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Recollections of Death: A Medical Investigation
In a clinical analysis of near-death experiences, Sabom draws on medical evidence to support his assertion that these experiences manifest the separation of a conscious entity from the physical body
224 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1981
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 4, 2009
Light & death is a work outlining a "study" conducted by a christian MD (practicing cardiologist) in Atlanta between 1994-1998. Dr Sabom had, 15 years prior, published another work that he retrospectively found to incorporate too little christianity into its analysis. A scientific tone is attempted and the analysis is assumed to be conclusive for the entire human species though the surveys are collected from a group of 47 white, god believers from a single geographic region. The low points here include the conjectures that the biblical NDEs of conservative christians prove they are the only people going to heaven. It's really a waste, not to mention the downplaying of S. Blackmore's work which is probably the most commendable book on this subject.
I think I originally considered this book because Sabom was an IANDS founder and I was curious about the inception of that organization and the monopoly it seemed to have on the allowed type of death thoughts (and NDE books published) in America. I kept wondering, as I turned over every book in the death related decimals of four thoroughly scoured libraries and found the same homogenized uplifting & self righteous tone, is everyone reading about NDEs and the sociology of suicide actually looking for help with grievances and the acceptance of an awful end? Who can relate to that?
Instead of reading this book I recommend searching the internet for: church where all dogs go to heaven.
I think I originally considered this book because Sabom was an IANDS founder and I was curious about the inception of that organization and the monopoly it seemed to have on the allowed type of death thoughts (and NDE books published) in America. I kept wondering, as I turned over every book in the death related decimals of four thoroughly scoured libraries and found the same homogenized uplifting & self righteous tone, is everyone reading about NDEs and the sociology of suicide actually looking for help with grievances and the acceptance of an awful end? Who can relate to that?
Instead of reading this book I recommend searching the internet for: church where all dogs go to heaven.
March 13, 2022
Weird story... I hit the ground pretty hard during a sledding accident recently and had what is described in this book as an autoscopic out-of-body experience. It kind of rattled up my concept of biology, the mind, and the possibility that consciousness could leave the body.
This book was in a box of hand-me-downs from my wife's grandfather after he passed years ago.
I thought the topic was interesting and stashed it away. I finally felt motivated to read it after my sledding experience.
The book was written by a Georgia-based doctor who interviews numerous patients about near-death experiences. There are some pretty wild stories contained that I may not have lent as much credence had the author not been someone trained with a scientific and medical background.
That being said, beyond the stories you do get into a lot of data and medical jargon, so it's not a super engaging read, but regardless a compelling topic.
This book was in a box of hand-me-downs from my wife's grandfather after he passed years ago.
I thought the topic was interesting and stashed it away. I finally felt motivated to read it after my sledding experience.
The book was written by a Georgia-based doctor who interviews numerous patients about near-death experiences. There are some pretty wild stories contained that I may not have lent as much credence had the author not been someone trained with a scientific and medical background.
That being said, beyond the stories you do get into a lot of data and medical jargon, so it's not a super engaging read, but regardless a compelling topic.
August 4, 2024
Lots of good material, both in the history of NDE research up until the 1990's and in relating the Pam Reynolds and other Atlanta Study cases. Some of his metaphysical conclusions are unsatisfactory.
While I like his approach of likening the NDE to "general revelation" which can be taken in different direction by different subjects, some of his other conclusions (e.g., that it is ipso facto impossible for people to encounter Jesus during an NDE since the Bible tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father) felt like a real stretch. Even as a Christian myself, Sabom at times seemed to take a very wooden approach to Scripture.
While I like his approach of likening the NDE to "general revelation" which can be taken in different direction by different subjects, some of his other conclusions (e.g., that it is ipso facto impossible for people to encounter Jesus during an NDE since the Bible tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father) felt like a real stretch. Even as a Christian myself, Sabom at times seemed to take a very wooden approach to Scripture.
February 23, 2022
This was a book that explored near death experiences (NDE’s) through the lens of a medical doctor who attempted to analyse the findings in a scientific way, using a Christian perspective.
Some of what I learned in this book was a bit scary, especially the parts about diagnosing death. It talks about how previously ‘death was confirmed by holding a mirror under the nose to test for condensation and by checking pupils for a reaction of light’. At the time of writing this book it says that the ‘electrocardiogram made this diagnosis more secure by recording loss of electrical activity in the heart’ and how now death is categorised by the ‘loss of brain function’.
It also says that ‘even when a person is deemed ‘brain dead’ by strict clinical criteria... brain activity can often still be demonstrated days later, raising the question of when, if at all, death had actually occurred... There is no definable moment of death, but only a process of dying which starts with life and ends with death’.
The author also refers to lab experiments on animals who were restrained and subjected to ‘sublethal jolts of electricity’ to recreate the effects of CPR on patients who are shocked in an awake state and how these animals ‘rapidly succumb to cardiac arrest’.
Then there are the NDE themselves which sometimes involve out of body experiences, precognition, and visions. Someone in the book likened their NDE to a dream, and **update** today I read this article about the brain scan of someone who was dying and how the scan correlates to to brain scan imagery when someone is dreaming and also accessing memories. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/sc...
Some of what I learned in this book was a bit scary, especially the parts about diagnosing death. It talks about how previously ‘death was confirmed by holding a mirror under the nose to test for condensation and by checking pupils for a reaction of light’. At the time of writing this book it says that the ‘electrocardiogram made this diagnosis more secure by recording loss of electrical activity in the heart’ and how now death is categorised by the ‘loss of brain function’.
It also says that ‘even when a person is deemed ‘brain dead’ by strict clinical criteria... brain activity can often still be demonstrated days later, raising the question of when, if at all, death had actually occurred... There is no definable moment of death, but only a process of dying which starts with life and ends with death’.
The author also refers to lab experiments on animals who were restrained and subjected to ‘sublethal jolts of electricity’ to recreate the effects of CPR on patients who are shocked in an awake state and how these animals ‘rapidly succumb to cardiac arrest’.
Then there are the NDE themselves which sometimes involve out of body experiences, precognition, and visions. Someone in the book likened their NDE to a dream, and **update** today I read this article about the brain scan of someone who was dying and how the scan correlates to to brain scan imagery when someone is dreaming and also accessing memories. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/sc...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2020
This is my second time reading this book. Thus far, it is the best Christian and scientifically-based work of NDE research I've come across. Would love to see the author do a new edition with new case studies from the last two decades. Fascinating evidence for the existence of the soul!
November 2, 2014
One of the best books on near-death experiences that avoids the "New Age" focus of some works in the area.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews