Book Review

I rarely buy books. If I bought every book I read, my house would be a mess. Instead, I check out books from the library. This saves me a lot of money and the pressure of having to return these books prompts me to finish them in a timely manner. When I do buy books, it’s usually ones that I’ve already read and want to share with others.

Recently I bought my first book for this year: Proof of Heaven—by Eben Alexander. It’s written by a neurosurgeon who was in a coma for several days due to bacterial meningitis. I’ve read other books about near death experiences. This book was different than others of the same genre. It was written from the perspective of a medically-trained, nominally-religious person. His writing is straightforward, lucid and cogent. His authenticity, as well as his logical analysis of the subject, made a deep impact on me as a reader.

This book will not appeal to everyone. Some Christians might find it too secular. The descriptions of heaven are not strictly biblical. The language is one of universal connectedness and inclusiveness. This book is also filled with a lot of medical jargon. He spends most of the book talking about the intricacies of the brain and consciousness. I would recommend this book to those who are scientifically-minded. Even for those who already believe in a supernatural being, this book may resolve some of the dichotomy between science and faith. It might be especially intriguing for those who are skeptical about the existence of a spiritual dimension beyond the visible world.