Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-Death Experiences

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This is my first experience with reading a book on near death experiences and the science behind it. I've read books before on personal accounts of the afterlife but these books mainly came from a New Age/Metaphysical perspective. Never before had I read anything coming from a scientific view. Dr. Long, a radiation oncologist, over the period of ten or more years had complied and studied hundreds of personal accounts of near-death-experiences and found some consistent similarities over the stories, regardless of nationality, religion, race, culture, and other demographics. I tend to be skeptical of a lot of different things, but Dr. Long, with his medical background lends credibility to this work. And the results of the research provide some convincing arguments.

Dr. Long asserts that there are 9 arguments that prove the existence of life after death. These arguments have been generated through the study of consistencies from the hundreds of NDE accounts that he's complied over the years. Some of these arguments include how: it can't be medically explained how people experience consciousness when they are clinically dead; blind people experiencing visual perceptions during their NDE (even though, blind people do not dream in visuals); children giving NDE details similar to adults, though they may have never been exposed to this concept; the "life review" experience tend to reflect real events. These arguments, along with the others, are the primary basis for Long's proof assertion.

Throughout the book, Long discusses each of these arguments, cites previous research from other scientists on this phenomenon that either compliments or refutes his claims, and justifies his arguments (including discussing some of the various scientific research methods). For me, the most convincing argument was from the visually impaired (blind) accounts, who for the most part had visually perceptive type of experiences. Stories from people who had never had an experience with sight, no perception of sight whatsoever and could account for some of the visuals that they perceived were remarkable. Another strong argument was how it could not be medically explained that people who were clinically dead, could have such a lucid consciousness, a consciousness which were described as more vivid than our normal day-to-day consciousness. Arguments against NDE have been that at death or near death, our subconscious mind takes over to put us into a dream-like state. But nonetheless, Long's argument here was very compelling. I considered all of the arguments to be definitely food-for-thought.

Most importantly, throughout the 9 arguments, Long discusses some of the personal stories of people who experienced the NDE phenomenon. To read these accounts was enlightening and inspirational. Whether individuals perceived themselves to be a "moral" or "immoral" person, the accounts mostly expressed peace, overwhelming love, and joy. Many expressed how these events changed their lives, in particular those who experienced scenes of their life unfold in front of them. These experiences seemed to give people a purpose.

This book was definitely an interesting and convincing read. I like how Dr. Long outlined the science behind his studies but also intertwined personal narratives from many of those who experienced these life-changing events. Like Long discusses, NDE happen to people of various backgrounds, belief systems, cultures and the like. What we can all gain from this book is a sense of purpose and appreciation for life--both for the life we are living and the life beyond. I highly recommend this book.

This is an excellent book, written by a medical doctor which offers new insights and conclusions about the Near Death Experience. The author has access to new and fresh accounts from experiencers, and he makes good use of earlier compilations and studies in the field. The book is well documented throughout. The author's conclusions are well worth reading and should point the way for even more detailed studies in the future. I recommend this to anyone familiar with the Near Death Experience and interested in its implications. Though there have been many popular books on the phenomenon, this is still a neglected field. Misunderstandings about the experience are rampant. And in my opinion, skeptical critics have done a very poor job of responding to the material that doctors have been accumulating on this for decades. Indeed skeptics who continue to maintain that the phenomenon involves delusions do not seem to have read the material on this that is available to all. The fact is, patterns emerge in the countless reports of these experiences and these patterns have certain clear implications. This book seeks to define and evaluate those patterns, and to draw conclusions about them, in a responsible, and credible way. Highly recommended.

A few friends of mine have brought up their belief in near death experiences and had referred me to the NDERF website to see if I would be convinced, sadly the site was nothing more than a jumble of stories without any true scientific testing. On a whim I thought I should try his book, hoping to find the "true science" of near death experiences.
The book states that it has absolute evidence of an afterlife and that it shows the science of near death experiences, but I came away from this book with no answers. Right from the Introduction there is a paragraph where the author clams that using some sort of mathematical calculation he has proved that his "9 lines of evidence" are over 99 percent convincing and that an afterlife exists. I'm not sure where this doctor went to school but he must have slept through more than one math class. He makes up percentages and tells you that its real.
When I read through this book I couldn't help but notice a "story book" quality of its writing. I truly believe that if you do believe in near death experiences or want more proof of an afterlife you will love this book. It is made for those who already believe in these things, but if you want proof of any of this don't pick this up looking for science. It is just filled with stories... not science.
I do give credit to the people whom submitted their stories to be in this book, while they are mostly broken in pieces in the book, they do tell the peoples stories of what they believed happened to them. Some are very detailed and interesting to read.
My only other problem with this book is the "autobiography" parts in it. Dr. Long can't seem to help but restate the fact he is a doctor in every chapter and talk about himself a lot more than necessary. I was very confused when I picked this up hoping for some sort of scientific evidence, testing, or something and got a lot of story about this author... why are you writing about yourself? we don't care who you are, that's what the back of the book is for. We wanted your so called evidence and we didn't even get that.
Unless you believe in this stuff this book is not for you. It has as much scientific evidence as the bible or a comic book.

THE BEST PROOF...That NDE'S ARE REAL...comes from ATHEISTS Themselves.

WHY??? Would 99% of all ATHEISTS completing the survey

change their life long view

and acknowledge the presence of an afterlife and a creator.

CRITICS are those who base their opinions on false assumptions.

