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The 31 Near Death Experiences of Jenny Black
Jenny Black keeps having near death experiences. Over and over again. Without almost dying. Can she figure out why this is happening to her before getting trapped in the after-life? A metaphysical mystery, The 31 Near Death Experiences of Jenny Black by F.E. Shearer explores the defining stories humans tell about the concept of self.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 25, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 26, 2022
Profoundly entertaining
I’ve been fascinated by near death experiences for years, putting them in the same category as the Bermuda triangle, Bigfoot and other “unexplainable” mysteries. But I’ve always been put off by most of the “typical” books on the topic because they tend to use the existence of NDEs as proof of heaven or of paranormal activity — and both seem so unlikely and culturally dependent. But The 31 Near Deaths of Jenny Black is different. Author F.E. Shearer takes the body of work in an exciting new direction, finding in NDEs the scientific basis for a unified theory of consciousness that redefines what it means to have a “self” and has major implications for society. And they do it in such an entertaining way — with a carefully structured narrative, memorable characters and great pacing — that I barely noticed my mind was being blown.
The setup is simple — Loretta, the main character, is a senior communications person at a university. She’s having what some might consider a mid-life crisis though she’s loathe to call it that. Instead, she’s convinced she is slowly turning into a zombie, shorthand for losing her sense of self and withering into reactive mode only. It’s not too surprising; she’s a new empty nester, deeply burned out at her job and her husband just survived a nasty bout of cancer. Then her best friend, Jenny Black, shows up with problems of her own.
Jenny’s been having multiple near death experiences in the last year that arrive out of the blue. There’s no actual threat of death, just a disorienting slide into all the classic characteristics — an out of body experience, floating up a tunnel of light, a life review, dead relatives waiting and a sense of deep peace and euphoria. And each time, it gets harder to find her way back into her body. Fearful she’s losing her mind, or is destined to become a lab rat, she asks Loretta to use her contacts at the university to help her figure out what to do.
What follows is a fascinating quest for knowledge across multiple academic disciplines — philosophy, neurology, psychiatry, and more — as Loretta tries to learn what NDEs are, what they could signify and how to help her friend. Along the way, she meets and learns from a memorable cast of academics who take her on a tour of history and science as they share their insights, all the while battling the growing zombie in her own mind.
But the journey toward understanding is rudely interrupted by a PR nightmare that explodes like a bomb in the university — there was a mix up at the fertility clinic, one with racial overtones, that soon takes on national significance. Loretta is caught between trying to help her friend and trying to protect the university from an impending crisis and lawsuit.
I work in communications and greatly appreciated the humor, realism and thoughtful treatment of the communications world — fussing over ever em-dashes, testing and retesting stories to find approaches that resonate. It also allowed the author, through Loretta’s experience, to spotlight the quirks and challenges of the profession and the university system in general.
On its own, without the deeper levels, this would be a fun, fast and engaging read, but the search for truth and meaning, for understanding of self, make it stand out. It was profound and entertaining — profoundly entertaining. Especially in today’s world, where racism and greed threaten to tear us apart as a country, there was something hopeful in the underlying message that we may be connected in ways that are so much deeper and more meaningful than comparatively superficial things like political or cultural affiliation.
This is a powerful, memorable book and one I highly recommend.
I’ve been fascinated by near death experiences for years, putting them in the same category as the Bermuda triangle, Bigfoot and other “unexplainable” mysteries. But I’ve always been put off by most of the “typical” books on the topic because they tend to use the existence of NDEs as proof of heaven or of paranormal activity — and both seem so unlikely and culturally dependent. But The 31 Near Deaths of Jenny Black is different. Author F.E. Shearer takes the body of work in an exciting new direction, finding in NDEs the scientific basis for a unified theory of consciousness that redefines what it means to have a “self” and has major implications for society. And they do it in such an entertaining way — with a carefully structured narrative, memorable characters and great pacing — that I barely noticed my mind was being blown.
The setup is simple — Loretta, the main character, is a senior communications person at a university. She’s having what some might consider a mid-life crisis though she’s loathe to call it that. Instead, she’s convinced she is slowly turning into a zombie, shorthand for losing her sense of self and withering into reactive mode only. It’s not too surprising; she’s a new empty nester, deeply burned out at her job and her husband just survived a nasty bout of cancer. Then her best friend, Jenny Black, shows up with problems of her own.
Jenny’s been having multiple near death experiences in the last year that arrive out of the blue. There’s no actual threat of death, just a disorienting slide into all the classic characteristics — an out of body experience, floating up a tunnel of light, a life review, dead relatives waiting and a sense of deep peace and euphoria. And each time, it gets harder to find her way back into her body. Fearful she’s losing her mind, or is destined to become a lab rat, she asks Loretta to use her contacts at the university to help her figure out what to do.
What follows is a fascinating quest for knowledge across multiple academic disciplines — philosophy, neurology, psychiatry, and more — as Loretta tries to learn what NDEs are, what they could signify and how to help her friend. Along the way, she meets and learns from a memorable cast of academics who take her on a tour of history and science as they share their insights, all the while battling the growing zombie in her own mind.
But the journey toward understanding is rudely interrupted by a PR nightmare that explodes like a bomb in the university — there was a mix up at the fertility clinic, one with racial overtones, that soon takes on national significance. Loretta is caught between trying to help her friend and trying to protect the university from an impending crisis and lawsuit.
I work in communications and greatly appreciated the humor, realism and thoughtful treatment of the communications world — fussing over ever em-dashes, testing and retesting stories to find approaches that resonate. It also allowed the author, through Loretta’s experience, to spotlight the quirks and challenges of the profession and the university system in general.
On its own, without the deeper levels, this would be a fun, fast and engaging read, but the search for truth and meaning, for understanding of self, make it stand out. It was profound and entertaining — profoundly entertaining. Especially in today’s world, where racism and greed threaten to tear us apart as a country, there was something hopeful in the underlying message that we may be connected in ways that are so much deeper and more meaningful than comparatively superficial things like political or cultural affiliation.
This is a powerful, memorable book and one I highly recommend.
February 8, 2022
Great read!
Unique story with a seamless blend of fiction and academia. Loved the characters and was fascinated by all that I learned. This story really made me think quite deeply about consciousness and what makes me who I am. And I learned a new favorite word "qualia" which I'm itching to use in conversation.
Unique story with a seamless blend of fiction and academia. Loved the characters and was fascinated by all that I learned. This story really made me think quite deeply about consciousness and what makes me who I am. And I learned a new favorite word "qualia" which I'm itching to use in conversation.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews