his characters. Thanks, Peter, for writing well. You're in the top five, along with Michael Connelly and Robert Crais.

Peter Clement might be considered a wonderful novelist when it comes to medical thrillers, but I found his work to be full of cliches. He also switches point of view between first and third person which I found to be very jarring, completely taking me out of the story.

He tries the red herring approach, but that doesn't work either because the threads he weaves aren't all that believable to me. It's true he has the medical background, but he characterization felt stiff. His characters were flat, plus he told more than showed the action...or he did both.

I don't want to be told he's angry, I want to be shown. Also, his attempts at showing romance, I felt, were clumsy. I've read several books by Michael Palmer, Robin Cook, and a few other authors, and when I placed one of Palmers and Clements side by side, I couldn't help but notice that I felt as if I was peering over Palmer's characters' shoulders whereas with Clement felt the need to explain absolutely everything. Very annoying. One last thing, he needs to keep his exclamation points in check.

As a registered nurse and thriller enthusiast, I was eager to read Peter Clement's 'The Inquisitor'. It is the first book by Clement that I have read.
As far as keeping your attention, I totally think the author nailed it. There are numerous twists and turns in the plot to make you read one more page before going to bed, and then another page...
The medical information is fairly accurate although there were a few times reading it I thought to myself, "Has he worked in a hospital lately?" Some of the terms he uses seem antiquated but once I got over that, I enjoyed the book immensely.
A last note is that the author generally depicts nurses as a group of not-too-high-of-calibre people who surely are lower than doctors. However, he does balance this out somewhat with a few nurse characters who are liked and well-respected in the book.
This all said, I definitely recommend this book!

First, a Public Service Announcement: Do not read this in public. It will make you laugh aloud (so your boss will realize you're reading at work), and put you at risk of snorting coffee through your nose and/or spitting it all over anyone nearby. Not to mention all those strange looks you'll get.

Like Millington's previous two books, Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About, and A Certain Chemistry, Love and Other Near-Death Experiences had me laughing aloud every other page, frequently laughing so hard I'd have tears running down my face and I'd feel compelled to quote funny bits aloud to whoever was handy at the time.

But that's where the similarity ends. If possible, I think this is even better than the first two, and I absolutely loved the first two.

Late-night disk jockey Rob Garland is losing it. Ever since... okay, it's not a spoiler because it's all right there on the cover, but since I make it a policy not to read the back covers of books because I want to get the full effect, it was a little bit of suspense you won't get if I tell. Still, if you're reading this about a book you haven't read yet, you'd likely read the back of the book anyway, right? Okay, then. I feel better now. On we go. Ever since returning some towels made him late for a lunch interview, thereby saving his life when a tanker truck crashes into the restaurant, killing everyone inside, he's been crippled by indecision: which decision was it that saved his life? Was it returning the towels? Or was it buying the towels in the first place? Or maybe it was whatever made him turn and see the towels in the shop window. Or something even more mundane. And what about the future? What if choosing black over blue ink sets in motion the events that will end up killing him? What if it's the blue ink that does it? How can he choose?

It finally gets to be too much for him one night, and instead of playing jazz, he blurts out the whole story on-air. Rather than losing his job, though, he becomes instantly popular, and his show turns into a freak-show talk show with Rob as the main attraction.

But this isn't a case of talking making things better, and his fiancee Jo finally tells him the wedding is off unless he gets his act together, and Rob goes off on a quest, accompanied by three people who also didn't die when they should have: a young American soldier who's appointed himself Rob's bodyguard, an acerbic and suicidal 40-year-old English teacher, and a gorgeous young Welsh Wiccan woman with warnings about a group trying to wight...er, right... the wrongs of unwarranted survival.

I've always loved the butterfly-effect concept anyway--the idea that some minuscule detail could have a huge effect, and the idea that this otherwise normal person is literally paralyzed by indecision is compelling. We get pretty thoroughly inside Rob's head, and it's fascinating how normal a place that is.

There's the mystery and suspense--is someone really after them, or is that just psychological, too? And the developing and changing relationships between the characters--love and friendship and romance. And the slightly askew way of viewing it all that marks Millington's writing and would make me snort tea out my nose if I didn't know better than to drink while reading his books.

Just a complete joy to read.

Picked up this book in the library a few weeks ago, knowing nothing about the book or its author. What a great find! Faced with the decision of which book to choose, I'm glad I made the right choice (if you read the book, this is a (pretty poor) reference to part of the plot).

In any case, I was laughing so hard that even my husband came over to see what I was reading.

One caveat - the author is so British that apparently he can't even force himself to write in "American". Zach, the American character, didn't really sound like one of us. But this is just a tiny flaw in an otherwise very enjoyable read!

I bought this book on a whim after laughing my way through parts of Mil Millington's website, www.thingsmygirlfriendandihavearguedabout.com. When it arrived at my home two weeks later, I grimaced at the hasty purchase, put it on my shelf, and left it there for about a year.

A couple days ago, I picked it back up. How lovely, to now have wasted both my money and my time.

Millington's knack for spurts of hilarity is demonstrated by the anecdotes on his website. Unfortunately, his attempt to maintain this humor throughout a novel is strained, tense, unsuccessful. He delivers cheap one-liners that are generally followed by a hollow Ba Dum Cha! and little laughter, and his 'funny scenes' often evoke naught but the unpleasant aftertaste of dissatisfaction. Furthermore, although I can appreciate absurdity in plot (Shakespeare sure pulls it off), there is little to appreciate in Millington's random and apparently haphazard plot developments. At times he appears stymied by his own characters. 'What to do with them now? Aha, let's have Rob kiss Elizabeth! They'll have amazing sex! What a splendid turn in events! I bet my readers will never see it coming! Perhaps because I never saw it, either! Yes, it's all clear now. Rob fell in love with Elizabeth at some indeterminable point. Rob isn't sure when. I'm not sure when. My readers likely won't be sure when, either. That means they'll never expect this. Wonderful!' (This wouldn't be so frustrating if Elizabeth weren't such a brilliantly created and delivered character up to this point. Millington gets it so right, and then goes so, so, so wrong.)

Millington's plot developments often don't make sense. Rob suddenly loves Elizabeth. Elizabeth suddenly loves Rob. The characters are pursued and attacked by fundamentalists. No, a girl crazy with grief. No, she just hates the English.

Millington doesn't create one cohesive puzzle, where the pieces fit into a cohesive picture. Instead, he forces pieces to fit where they don't belong, and, what's more, he adds in pieces from entirely different puzzles at leisure.

The result is a below average book, successfully funny at times, unsuccessfully at others, with a plot that initially suggests potential, but ultimately flounders under the clumsy care of the author.

If you like a razor sharp British wit, then this is the book for you. I can't recommend it highly enough.

I came across Mil Millington through the praise lauded on him by author Christopher Moore on his personal website. Like Moore, Millington does what few writers are able to do; put humor into literature. Though lesser known because he is from across the pond, Millington has the potential to find an audience in the States.

The story finds Rob Garland, an indecisive 31 year old man, living with the reality of a near death experience. Fronting the graveyard shift of a jazz radio show, Rob spills his emotions on the air one night. This unites a cast of crazies that have shared similar experiences to Rob's experience on a quest without direction. Battling seemingly irrational bodily desires, the dreaded "fundos", and reconciling a mundane relationship, while mocking a sizable portion of the landscape of English literature, Millington's wit has a sharp point that rarely misses the mark on the first stab. But seeming to know he may have some misses, many quirks are replayed overexposing the joke.

I feel the need to give a word of caution to non-British readers. Millington is decidedly English in his writing. Thus, many Americans may not know what he is talking about or calling certain people. I do not suspect this would keep American readers from enjoying the book, but the internet provides word translation sites at no cost.

Most readers will see the twists in the plot coming before they happen. Yet if you purchase this book, it is unlikely you are hoping to be dazzled by the plot. To be blunt, the book is funny. It does not measure up to the work of Christopher Moore, but that is a difficult standard to meet. But in a niche of the industry where there is room for diversity and new talent, Mil Millington has made a name for himself.

I was very impressed by first two chapters where author presents evidence for reincarnation but starting with 3rd chapter, writing becomes speculative in earnest with highly questionable concepts like "karmic scripts", "the oversoul" and "the other life" AFTER death and BEFORE birth. What a disappointment!
I consider reincarnation a fact of nature but have very hard time with this kind of over-the-top extrapolative contemplations.

This is hands-down the most complete presentation of this body of information I've found. It reviews major case studies from key past-life regressionists and reincarnation researchers such as Michael Newton and Ian Stevenson. It also presents data from religions that teach the doctrine of reincarnation. It does a good job of demonstrating that people share a number of common types of experiences, especially when subjected to what is termed "past-life regression."

Where it falls short is it does not appear to consider Ockham's Razor, or the idea that the simplest plausible explanation is the most likely. The author seems to be trying to say he's just presenting the evidence and the reader should be the judge. However, he seems almost to be encouraging the reader to accept reincarnation as the most likely explanation. The unspoken conclusion: Since people remember deceased people's thoughts, those remembering must be reincarnations of the deceased people. The author and those studied do not even entertain competing plausible explanations. One area to examine is the fact that psychics also reportedly receive deceased people's thoughts, but they don't believe they are reincarnations of those people.

This book is useful as a review of case study research conducted in this area using certain practices. I would caution against adopting the unspoken conclusion, that the data support the reincarnation hypothesis. The data also support competing, simpler, plausible explanations that need to be addressed. The book could be useful as a departure point for investigating other plausible explanations.

This book by Christopher Bache is really a must read for anyone interested in the possibility of Past Lives.

It is written in an objective scholarly manner which is rigorous in detail yet incredibly readable.

He doesn't try to sell you on any point of view, he presents the evidence (which is quite compelling) and also explains rebirth in terms both Spiritual as well as Psychological.

I originally bought this book many years ago after hearing the last part of an interview w/ Christopher Bache on the radio. I was so blown away by his honesty and integrity regarding the subject that I ordered the book immediately.

The book far exceeded my expectations in every way.

Unlike Gary Zukav's book "Seat of the Soul" which is interesting but doesn't give the reader any data in which to understand where he bases his statements, "Lifecycles" is written from a scholarly perspective with loads of carefully scrutinized documentation.

It's approach is "here is the data (and it's very substantial), here are various points of view regarding rebirth throughout history (including discussions of karma), you are left to then come to your own conclusions based on the material presented.

Outstanding achievement and Highly recommended!

...to the basics of Transpersonal theory. I was first introduced to Chris through a series of Transpersonal Studies courses at Youngstown State University, and this book draws from his quest to provide a coherent intro to the subject. It's like a Transpersonal 101 textbook.

"Lifecycles" is a remarkable and pioneering book. It is the best book on reincarnation and karma that I have ever come across. I too have come to accept reincarnation though, like Professor Bache, it was an idea alien to my Christian upbringing (even though it in no way contradicts Christianity). I came to reincarnation through my own life experiences, including mystical ones. I do not pretend to understand the exact dynamics of reincarnation nor does Bache. But this book sets out perhaps the best analysis of how and why reincarnation occurs than any other I have read. It also examines, as no other book I know of does, the practical ramifications of reincarnation for our present lives. I heartily recommend "Lifecycles." Jim Marion, author of "Putting on the Mind of Christ, The Inner Work of Christian Spirituality."