The Big Book of Near-Death Experiences: The Ultimate Guide to What Happens When We Die

by P.M.H. Atwater

The Big Book of Near-Death Experiences encompasses every aspect of the near-death the experience, aftereffects, and implications. P.M.H. Atwater’s simple, appealing format includes drawings and cartoons by Spirit Painter and Chuck Vadun and sidebars from experts. She investigates and reports on the power of changed lives, the reality of deceased who come back, visitors at death's edge, out-of-body travel, the expansion of normal faculties, the awesome presence of Deity and the importance of spirituality. The Big Book of Near-Death Experiences examines near-death studies from the “Moody Miracle” early days, through the myths of “the light at the end of the tunnel” and “the religion of the resuscitated,” to 2007. After 32 years of work with clinical prospective studies in several countries, the reality of the near-death experience has been verified, confirming its importance in the study of consciousness.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Paranormal

496 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2007

Reviews

[Erik Akre · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book informed and inspired in equal measure. It's hard to come away from the reading as a skeptic; there's too much information that could not possibly be fabricated; too much reference to researchers and the consistent findings they've had while investigating this phenomenon. The research and the qualitative data from the experiencers are overwhelmingly convincing.

Convincing of what? First, that life goes on after physical death. That's a given if you buy in. But there are an incredible number of other mysteries about life (both in body and out) that begin to reveal themselves in the accounts of the experiencers. They are spiritual teasers, to be sure. They tantalize and draw the imagination toward the ineffable, toward the neverending potential of spirit and cosmos. Once you accept that people have actually had these experiences, and if you play around with the idea that what they saw / heard / felt might actually be true in some way, your view of reality will begin to change. There will be questions...

The book is full of information about the experiences themselves, the arguments from skeptics against NDEs' validity, the NDE researchers, and especially the after-effects for the experiencers (along with wide-ranging implications that go along with them).

If you're new to the concept of NDE's, and you want to know more, this is your book. If you've dabbled a bit, and you want inspiration to explore more, this would be good for you too. If you are an experiencer of an NDE, and you need information, support, and encouragement, I think this would be just right. And further, there is an incredible bibliography of recommended reading at the end.

Enjoy!

[Petra Mučnjak · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel cheated! The book's title promises the reader an insight into what happens when we die and, being the near death enthusiast that I am, I was looking forward to an interesting read, packed with information about the afterlife. Boy, was I wrong! From chapter to chapter, P.M.H Atwater drones on about the state of the physical body during the so-called clinical death, and the chemical changes that occur within the brain. Her writing has the dryness of a medical textbook and is, at times, very incomprehensible. As for the Near Death Experiences themselves... She uses an obscure and philosophical approach to her writing that makes the entire concept downright boring.
There are no descriptions of the Afterlife, no narrations of what the experiencers saw or who they encountered during the time of their clinical death... Nothing.
Honestly, if she had popped over to YouTube and simply rewritten some of the near death accounts in some of the NDE videos, the book would be much more interesting and readable.

[Richard Labombard]

I only rate this with one star because Goodreads has no way to rate a book zero, else this would deserve it. I seriously have to wonder about the knowledge and experience of those who have given it any higher rating, since it is so full of gaps and outright errors that one could very well write an entire book on the topic merely by pointing out those errors. Was any of the content in this book given any quality peer review? There appears to be no evidence of it, given how wrong so much of it is. And when the factual content is so faulty, what basis is there to trust the clutter of impressions, opinions and speculations. For those searching for answers on so important a matter as death, sad that so poor a book pretends to even know the questions to ask, much less give correct answers to any of them. Zero, zero, zero, if not lower.

[Olwen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh dear. This book was full of good concepts but so poorly presented. The publishers have tried to make the transition from a 'dummies' or 'complete idiots' series to a stand-alone book, without success. There are so many unnecessary breakout boxes it was almost impossible to maintain a thread in the narrative. The cover design flags well what reading the text will be like: a series of patchy, unconnected concepts.

[Kamila D. · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author seems to have no scientific/research background (I certainly did not find any reference in internet); her education (Letters of the Humanities doctorate from the International College of Spiritual and Psychic Studies), as well as her own webpage of a rather erratic design which looks like it has been designed by a high school student should give you a hint what to expect. The website of the above-mentioned College is also an indication of a demise of common sense.
While I don't entirely dispute the NDE in general, I could not believe how much crap was cramped in a single book, incl. UFO abductions, people having up to 18 NDE in their lifetime (I mean how many times can you "almost" die?), remembering NDE episodes ocurred before one's birth (really?!)... The story of Richard B. on page 392 is utterly incredible, in the true meaning of that word.
The author gave no detailed explanation of the methodology used when "researching" and interviewing alleged experiences, which makes the accounts little credible (often outright bizarre). Anybody with some wits who read this book could easily fabricate their own NDE solely on the basis of hearsay.
She often refers to studies, tests, surveys, polls ... without quoting the exact source, which, again, greatly diminishes the credibility.
Also the structure of the text, with many stand-alone boxes taking the attention away from the main story, is rather confusing. Frequent repetitions too.
I give it one star for the undisputed efforts that the author put into writing.

[Larsieanne Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

At times this one went into the nitty gritty of intellectual stuff, which made it hard for me to read during a time when I needed intellect but also fast uplifting... and that's fine... if I want fast uplifting, I can read other books about this that do that. This book is all ABOUT the intellectual proof, and has to have it all, and pretty much does. It blows the whistle on a lot of incidents and types of incidents and people I didn't know about with regards to NDEs and reincarnation and other mystical experiences. It is thorough about everything and mentions everything, it seems. It is long because there is a lot to say. It tells the truth about the temporarily negative sides of NDEs and all that, and how it's still totally worth it. And it gives us the experience without us having to die and have the experience. I'm so glad all these people are speaking up... the experiencers, the researchers, the believers, the curious people, the ex-doubters. This book also turned me on to the book by Michael Talbot called The Holographic Universe that I'm reading now. Another very very important book. It also mentions the author of the website that started my spiritual reawakening, near-death.com. Which I looked at when I felt a calling to look at that to understand God and that better when I was full of doubt and not expecting much out of it but just wanted some uplifting stuff to distract myself, but I got so much more and better than I bargained for.

[LAUREN NICHOLS-KINAS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Near-death experiences are a long standing interest of mine, and I have a modest-sized per personal library of books on the topic. This is by far the most in depth, broad, strongly-researched book on the topic that I have come across, and contains extensive resources for anyone who wants to further explore additional facets of the topic. Further, provided information on the near-death experiences (and related phenomenon) that I had not come across before, and challenged my mental model of near-death experiences in a number of ways, which I appreciated!

[Jim Huinink · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent survey, but it suffers from being a survey, in that some of the ideas and experiences are cut short. Atwater is great but I always feel like she overcompensates in her attempt to undo some of the overemphasis on positivity that she sees dominating this field. Still, this us an amazing resource.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would suggest that you read on this subject before picking up this book. She mentions several books by other researchers like Raymond Moody and Kenneth Ring that should probably be read before.

[Licia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive review of research about NDEs. Useful, controversial, a little oversimplified in some chapters, but a good introduction to the subject. I'm glad to have it in my library. I met the author recently, and she is a very engaging and insightful speaker. I'm going to read her books about children who experience NDEs next.

[aloveiz · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is another bad one. IANDS!
It's like an idiots guide to feeling the way IANDS thinks you should about death.


*******
update: Oh, No!
There is! an idiots guide to near death experiences!
America is a sick sinking ship!

[Althea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was quite surprised at the volumes of research and documented cases of NDE'S since Raymond Moody wrote "Life after Life" in 1975. Atwater is a leading authority of NDE, and has experienced her own near death experiences. I found Atwater credible. This is a very interesting read.

[James Hofheins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great insight into various experiences and opinions from around the world. We're all going to die, I want to know what happens.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. I would recommend it as a beginning. On recollection, it seemed a little biased towards Christian experiences, but maybe that's just due to the author's available case studies.

[Maura Fenlon-treffeisen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. A little scattered in it's presentation, but a worthwhile read.

[Roberta Grimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atwater had three NDEs in 1977, and she spent the next thirty years investigating the phenomenon.

[Abraham Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

good book of near-death experiences