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After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond
The world's leading expert on near-death experiences reveals his journey toward rethinking the nature of death, life, and the continuity of consciousness.
Cases of remarkable experiences on the threshold of death have been reported since ancient times, and are described today by 10% of people whose hearts stop. The medical world has generally ignored these “near-death experiences,” dismissing them as “tricks of the brain” or wishful thinking. But after his patients started describing events that he could not just sweep under the rug, Dr. Bruce Greyson began to investigate.
As a physician without a religious belief system, he approached near-death experiences from a scientific perspective. In After, he shares the transformative lessons he has learned over four decades of research. Our culture has tended to view dying as the end of our consciousness, the end of our existence—a dreaded prospect that for many people evokes fear and anxiety.
But Dr. Greyson shows how scientific revelations about the dying process can support an alternative theory. Dying could be the threshold between one form of consciousness and another, not an ending but a transition. This new perspective on the nature of death can transform the fear of dying that pervades our culture into a healthy view of it as one more milestone in the course of our lives. After challenges us to open our minds to these experiences and to what they can teach us, and in so doing, expand our understanding of consciousness and of what it means to be human.
Cases of remarkable experiences on the threshold of death have been reported since ancient times, and are described today by 10% of people whose hearts stop. The medical world has generally ignored these “near-death experiences,” dismissing them as “tricks of the brain” or wishful thinking. But after his patients started describing events that he could not just sweep under the rug, Dr. Bruce Greyson began to investigate.
As a physician without a religious belief system, he approached near-death experiences from a scientific perspective. In After, he shares the transformative lessons he has learned over four decades of research. Our culture has tended to view dying as the end of our consciousness, the end of our existence—a dreaded prospect that for many people evokes fear and anxiety.
But Dr. Greyson shows how scientific revelations about the dying process can support an alternative theory. Dying could be the threshold between one form of consciousness and another, not an ending but a transition. This new perspective on the nature of death can transform the fear of dying that pervades our culture into a healthy view of it as one more milestone in the course of our lives. After challenges us to open our minds to these experiences and to what they can teach us, and in so doing, expand our understanding of consciousness and of what it means to be human.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2021
1783 people are currently reading
14463 people want to read
About the author
Bruce Greyson
11 books177 followersBruce Greyson, MD, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia, is one of the world's leading experts on near-death experiences, and author of “After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal About Life and Beyond.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 723 reviews
April 16, 2021
So a couple aspects of this book really bothered me. First, Greyson's continued need to remind you that he was sceptical, that he approached his research sceptically, and that, in case you forgot, he was sceptical, suggested exactly the opposite. Similar to the way the more someone tells you how smart they are, the less you believe them, the more words Greyson spent telling me how sceptical he was, the more I questioned it. While elements of this book to have a sceptical vibe, Greyson misses a lot of questions that could have, and arguably should have, been asked if he was truly approaching his research with a sceptical eye. For example, one of the points Greyson uses to bolster the reality of near-death experiences (NDEs) is the effect they have on people's lives. Those who have NDEs, apparently, experience drastic changes in their outlook on life. However, Greyson does not inquire as to whether those individuals who come close to dying, or die, but do not have a NDE, have a similar change. This question seems straightforward, and rather simple to address, given the extensive research Greyson has undertaken.
Second, Greyson spends far too much time on relaying individual's experiences. Page after page, Greyson quotes what individuals who have apparently had NDEs say about their experience. While some of this may be acceptable, in a book purporting to explore these experiences, I wanted more actual exploration, and less storytelling. I wanted Greyson's objective opinion, not a subjective memory.
Third, Greyson seems to ignore the fact that only a small percentage of people have, or at least report, these experiences. (I believe in one study referenced the number is 14%). While he does, to his credit, have a brief discussion on other factors that could be at play in NDEs (mental illness, drug use, religious background etc), he never really addresses the elephant in the room; why only 14%? Why some people? What about the rest? What is the difference? Are they just not remembering? Did they not come close enough to death? Is there something the people who have NDEs have in common that the others do not?
While this book is fairly slim, the content still felt lacking. There was so much more that Greyson should have said, and his editor ought to have suggested he cut the pages of stories, and provide something substantive. At the start of the book he suggests there is more substantive research, so why not provide some of it?
Greyson's effort does give credence to the idea that something has happened to these people that cannot, at present, be explained. But he offers no helpful insight into what is happening. As for the revelations suggested in his subtitle, those are absent as well. Even though he does draw conclusions, they are often unwarranted. At the end of the day, this book feels like a failed attempt to synthesize important and interesting research. Drop the anecdotal reports, beef up the discussion about the research, and engage critically with the problem of consciousness and you might have something here. But as it stands, this book is a miss.
Thanks, nonetheless, to the publisher and author for providing a free ARC.
Second, Greyson spends far too much time on relaying individual's experiences. Page after page, Greyson quotes what individuals who have apparently had NDEs say about their experience. While some of this may be acceptable, in a book purporting to explore these experiences, I wanted more actual exploration, and less storytelling. I wanted Greyson's objective opinion, not a subjective memory.
Third, Greyson seems to ignore the fact that only a small percentage of people have, or at least report, these experiences. (I believe in one study referenced the number is 14%). While he does, to his credit, have a brief discussion on other factors that could be at play in NDEs (mental illness, drug use, religious background etc), he never really addresses the elephant in the room; why only 14%? Why some people? What about the rest? What is the difference? Are they just not remembering? Did they not come close enough to death? Is there something the people who have NDEs have in common that the others do not?
While this book is fairly slim, the content still felt lacking. There was so much more that Greyson should have said, and his editor ought to have suggested he cut the pages of stories, and provide something substantive. At the start of the book he suggests there is more substantive research, so why not provide some of it?
Greyson's effort does give credence to the idea that something has happened to these people that cannot, at present, be explained. But he offers no helpful insight into what is happening. As for the revelations suggested in his subtitle, those are absent as well. Even though he does draw conclusions, they are often unwarranted. At the end of the day, this book feels like a failed attempt to synthesize important and interesting research. Drop the anecdotal reports, beef up the discussion about the research, and engage critically with the problem of consciousness and you might have something here. But as it stands, this book is a miss.
Thanks, nonetheless, to the publisher and author for providing a free ARC.
January 2, 2021
This book is phenomenal. Whether you are a person of faith or one who doesn’t believe in an afterlife, this book breaks down the concept of how our brains and minds can be separate entities.
Weaving together science with NDE anecdotes the author paints a portrait of how this can be in a way readers can easily understand.
He allows room for one to decide for themselves what they believe and is never defensive.
I do have a faith and found great comfort and hope for what each of us will face at some final point.
Thank you Dr Greyson for being brave enough to pursue a study which can run against the grain of both religion and science.
Weaving together science with NDE anecdotes the author paints a portrait of how this can be in a way readers can easily understand.
He allows room for one to decide for themselves what they believe and is never defensive.
I do have a faith and found great comfort and hope for what each of us will face at some final point.
Thank you Dr Greyson for being brave enough to pursue a study which can run against the grain of both religion and science.
May 13, 2021
3.5 Stars
I believe this is my eighth book on the Near Death Experiences aka NDE sub-genre. I have seen many of the consistencies shown in the field of research as well as the compilations of individuals sharing their stories. This book detailed both however it strongly leaned toward the empirical side of the equation. Specifically, the statistical interpretation of the data, with occasional parts of people's stories presented as evidence. In short, x% of the people with NDE recalled actually leaving their body, then a portion of someone's account.
Dr. Greyson begins the book telling how he initially heard a story from a patient that deeply troubled him because it was so bizarre yet it had details that couldn't be disputed thus it was a prank. He proceeds to return to this story throughout the book. He also focuses on this field of study which was formerly overlooked or ignored. Being the scientist that he is, he sought to perform studies so that he could further research the stories and isolate pieces to see if there was any consistency. The book primarily focuses on his career to make the research of NDE's formalized, which included founding a national organization of doctors as well as participating in an international association.
I suspect many are more familiar with Dr. Raymond Moody, Jr. who has authored a number of non-fiction stories of both the research of this experience and the many individual accounts. I have read the first two of them and was very intrigued when they were published in the mid70's and 80's. I found them amazing and never realized that they would prepare me for my own NDE in 1995.
It turns out, Dr. Moody became a contemporary to Dr. Greyson when Greyson was his mentor/supervisor during his residency at the hospital Dr. Greyson was a professor. They even conducted studies together and later collaborated on studies conclusions. Both are very serious in their desire to maintain the data be studied using scientific study perimeters this book was much more oriented toward data and thus I would recommend for those with more of a science oriented need. Of the literature and more scientific pieces, I found Dr. Raymond Moody's more accessible as a reader. In additional more interesting because he uses multiple stories to make his point whereas Dr. Greyson rehashed the same few stories to make his point about different themes/occurrences of similar data within the field of NDE.
Thank you to the author, Dr. Greyson, St. Martin's Essentials and Goodreads for the opportunity to read an ARC of this research in exchange for my honest review.
I believe this is my eighth book on the Near Death Experiences aka NDE sub-genre. I have seen many of the consistencies shown in the field of research as well as the compilations of individuals sharing their stories. This book detailed both however it strongly leaned toward the empirical side of the equation. Specifically, the statistical interpretation of the data, with occasional parts of people's stories presented as evidence. In short, x% of the people with NDE recalled actually leaving their body, then a portion of someone's account.
Dr. Greyson begins the book telling how he initially heard a story from a patient that deeply troubled him because it was so bizarre yet it had details that couldn't be disputed thus it was a prank. He proceeds to return to this story throughout the book. He also focuses on this field of study which was formerly overlooked or ignored. Being the scientist that he is, he sought to perform studies so that he could further research the stories and isolate pieces to see if there was any consistency. The book primarily focuses on his career to make the research of NDE's formalized, which included founding a national organization of doctors as well as participating in an international association.
I suspect many are more familiar with Dr. Raymond Moody, Jr. who has authored a number of non-fiction stories of both the research of this experience and the many individual accounts. I have read the first two of them and was very intrigued when they were published in the mid70's and 80's. I found them amazing and never realized that they would prepare me for my own NDE in 1995.
It turns out, Dr. Moody became a contemporary to Dr. Greyson when Greyson was his mentor/supervisor during his residency at the hospital Dr. Greyson was a professor. They even conducted studies together and later collaborated on studies conclusions. Both are very serious in their desire to maintain the data be studied using scientific study perimeters this book was much more oriented toward data and thus I would recommend for those with more of a science oriented need. Of the literature and more scientific pieces, I found Dr. Raymond Moody's more accessible as a reader. In additional more interesting because he uses multiple stories to make his point whereas Dr. Greyson rehashed the same few stories to make his point about different themes/occurrences of similar data within the field of NDE.
Thank you to the author, Dr. Greyson, St. Martin's Essentials and Goodreads for the opportunity to read an ARC of this research in exchange for my honest review.
April 24, 2021
I had really high hopes for this book and would have really liked to have been convinced. Even though Greyson filled the book with anecdotes of his own experiences as a doctor and of people he interviewed over the years, it just didn't ultimately convince me. I believe those people believe they died and experienced something, but I also didn't feel that rigorous science was used to really look into it and he also doesn't really address why most other people who die and are brought back don't report anything at all. If you interview any group of people who believe anything -- reincarnation, alien abduction, seeing ghosts, whatever -- they're all going to believe it very fervently and usually be pretty convincing. My problem is that just because they believe it fervently and have really intriguing stories doesn't mean I'll believe it (even if I can't explain what happened to them, assuming they're telling the truth). The whole book just felt like one similar story after another and I ended up just getting kind of tired of it. I would still love to be convinced, but I'm still working on that.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
March 19, 2021
After is a very interesting book on a topic that is little discussed and even less understood. Bruce Greyson has been investigating in this area for some 40 years, ever since he first encountered unusual behaviors in an unconscious patient early in his career as a psychiatrist. This book helps all who might be interested learn what his and many others’ years of research have revealed about those who have near death experiences (NDEs), how they may occur and some characteristics.
As it happens, there is evidence for NDEs in historical and literary records going back hundreds to thousands of years (the Greeks). There are mentions of injured people seeming to be dead, then being alive and reporting strange visions or experiences. It appears to occur in about 10 to 20% of those who come close to death.
Dr. Greyson presents extensive detail as he has set up a format to move methodically from the existence of NDEs, through the physiology of the brain, theories of brain vs mind, comparison of life pre and post an NDE, etc. There is an international association dedicated to this work now, one in which Dr. Greyson has been very important.
While absolute answers may never be possible, there are very intriguing results found here, such as specific information a person may bring back from an NDE that they didn’t know at the time of their illness/injury. This leads to questions about the possible existence of the mind without the brain. As I said, intriguing.
I do recommend this book to all who have any interest in this area.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
As it happens, there is evidence for NDEs in historical and literary records going back hundreds to thousands of years (the Greeks). There are mentions of injured people seeming to be dead, then being alive and reporting strange visions or experiences. It appears to occur in about 10 to 20% of those who come close to death.
Dr. Greyson presents extensive detail as he has set up a format to move methodically from the existence of NDEs, through the physiology of the brain, theories of brain vs mind, comparison of life pre and post an NDE, etc. There is an international association dedicated to this work now, one in which Dr. Greyson has been very important.
While absolute answers may never be possible, there are very intriguing results found here, such as specific information a person may bring back from an NDE that they didn’t know at the time of their illness/injury. This leads to questions about the possible existence of the mind without the brain. As I said, intriguing.
I do recommend this book to all who have any interest in this area.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
March 7, 2021
Vitally Important to Know
I first discovered NDE'S between Christmas 1976 and New Year's 1977. My husband had an explosion of an aneurysm in the major artery of his brain Christmas evening. All day he had been saying odd things about death to me - odd, like the hair on the back of my head stood up. As I sat outside intensive care, I picked up a Reader's Digest someone had left there. Raymond Moody's article introduced me to the concept. I bought his book and poured over it. On New Year's early morning I was awakened by him, along with his "deceased" parents standing before me. They blew me kisses, turned and faded as they walked away. I knew he was gone from here. At one o'clock in the afternoon on New Year's Day, they turned off all the machinery that kept his body "alive." He made himself known during the next year with things like candles flying across a room, sliding glass doors opening and closing by themselves, lights turning on, etc. It was all aimed at getting my attention that our son was about to get into trouble. I know it sounds strange, but it did happen. I am a highly educated women and not prone to superstitions or falsehoods. I do know for many reasons that life continues, and also did not begin with birth here. It is exciting and comforting.
I first discovered NDE'S between Christmas 1976 and New Year's 1977. My husband had an explosion of an aneurysm in the major artery of his brain Christmas evening. All day he had been saying odd things about death to me - odd, like the hair on the back of my head stood up. As I sat outside intensive care, I picked up a Reader's Digest someone had left there. Raymond Moody's article introduced me to the concept. I bought his book and poured over it. On New Year's early morning I was awakened by him, along with his "deceased" parents standing before me. They blew me kisses, turned and faded as they walked away. I knew he was gone from here. At one o'clock in the afternoon on New Year's Day, they turned off all the machinery that kept his body "alive." He made himself known during the next year with things like candles flying across a room, sliding glass doors opening and closing by themselves, lights turning on, etc. It was all aimed at getting my attention that our son was about to get into trouble. I know it sounds strange, but it did happen. I am a highly educated women and not prone to superstitions or falsehoods. I do know for many reasons that life continues, and also did not begin with birth here. It is exciting and comforting.
March 10, 2021
Thank you so much to the publisher for the free review copy of After, by Bruce Greyson MD in exchange for an honest review!
This was interesting to me as a critical care nurse, something I never would have thought of. I was shocked to learn how many different types of experiences there are
This is an incredible book about NDEs by the world's leading expert on the topic. He shares a lifetime of research and select stories from throughout the years, even showing that NDEs have been reported in similar context over hundreds of years, which show that the experiences aren't necessarily based on the current world view of death and dying. Is it God? Is it science? Greyson doesn't indoctrinate, simply shares his research and lets the reader think. My biggest takeaway was how consistent the reports are, and I think I can be more sensitive to the topic if a patient ever wishes to share an experience. Heck knows I see enough people trying to die and I am extremely curious now. The book was honestly a tad dry in places talking about research but I think layreaders can gain a lot from this one
This was interesting to me as a critical care nurse, something I never would have thought of. I was shocked to learn how many different types of experiences there are
This is an incredible book about NDEs by the world's leading expert on the topic. He shares a lifetime of research and select stories from throughout the years, even showing that NDEs have been reported in similar context over hundreds of years, which show that the experiences aren't necessarily based on the current world view of death and dying. Is it God? Is it science? Greyson doesn't indoctrinate, simply shares his research and lets the reader think. My biggest takeaway was how consistent the reports are, and I think I can be more sensitive to the topic if a patient ever wishes to share an experience. Heck knows I see enough people trying to die and I am extremely curious now. The book was honestly a tad dry in places talking about research but I think layreaders can gain a lot from this one
December 12, 2020
This book is absolutely amazing. After the first chapter alone it had already made its way to the top of my favorites list. I couldn't put it down. Dr. Greyson effortlessly weaves together anecdotes of near-death experiences from the patients that he works with and the research and scientific studies that he has done as he tries to make sense of his research findings. I truly appreciate how he did not argue for one specific interpretation of his findings, but instead left you with all of his research and his thoughts and let you decide for yourself how to interpret the information. This book was life-changing and I have already recommended it to everyone I know. I'm sure I will be re-reading it again and again...and again.
April 18, 2021
4.5 stars. Dr. Greyson has studied "near-death experiences" (NDEs) for 50 years, collecting over 1000 cases, and he culminates his findings in this book. This is a topic I find particularly fascinating, as well as comforting, inspiring, and faith-promoting, so I loved hearing these stories that corroborate each other. He approaches his research (and this book) from a skeptics perspective, as he has no religious background. Since I am a believer, I didn't need all the exploration of side theories disproved, but I did appreciate the process of science and spirituality coming together for the discovery of truth. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in this topic or wonders about life after death.
-People with NDEs report: ability to think and understand clearer and faster, to understand based on impressions more than words, a recollection of life events with a greater clarity and understanding, the feeling of timelessness, the heightening of senses, colors, light, beauty, feelings of peace and love, interactions from loved ones who have passed away, interactions with God, a feeling of truth remembered but long forgotten, these experiences are more real to them than their earthly/physical ones, experiencing the pain you caused others from their point of view, the feeling that mortal words can't begin to describe the beauty and vastness of experience
-Transformative power of NDEs: life-changing, they come back more compassionate, altruistic, and connected to others, don't fear death (restful, peaceful, loving place), their life now has more meaning, purpose, and they feel more alive, less worldly, they come back feeling more loved and more loving, feeling of interconnectedness, a feeling of the good they need to do, wanting to enjoy life and live it to its fullness
-*I feel like everyone could use an NDE at some point in their life as a wake up call and reminder.
-The personal experiences were the best part of the book for me. Here are a couple:
"I felt embraced by such a feeling of bliss that there are no words to describe the feeling. The nearest I can come to it in human terms is to recall the rapture of being in love, the emotion one feels when one's first born is put into one's arms for the first time, the transcendence of spirit that can sometimes occur when one is at a concert of classical music, the peace and grandeur of mountains, forests, and lakes or other beauties of nature that can move one to tears of joy. Put all these together and magnify a thousand times and you will get a glimpse of the state of being one is in when the restriction to one's true heritage is partially removed."
-"It wasn't scary moving through the black, I was just watching. Then there was this light at the end. It wasn't just a light like a transparent color, it was intense love. When you are in it it doesn't just surround you like water does when you jump into a pool. It was like sun going through a piece of glass. It went completely through every spot on your body and everywhere else. It was warm and comforting. It was like warmth, comforting, a peaceful silence, and love surrounding everything and within. There were no walls or boundaries or anything solid, just light and beings. The light was like a magnet too. You just cannot be apart from it, you want to be with it more than anything you have ever wanted. Everyone loved each other more than can be comprehended here because of what we were, not who we were. We are limited but they are not. I don't know how to explain how we talked. We didn't talk like we do here, we just knew." Later when he woke from his accident: "As long as I am on earth I will never be able to comprehend it, because I only have a human brain. Here we can really think about only one thing at a time and there you know, really know, everything. You can't compare it to earth things. Talking about it or trying to draw it diminishes it entirely. It would be like trying to talk to an infant about DNA or some kind of medical technology in space. An infant couldn't even speak the language and he definitely couldn't even understand the idea. He could know about things only on his level like we do. We are just like babies and contrary to what a lot of people think, we know nothing. I will never be able to feel what I felt there while I am here because I am back in this human body again. It is way beyond superior, bigger than anything a human brain can comprehend, and more wonderful too."
-People with NDEs report: ability to think and understand clearer and faster, to understand based on impressions more than words, a recollection of life events with a greater clarity and understanding, the feeling of timelessness, the heightening of senses, colors, light, beauty, feelings of peace and love, interactions from loved ones who have passed away, interactions with God, a feeling of truth remembered but long forgotten, these experiences are more real to them than their earthly/physical ones, experiencing the pain you caused others from their point of view, the feeling that mortal words can't begin to describe the beauty and vastness of experience
-Transformative power of NDEs: life-changing, they come back more compassionate, altruistic, and connected to others, don't fear death (restful, peaceful, loving place), their life now has more meaning, purpose, and they feel more alive, less worldly, they come back feeling more loved and more loving, feeling of interconnectedness, a feeling of the good they need to do, wanting to enjoy life and live it to its fullness
-*I feel like everyone could use an NDE at some point in their life as a wake up call and reminder.
-The personal experiences were the best part of the book for me. Here are a couple:
"I felt embraced by such a feeling of bliss that there are no words to describe the feeling. The nearest I can come to it in human terms is to recall the rapture of being in love, the emotion one feels when one's first born is put into one's arms for the first time, the transcendence of spirit that can sometimes occur when one is at a concert of classical music, the peace and grandeur of mountains, forests, and lakes or other beauties of nature that can move one to tears of joy. Put all these together and magnify a thousand times and you will get a glimpse of the state of being one is in when the restriction to one's true heritage is partially removed."
-"It wasn't scary moving through the black, I was just watching. Then there was this light at the end. It wasn't just a light like a transparent color, it was intense love. When you are in it it doesn't just surround you like water does when you jump into a pool. It was like sun going through a piece of glass. It went completely through every spot on your body and everywhere else. It was warm and comforting. It was like warmth, comforting, a peaceful silence, and love surrounding everything and within. There were no walls or boundaries or anything solid, just light and beings. The light was like a magnet too. You just cannot be apart from it, you want to be with it more than anything you have ever wanted. Everyone loved each other more than can be comprehended here because of what we were, not who we were. We are limited but they are not. I don't know how to explain how we talked. We didn't talk like we do here, we just knew." Later when he woke from his accident: "As long as I am on earth I will never be able to comprehend it, because I only have a human brain. Here we can really think about only one thing at a time and there you know, really know, everything. You can't compare it to earth things. Talking about it or trying to draw it diminishes it entirely. It would be like trying to talk to an infant about DNA or some kind of medical technology in space. An infant couldn't even speak the language and he definitely couldn't even understand the idea. He could know about things only on his level like we do. We are just like babies and contrary to what a lot of people think, we know nothing. I will never be able to feel what I felt there while I am here because I am back in this human body again. It is way beyond superior, bigger than anything a human brain can comprehend, and more wonderful too."
June 8, 2021
The topic of this book was very intriguing however, I felt the content was very repetitive and didn't satisfy my curiosity on the topic.
March 15, 2021
Near Death Experiences (NDEs) are something I find inherently interesting. Yet somehow, in “After,” I managed to find the writing relating to the topic a bit dry. My issue is partly that the author was overly present in the prose — we hear his personal history, his opinions, and his justifications and/or caveats for the reasons for doing aspects of the research a certain way — and not just once or twice. There are a lot of I statements in “After.” As a result, the book didn’t have the gravitas of a serious scientific work, but also lacked the “fun factor” and sense of humor that I enjoy with such popular science writers as Mary Roach. I wanted to love this book more, but the structure was overly repetitive. Worse, I kept finding areas where I wish someone had more rigorously edited it. I guess what I’m trying to say is that while I like the idea of this book, I found the experience of actually reading it to be tedious.
On the other hand, I feel bad saying anything too negative because it’s obvious the author has put such a significant amount of research into the subject. Additionally, as someone who truly— desperately, in fact — misses some of the people on the “other side of the veil,” as it were, I want more than anything to believe in life after death. Anything that keeps that hope alive is good in some respect.
Lastly, I am extremely appreciative to the author and publisher, St. Martin’s, for the ARC through the Goodreads Giveaways program. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.
On the other hand, I feel bad saying anything too negative because it’s obvious the author has put such a significant amount of research into the subject. Additionally, as someone who truly— desperately, in fact — misses some of the people on the “other side of the veil,” as it were, I want more than anything to believe in life after death. Anything that keeps that hope alive is good in some respect.
Lastly, I am extremely appreciative to the author and publisher, St. Martin’s, for the ARC through the Goodreads Giveaways program. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.
May 10, 2022
ไม่เหมือนที่คิดไว้เลยอะ คือคิดไว้ว่าจะได้อ่านงานวิจัยหรือความก้าวหน้าทางวิทยาศาสตร์เกี่ยวกับประสบการณ์เฉียดตาย แต่สิ่งที่ได้กลับเป็นการรวบรวมประสบการณ์ของเหล่าผู้เฉียดตายในรูปแบบต่างๆ แทน โดยมีจิตแพทย์(ผู้เขียน) อธิบายท้ายบทว่า NDE เป็นสิ่งที่มีจริงได้อย่างไร โดยไม่ใช่สิ่งที่มนุษย์มโนไปเอง หากเราตาย สิ่งที่ตายมีเพียงร่างกาย แต่จิตใจไม่สามารถรู้แน่ชัด ไม่แม้แต่จะรู้ด้วยซ้ำว่าจิตใจมาจากไหน (สมองเป็นเหมือนตัวกลางในการถ่ายทอดจิตใจอีกที เหมือนเครื่องดนตรีที่ทำให้เกิดเสียงเพลงแต่เครื่องดนตรีไม่ได้บรรเลงโดยตัวมันเอง)
เพราะงั้น เล่มนี้เลยไม่เชิงวิทยาศาสตร์เพราะมันก็ไม่ได้มีงานวิจัยอะไรแน่ชัด พอมาคิดๆดู แล้วเราจะเอาวิทยาศาสตร์ที่อยู่ในโลกคนเป็นไปวัดอะไรในโลกคนตายนะ 55555
เพราะงั้น เล่มนี้เลยไม่เชิงวิทยาศาสตร์เพราะมันก็ไม่ได้มีงานวิจัยอะไรแน่ชัด พอมาคิดๆดู แล้วเราจะเอาวิทยาศาสตร์ที่อยู่ในโลกคนเป็นไปวัดอะไรในโลกคนตายนะ 55555
January 10, 2021
In "After", an esteemed medical doctor and researcher "Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond". Near-Death experiences probably puzzle, baffle and certainly interest most of us. In this non-fiction book, the author Dr. Bruce Greyson provides us with a clear, kind and compelling look at the science of Near-Death Experiences. This book is as fascinating as you can imagine. "After" is well-written, and the scientific explorations and research that Dr. Greyson conducted for over half a century will teach you about what makes life meaningful, what you think about death and what you know about yourself.
Are Near-Death Experiences (NDE's) "real"? After reading the book, they certainly seem to be. They are common and can happen to anyone. Near-Death Experiences may lead to profound and long-lasting life changes. Surprisingly to me, NDE's may reduce the fear of death and cause those who have experienced them to be more fully present in their lives after the event.
The book presents a number of patient histories and their recollections and descriptions of their NDE's. Many people had out-of-body experiences and saw themselves, from above, as they were being treated in the hospital. Many also described the experience as incredibly real, perhaps the most real experience they had ever had. Beautiful colors, lights, a sense of a loving deity and interactions with those that had previously died were also noted.
Dr. Greyson also presents many of his research studies. One that really interested me involved re-intervewing people about their NDE, many years after it had happened. Remarkably, their recounting of the experience did not vary at all. For many, it was still the most amazing thing that had ever happened them.
How do our minds and brains work together? This informative and rather amazing book will discuss and answer many of the questions about life and death that you may have pondered. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.
Are Near-Death Experiences (NDE's) "real"? After reading the book, they certainly seem to be. They are common and can happen to anyone. Near-Death Experiences may lead to profound and long-lasting life changes. Surprisingly to me, NDE's may reduce the fear of death and cause those who have experienced them to be more fully present in their lives after the event.
The book presents a number of patient histories and their recollections and descriptions of their NDE's. Many people had out-of-body experiences and saw themselves, from above, as they were being treated in the hospital. Many also described the experience as incredibly real, perhaps the most real experience they had ever had. Beautiful colors, lights, a sense of a loving deity and interactions with those that had previously died were also noted.
Dr. Greyson also presents many of his research studies. One that really interested me involved re-intervewing people about their NDE, many years after it had happened. Remarkably, their recounting of the experience did not vary at all. For many, it was still the most amazing thing that had ever happened them.
How do our minds and brains work together? This informative and rather amazing book will discuss and answer many of the questions about life and death that you may have pondered. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.
February 28, 2025
Definitely the best book on NDE's that I've read. I wouldn't describe this as a "new age/feel good" type of book as many (or most) books about NDEs are. Greyson takes a very clinical approach based on his 40 years of study, which sometimes makes for slow reading. Slow not meaning boring, but slow to make sure you're following the information he provides.
In the end, I feel the most important thing in the book, and what resonates with me the most, is that he provides a theory of the hierarchy behind the relationship between our physical brain and our metaphysical mind that is by far the best I have ever seen.
In the end, I feel the most important thing in the book, and what resonates with me the most, is that he provides a theory of the hierarchy behind the relationship between our physical brain and our metaphysical mind that is by far the best I have ever seen.
May 18, 2023
A fascinating contribution to the body of information about Near-Death Experiences.
April 6, 2021
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.
August 5, 2022
I found this book very thought-provoking and interesting. Were there things that could have been better? Probably, but overall it was very good.
This is basically a look at a topic that the author made, almost by accident, his life’s work / area of study. The book follows some of the questions that have been raised about this topic and how he went about researching what occurs with NDEs - near death experiences. When he started 50 years ago, there was not much research done into this, at least from a scientific perspective.
NDE’s seem to occur in 15-20% of the population at some point in their lives, and these events have some commonalities. But just as people differ, so does this phenomenon and the scientific inquiry is somewhat hampered by the nature of the experience and the difficulty of separating our physical brain from our non-physical mind. This account of the research the author, and others, has done bridges both worlds. I was a little put-off by the author’s incessant need to convince the reader that he did this in a scientific manner. After a while, the use of the word “skeptic” (and derivations like skeptical and sceptic) becomes annoying. You could use this as part of your drinking game…if you wanted out early.
The book does give lots of insights into the main features of NDEs and what the implications are for all of us. Many people that have experienced these events report things like a slowing of time, a review of their life (to date), a reduced fear of death, and profound, sometimes life-altering after-effects. Some questions may never be answered, especially the big one - Does consciousness continue after death? Ultimately this question may be a spiritual one. But I do think that we do. I know that the experience of the moment of my daughter’s death was a profound one for me and one that gave me hope and the will to continue after her passing at age 16 from cancer.
Quotes to remember:
> “Objective truth,” Tyson says, “is the kind of truth science discovers. And it’s the kind of truth that is true whether or not you believe in it. It exists outside of your culture, your religion, your political affiliation.”
> “There was no beginning or end, no start or finish, no life or death, no ‘out there’ or ‘in here.’… at our deepest level of consciousness we are energy beings of pure love and light who are temporarily residing in physical bodies.”
> … ultimately not about death, but about transformation, about renewal, and about infusing our lives with purpose right now.
> … enjoy life more fully and to live in the moment. And making the most of life, living life more fully in the present, allows us to appreciate not only the joy but also the pain of each experience.
> “The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won’t wait while you do the work.”
> They tell us that death is more about peace and light than about fear and suffering. They tell us that life is more about meaning and compassion than about wealth and control.
This is basically a look at a topic that the author made, almost by accident, his life’s work / area of study. The book follows some of the questions that have been raised about this topic and how he went about researching what occurs with NDEs - near death experiences. When he started 50 years ago, there was not much research done into this, at least from a scientific perspective.
NDE’s seem to occur in 15-20% of the population at some point in their lives, and these events have some commonalities. But just as people differ, so does this phenomenon and the scientific inquiry is somewhat hampered by the nature of the experience and the difficulty of separating our physical brain from our non-physical mind. This account of the research the author, and others, has done bridges both worlds. I was a little put-off by the author’s incessant need to convince the reader that he did this in a scientific manner. After a while, the use of the word “skeptic” (and derivations like skeptical and sceptic) becomes annoying. You could use this as part of your drinking game…if you wanted out early.
The book does give lots of insights into the main features of NDEs and what the implications are for all of us. Many people that have experienced these events report things like a slowing of time, a review of their life (to date), a reduced fear of death, and profound, sometimes life-altering after-effects. Some questions may never be answered, especially the big one - Does consciousness continue after death? Ultimately this question may be a spiritual one. But I do think that we do. I know that the experience of the moment of my daughter’s death was a profound one for me and one that gave me hope and the will to continue after her passing at age 16 from cancer.
