The Celebration of Life: A Dialogue on Hope, Spirit, and the Immortality of the Soul

by Norman Cousins

Lucid and lyric, informational and inspirational—a lasting testament to the human spirit and its indefatigable instinct for lasting meaning in a temporal world

In his classic bestseller Anatomy of an Illness , the late Norman Cousins showed us how to use our minds to heal our bodies. In The Celebration of Life , he offers healing balm for the modern soul. In this thought-provoking and unusual book, Cousins takes on a subject no less than immortality itself and shows how we can realize it here and now, every moment of our daily lives.
 
Written in a unique dialogue form, The Celebration of Life is a compelling conversational survey of modern science, philosophy, religion, physics, politics, ecology, and the biology of the human spirit that supports his view that our one hope for the future—and our own immortality—rests in the recognition of our common humanity.

Genres: Nonfiction

124 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Tamara D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very different book but one worth reading. It’s written as a dialogue between two people about the meaning of immortality and what life and the universe actually are. It brings up ideas that I had really never considered before and opened my thinking to new possibilities. It drives home that we humans, while each one an individual, are tied together with chains that cannot be broken. We truly are all in this together, whether we want to admit it or not. Originally published in the mid-70s, it is surprising how prophetic this book is. Had more people listened to what the author was saying, the world truly would be in a better place.

I had never heard of this book but found it as I cleaned out my mother’s house. It’s a short book so I decided I might as well read it. I am very glad I did.

[Asha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a pandemic read!
Thought provoking and insightful. I needed this.

[Cyndy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing. Thought provoking and fulfilling. I have read this book several times and am always amazed by the skill with which Norman Cousins deeply brings home the fact that we are all connected.