Quotes to remember:
> “Objective truth,” Tyson says, “is the kind of truth science discovers. And it’s the kind of truth that is true whether or not you believe in it. It exists outside of your culture, your religion, your political affiliation.”
> “There was no beginning or end, no start or finish, no life or death, no ‘out there’ or ‘in here.’… at our deepest level of consciousness we are energy beings of pure love and light who are temporarily residing in physical bodies.”
> … ultimately not about death, but about transformation, about renewal, and about infusing our lives with purpose right now.
> … enjoy life more fully and to live in the moment. And making the most of life, living life more fully in the present, allows us to appreciate not only the joy but also the pain of each experience.
> “The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won’t wait while you do the work.”
> They tell us that death is more about peace and light than about fear and suffering. They tell us that life is more about meaning and compassion than about wealth and control.
February 8, 2026
im sorry!! i can't hate!! this is crazy!!!!! if i lived in the 1880s i'd be like "GUYS THEY'RE CATCHING GHOSTS ON DAGUERREOTYPE!!!!!" a lot of these pages are just repetitive babble, but the studies this guy's got in here-- the absolute consistency of experiences from a catalog of thousands, of which 94% are positive, and even the rest end positively or leave people feeling unafraid of death?? 92% of NDE perspectives of real-world occurrences the person could not possible have seen/heard are later proven to be accurate??? we are unable to stimulate the brain in such a way as to produce thoughts????
as mulder and scully battle for dominance inside me, i do wish there was more lingering on like, how these things could make sense within science as we have known it so far, or science as it could expand to be-- what it would mean for them to physiologically exist and where DARK MATTER comes into all of this (i think dark matter is ghosts)-- he leaps to like "what if the mind is not the brain but the thing controlling the brain" and "what if the brain is just holding the mind BACK" and i feel like there are a good number of steps and theories in between. i was really interested in the apparent similarity of NDEs to ketamine experiences, particularly given ketamine's sometimes therapeutic usefulness and sometimes pervasive harm and now i'm curious whether people neurologically remember ketamine experiences as "real" or "dreams" or something else w/r/t NDE memory studies. unfortunately i am not a scientist myself and may never find out unless i happen to google something someday, which is always a possibility.
i did quite honestly respect and appreciate his focus on supporting patients in their experiences and taking seriously what it means to them and this is a big part of why i can't hate but it's also that i can and will believe anything, instantly.
as mulder and scully battle for dominance inside me, i do wish there was more lingering on like, how these things could make sense within science as we have known it so far, or science as it could expand to be-- what it would mean for them to physiologically exist and where DARK MATTER comes into all of this (i think dark matter is ghosts)-- he leaps to like "what if the mind is not the brain but the thing controlling the brain" and "what if the brain is just holding the mind BACK" and i feel like there are a good number of steps and theories in between. i was really interested in the apparent similarity of NDEs to ketamine experiences, particularly given ketamine's sometimes therapeutic usefulness and sometimes pervasive harm and now i'm curious whether people neurologically remember ketamine experiences as "real" or "dreams" or something else w/r/t NDE memory studies. unfortunately i am not a scientist myself and may never find out unless i happen to google something someday, which is always a possibility.
i did quite honestly respect and appreciate his focus on supporting patients in their experiences and taking seriously what it means to them and this is a big part of why i can't hate but it's also that i can and will believe anything, instantly.
May 30, 2024
Tăcerea este limbajul lui Dumnezeu. Restul este traducere proastă.
December 11, 2021
Este tema ha estado dando vueltas por mi cabeza durante mucho tiempo. No es que me quiera morir pero la incertidumbre de lo que viene después de la muerte me incomoda mucho. Por eso cuando ví este libro en una librería al instante lo quise comprar para así intentar aclarar mis dudas. No aclaró mis dudas, no creo que esas dudas puedan ser aclaradas nunca, pero por lo menos logró calmar mi miedo un poco. El libro aborda el tema de la muerte científicamente y la única manera que se conoce hasta ahora para hacer esto es a través de las experiencias cercanas a la muerte. La mayoría de la gente que vive estas dice como les invadía un sentimiento de paz y que aseguran haber conocido la verdad absoluta, lo llaman el "estado de consciencia de la eternidad". Si la muerte realmente es como lo que vivieron estas personas, uno no debería realmente temerle. Pero aún así no podemos estar seguros que la muerte es lo mismo que estas experiencias, ya que cuando uno muere no existe la posibilidad de volver a vivir y podría ser algo muy diferente.
Respecto al tema de investigación me gusta mucho como algo intangible es intentado de ser entendido a través de la ciencia dejando un poco de lado esa idea de que solo lo que es tangible es comprobable. Como dijo Mark Leary: "Lo que define a la ciencia no son los temas que estudia, sino más bien el enfoque que emplea para investigar dichos temas. El hecho de que algunas personas no crean que un determinado fenómeno es real no convierte en pseudocientífica la investigación sobre este fenómeno. La ciencia puede emplearse para tratar de dar respuesta a un amplio abanico de preguntas, incluidas aquellas que se refieren a fenómenos que, al final, resulta que no existen. De hecho, una importante función de la ciencia es demostrar empíricamente qué efectos son reales y cuáles no, por lo que no tiene sentido afirmar de antemano que el estudio de un tema en particular no es científico porque la hipótesis que esté comprobando sea falsa."
También me llamó mucho la atención cómo la gente que tenía estas experiencias hablaba de una aparición de una deidad, que no necesariamente era Dios como creemos que es. Como explicó una mujer que vivió una experiencia cercana a la muerte: "Una vez que nombramos esta energía con una palabra concreta -Fuente, Dios, Krishna, Buda, lo que sea-, puede resultarnos difícil ver más allá del nombre. Estos términos significan cosas distintas para cada persona, y también parecen imponerle una forma a lo infinito. A menudo, estos calificativos vienen acompañados de ciertas expectativas, y muchas de ellas nos mantienen encerrados en la dualidad, así que lo que vemos es que esta energía es una entidad separada de nosotros. Pero la energía Universal, igual que nuestro estado de consciencia puro, debe conservar su naturaleza ilimitada y sin forma para poder unirse con nosotros en un todo." Básicamente, no importa en que Dios crea cada persona, todos venimos del mismo lugar, la misma energía y darle diferentes nombres solo termina generando problemas, diferencias y limitaciones.
En total el libro me gustó que fuera tan simple de entender, lo cual es bueno ya que muchas veces los libros científicos solo los entienden las personas expertas en tal tema y debería ser algo para todos. El autor mantenía una mirada bastante abierta y neutral respecto al tema lo cual también encontré bueno. Pero encuentro que le faltaba intentar de ir más allá y revisar el tema más profundamente de lo que se hizo.
Respecto al tema de investigación me gusta mucho como algo intangible es intentado de ser entendido a través de la ciencia dejando un poco de lado esa idea de que solo lo que es tangible es comprobable. Como dijo Mark Leary: "Lo que define a la ciencia no son los temas que estudia, sino más bien el enfoque que emplea para investigar dichos temas. El hecho de que algunas personas no crean que un determinado fenómeno es real no convierte en pseudocientífica la investigación sobre este fenómeno. La ciencia puede emplearse para tratar de dar respuesta a un amplio abanico de preguntas, incluidas aquellas que se refieren a fenómenos que, al final, resulta que no existen. De hecho, una importante función de la ciencia es demostrar empíricamente qué efectos son reales y cuáles no, por lo que no tiene sentido afirmar de antemano que el estudio de un tema en particular no es científico porque la hipótesis que esté comprobando sea falsa."
También me llamó mucho la atención cómo la gente que tenía estas experiencias hablaba de una aparición de una deidad, que no necesariamente era Dios como creemos que es. Como explicó una mujer que vivió una experiencia cercana a la muerte: "Una vez que nombramos esta energía con una palabra concreta -Fuente, Dios, Krishna, Buda, lo que sea-, puede resultarnos difícil ver más allá del nombre. Estos términos significan cosas distintas para cada persona, y también parecen imponerle una forma a lo infinito. A menudo, estos calificativos vienen acompañados de ciertas expectativas, y muchas de ellas nos mantienen encerrados en la dualidad, así que lo que vemos es que esta energía es una entidad separada de nosotros. Pero la energía Universal, igual que nuestro estado de consciencia puro, debe conservar su naturaleza ilimitada y sin forma para poder unirse con nosotros en un todo." Básicamente, no importa en que Dios crea cada persona, todos venimos del mismo lugar, la misma energía y darle diferentes nombres solo termina generando problemas, diferencias y limitaciones.
En total el libro me gustó que fuera tan simple de entender, lo cual es bueno ya que muchas veces los libros científicos solo los entienden las personas expertas en tal tema y debería ser algo para todos. El autor mantenía una mirada bastante abierta y neutral respecto al tema lo cual también encontré bueno. Pero encuentro que le faltaba intentar de ir más allá y revisar el tema más profundamente de lo que se hizo.
April 24, 2022
Very difficult to get through this book. I am interested in the NDE that his patients had and not at all interested in the author’s background or scientific training. The author talks ad nauseam about himself and his achievements. He has published more than 100 scholarly articles. He ran the emergency psychiatry service at the University of Connecticut where he was clinical chief of psychiatry. He was in the right place at the right time which enabled him to receive research grants from government agencies. Yada, yada, yada. I almost had a NDE just reading about all his accomplishments. Totally disappointing book.
March 13, 2021
Disappointing
I was expecting science and journalist-quality work - backgrounds of experiencers, details behind the experiences, how and how extensively they were verified, when they took place and so on - but there’s almost none of that. Mostly it’s a string of unverifiable and largely undocumented anecdotes. And no, in situations like this, the plural of anecdote is decidedly not “data,” even if the stories are plotted on an arbitrary NDE Scale.
I was expecting science and journalist-quality work - backgrounds of experiencers, details behind the experiences, how and how extensively they were verified, when they took place and so on - but there’s almost none of that. Mostly it’s a string of unverifiable and largely undocumented anecdotes. And no, in situations like this, the plural of anecdote is decidedly not “data,” even if the stories are plotted on an arbitrary NDE Scale.
March 16, 2023
Difficult to express an opinion about this so I won't. Anyway, it is somehow comforting and reassuring to read it, but also a little disquieting:
The association between the mind and the brain is a fact. But the interpretation that the brain creates the mind is not a scientific fact. It’s only a theory developed to explain the association. And for everyday life, that is a workable model—it’s convenient to act as if our brains do create our minds. But there are additional scientific findings that suggest there’s more to the story. It turns out that the connection between mind and brain breaks down under exceptional circumstances, like near-death experiences.
March 12, 2024
Scientific and Reassuring
I met Dr. Greyson at a conference about 1.5 years ago when this book had not yet been published. At the time, I was familiar w/ Ian Stevenson’s and Jim Tucker’s work on reincarnation—which I discovered by accident—but didn’t know much about NDEs. I had barely heard about them. I had not read Dr. Greyson’s work prior and looked forward to reading this book. It doesn’t disappoint, from its coherent and logical layout to the conclusions he draws. He does not write as a “true believer”, but as one who, having studied the evidence, is almost reluctantly drawn into his observations that there might be more to life than what we now know. One possibility, for instance, is that we may be connected to something larger than ourselves. As such, this is the best kind of “science writing.”
When I discovered the initial JAMA article on Stevenson’s work years ago, I personally wasn’t in a good place, w/ two seriously ill children and a flagging career. In further exploring the topic, some hope did arise that there might be more than misery ahead for us. This book affirmed those thoughts—life might be more than a chancy jungle where the lucky and smart survive while the others (us) don’t. So, the book has achieved at least that one goal of its author, (for me) as well as the other goals he mentions.
Some critics have dismissed this book as a review of known research (known to who? I might ask). I’m less familiar w/ NDE research, so perhaps the critics are correct. Big deal. It’s the coherency of the presentation of even supposedly known fact in this book that makes it helpful. Also, this book is not written for a scientific audience so assumptions about a purported reader’s prior knowledge of the topic cannot be made.
That criticism and others I saw as the usual cat fighting among academics that is often based in envy. I was an academic, and I know more than I care to about this nasty behavior.
It’s a good book. Read it if you are interested. And thank you, Dr. Greyson, for writing it.
Sheila Wall, MD, MFA, CAc
I met Dr. Greyson at a conference about 1.5 years ago when this book had not yet been published. At the time, I was familiar w/ Ian Stevenson’s and Jim Tucker’s work on reincarnation—which I discovered by accident—but didn’t know much about NDEs. I had barely heard about them. I had not read Dr. Greyson’s work prior and looked forward to reading this book. It doesn’t disappoint, from its coherent and logical layout to the conclusions he draws. He does not write as a “true believer”, but as one who, having studied the evidence, is almost reluctantly drawn into his observations that there might be more to life than what we now know. One possibility, for instance, is that we may be connected to something larger than ourselves. As such, this is the best kind of “science writing.”
When I discovered the initial JAMA article on Stevenson’s work years ago, I personally wasn’t in a good place, w/ two seriously ill children and a flagging career. In further exploring the topic, some hope did arise that there might be more than misery ahead for us. This book affirmed those thoughts—life might be more than a chancy jungle where the lucky and smart survive while the others (us) don’t. So, the book has achieved at least that one goal of its author, (for me) as well as the other goals he mentions.
Some critics have dismissed this book as a review of known research (known to who? I might ask). I’m less familiar w/ NDE research, so perhaps the critics are correct. Big deal. It’s the coherency of the presentation of even supposedly known fact in this book that makes it helpful. Also, this book is not written for a scientific audience so assumptions about a purported reader’s prior knowledge of the topic cannot be made.
That criticism and others I saw as the usual cat fighting among academics that is often based in envy. I was an academic, and I know more than I care to about this nasty behavior.
It’s a good book. Read it if you are interested. And thank you, Dr. Greyson, for writing it.
Sheila Wall, MD, MFA, CAc
March 15, 2021
After 45 years of research, academic psychiatrist Dr. Bruce Greyson presents his findings on Near-Death Experiences (NDEs). Dr. Greyson began as a skeptic but after interviewing thousands of patients, he is now a believer. He recommends that you let go of any preconceived notions you may have and read his book with an open mind:
"Objective truth... is the kind of truth science discovers. And it's the kind of truth that is true whether or not you believe in it. It exists outside of your culture, your religion, your political affiliation."
As for me, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I did go in with a receptive mind ready to learn about NDEs. Overall, I was fascinated by the multitude of first-person NDE experiences provided, and I enjoyed learning more about NDEs in general. According to Dr. Greyson's research, NDEs remain vivid for decades and profoundly affect the trajectory of the rest of the experiencers' life and may result in: an increased compassion for others, a belief in a higher power, a belief in life after death, improved self esteem, etc.
In essence, "[NDEs] are ultimately not about death, but about transformation, about renewal, and about infusing our lives with purpose." If you're at all curious about NDEs, then I would highly recommend this book.
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Newsweek Article: https://www.newsweek.com/i-worked-peo...
"Objective truth... is the kind of truth science discovers. And it's the kind of truth that is true whether or not you believe in it. It exists outside of your culture, your religion, your political affiliation."
As for me, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I did go in with a receptive mind ready to learn about NDEs. Overall, I was fascinated by the multitude of first-person NDE experiences provided, and I enjoyed learning more about NDEs in general. According to Dr. Greyson's research, NDEs remain vivid for decades and profoundly affect the trajectory of the rest of the experiencers' life and may result in: an increased compassion for others, a belief in a higher power, a belief in life after death, improved self esteem, etc.
In essence, "[NDEs] are ultimately not about death, but about transformation, about renewal, and about infusing our lives with purpose." If you're at all curious about NDEs, then I would highly recommend this book.
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Newsweek Article: https://www.newsweek.com/i-worked-peo...
February 12, 2021
What happens after death and are Near Death Experiences a gateway into the afterlife? I have always been fascinated with peoples stories of near death experiences. Years ago I read Dr. Moody’s book, Life After Life. Now Dr. Greyson has extended the research and has offered more dramatic accounts of many individuals’s first hand accounts of this phenomenon. I am a believer and this book only validated for me that our soul does live on.
September 30, 2021
Interesting accounts mixed with poorly written explanations and science. It got repetitive after a while too. But there was plenty to think about. On the whole, worth reading if the subject interests you.
February 24, 2021
This is a book that will leave you different after. It's a paradigm-shattering work that will challenge you whether you believe in "the afterlife" or not.
This is the first credibly science-based, real world applicable book I've read or even heard of that's about near-death experiences. What ARE they, really? What do they mean? What do they do? How are they relevant to our lives and to medicine and psychiatry now? I have very little to say about this other than to present quotes from it. Please see below...
What you do with this information is up to you. It's comforting to think that death is not necessarily the end of consciousness, not when just about everyone who's returned from death claims it's absolute bliss on the other side. What are we here to do in the meantime?
This is the first credibly science-based, real world applicable book I've read or even heard of that's about near-death experiences. What ARE they, really? What do they mean? What do they do? How are they relevant to our lives and to medicine and psychiatry now? I have very little to say about this other than to present quotes from it. Please see below...
The brain is a device for the mind to act more effectively on the physical body and to focus our thoughts on the physical world. It is the organ of attention to life...The mind can be a function of the brain the way the keys of an organ make music, by opening the various pipes to let the wind escape in various ways. The organ does not produce the wind or the music -- it removes the obstacle holding the wind back...Your brain may function like a cell phone. It receives the thoughts and feelings and converts them into electrical and chemical signals that the body can understand and use.
It is consistent with what we know of our neurobiology that, if our thoughts and feelings come from outside the body, the brain would act to filter out those that are not essential to our physical survival, just as other parts of our nervous system filter out nonessential information coming from the outside. Hallucinogenic drugs like LSD and psilocybin suppress brain activity. (!) [Does this reduce the filtering, thus giving us additional access to mystical experiences?] We are conscious not because of the brain but in spite of it.
Those who are exposed to NDE information have a greater appreciation for life, greater spirituality, and a more positive attitude toward death; and they had less anxiety about material possessions and achievement.
We may well find ourselves somewhere else after we die, but we are here now.
We may eventually come up with another explanation, but until then, some form of continued consciousness after death seems to be the most plausible working model.
What you do with this information is up to you. It's comforting to think that death is not necessarily the end of consciousness, not when just about everyone who's returned from death claims it's absolute bliss on the other side. What are we here to do in the meantime?
March 17, 2021
A brilliant novel that challenges both medicine and religion. This novel explored the two separate entities that are the mind and the brain; and how they play a factor in near-death experiences (NDEs). Whether you are a person of faith or an atheist, going through an NDE would forever alter the way you look at life. After explores numerous interviews and reports of individuals with varying backgrounds who have seen and experienced an unearthly moment during their NDEs. Some report seeing “guides”, some openly say they went to heaven or hell, and an overwhelming majority report an “out of body” experience where they saw themselves from an outside perspective. More so, some describe meeting deceased individuals, seeing the future, or seeing their "life review", which is when the time would infinitely slow down and they would review their various instances of their lives. This was incredibly interesting to read about. I loved reading about Bruce’s thoughts, connections, and inferences of all the reports he presented. He presented the reports in a manner that allowed his readers to question and ponder varying thoughts and ideas. The pacing, structure, and writing were brilliant. I never lost interest, I just want to keep reading! In the end, I was left with peace and hope for the future, because the “afterlife” or death is something I never really thought about, but hearing about it throughout this novel, it's not something I feel ambiguity about anymore.
April 3, 2025
This was referenced in In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife and I thought it gave some great examples of NDEs. It was interesting how many folks who have had NDEs describe similar experiences. Greyson does talk about how people who have religion in their lives (or not) and have NDEs describe them and it got me wondering how NDEs will shift over time as we become overall a less religious society.
I've never thought about NDEs as being particularly controversial and I guess I'd be likely to believe anyone who told me they'd had one (Greyson mentions that they are common enough that it is likely someone in our sphere will have had one).
Anyway, I liked the stories and thought this was a good companion read to In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife but I still thought that was a superior book overall.
I've never thought about NDEs as being particularly controversial and I guess I'd be likely to believe anyone who told me they'd had one (Greyson mentions that they are common enough that it is likely someone in our sphere will have had one).
Anyway, I liked the stories and thought this was a good companion read to In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife but I still thought that was a superior book overall.
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