EXPERIENCERS on the other hand provide concrete evidence.

Do you believe some one who has been there...or someone who has not.

Who would think that...ATHEISTS THEMSELVES

would provide the "BEST EVIDENCE"...of an AFTERLIFE. HOW IRONIC.

BOBBYENERGY 02 05 2010
-----------------------

DR JEFFREY LONG MD...PRESENTS 9 PROOFS...AS IF THESE CASES WERE BEING PRESENTED IN COURT...AND WINS HANDS DOWN. MEDICAL EXPLANATIONS OF LACK OF OXYGEN TO THE BRAIN
TO EXPLAIN OUT OF THE BODY NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES ARE PUT TO REST...SILENCING THE CRITICS...ONCE AND FOR ALL. IF YOU BELIEVE YOUR LIFE HAS A PURPOSE AND IS NOT AN ACCIDENT OF NATURE...THIS BOOK WILL PROVIDE THE PROOF YOU SEEK...BOBBYENERGY

I read this book expecting the scientific research mentioned on the jacket cover. It turns out that this research basically means a web form on the author's `scientific' website where anyone on the internet can submit their stories! (this would be the website where you can purchase "spiritual necklaces" from the author on the home page that "take on a vibrational life of their own." Not a good start, and the book follows on in similar style. I've read a number of books on the evidence for life after death. None of them have really convinced me, but this is probably the worst. It wouldn't be so bad if the claims on the cover weren't so overblown. Proof of an afterlife? You've got to be kidding me right? There isn't even any science in this book. The "science" consists of listening to people's stories and believing everything they say with mind numbing credulity. He does absolutely no reality testing or clinical studies to see if these things are true. Example. Patients say they float out of their bodies. Lots of people say that, says the doc, so he tends to believe them. Where is the checking of the stories submitted? Where is the evidence? Very depressingly, we learn that that apparently IS the evidence. Oh dear. So it is with the other eight "lines of evidence". Concepts such as light beings and spiritual guides are talked about with a straight face. The doc's self-confessing self-selected e-patients tell him that their lives flashed before their eyes, which really does happen,and he concludes from this that it can't be the brain because blood flow stops after a few seconds. Yes doctor, but blood flow takes a while to stop and then it starts up again during recovery, which is probably exactly when these experiences are happening. This is just one example of the poor quality logic found throughout the book and which can only depress anyone reading this for the hope of solid research. But whatever your views on out-of-the-body experiences and near death, there are much better books on the subject out there (I don't mean debunking books either), and which don't make the overblown claims that Evidence of the Afterlife does. I'd suggest putting this one safely back on the shelf and saving your hard earned money.

I believe in the distinct possibility of an afterlife. Having had precognitive dreams lead me to conclude that if the Future could simultaneously exist with the Now, then the Future must reside in some other dimension of time and space. I believe in the distinct probability of a Supreme Creator. To believe that there isn't something more behind the majesty and mystery of Life is absurd. I also believe that we are fragments of what was once a totality - and if Love and Compassion and Creativity are in us, those attributes must be part of the bigger picture. The lesser cannot contain something that the greater does not possess. But following this reasoning, the dark side of Life is out there also - Evil, the Devil, call it what you will. Anyway - to paraphrase the Bard...there is more to heaven and earth than is dreamt of in our philosophies.

Paraphrase. Does the author of this book know what that word actually means? He uses it many, many times when offering up a quote from someone's NDE. If it isn't that person's actual words being offered us, why must the good doctor paraphrase that person's sentiment?

The main point, however, is the utter dishonesty and blatant hucksterism of the book's title, subtitle, red-ribboned (so that it will catch the prospective buyer's eye) cover announcement that says: "LARGEST NDE STUDY EVER CONDUCTED REVEALS PROOF OF LIFE AFTER DEATH." The title and subtitle are equally (and falsely) gradiose: EVIDENCE OF THE AFTERLIFE: THE SCIENCE OF NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES. Truly extraordinary claims - and coming from a doctor no less! So I was thrilled when I found this slim volume in my local bookshop. Having heard many years ago that a number of hospitals throughout the land were going to place hidden messages in high, hidden locations in their operating rooms so that should a patient have an out-of-body experience while on the table they might float high enough to read the message and relate it back to the World once they'd regained (hopefully) consciousness. So, with the book's bold, emphatic statement I thought it might include the absolute latest results from that experiment that has been ongoing now for years.

No such luck. The book is NOT scientific whatsoever. It is strictly anecdotal. It even repeats the same oft-told tale of the OBE experiencer seeing a sneaker on a hospital ledge that was later found to be there. Is that the best verifiable evidence there is? Dr. Long, who wrote this book with help of an unexplained Paul Perry, bases his astonishing, almost dictatorial conclusions regarding the Afterlife on stories totally similar to those told in ALL the books on NDEs going back to Raymond Moody's seminal 1975 book entitled LIFE AFTER LIFE. There is, painfully, absolutely nothing new in this book that would qualify as scientific evidence for an afterlife. The chapter dealing with the blind NDE cases really doesn't clearly state that any of those reporting their experience were able to see in the way those who are not blind "see" things, colors, the world. The chapter dealing with children's NDEs are, according to Long and Perry, unaffected by the "Oprah" effect because the children five and under reporting their experiences are too young to have been influenced by the deluge of TV shows and specials and books that could have, conceivably, tainted their tales. The trouble is - the children five years or younger are relating their NDEs and OBEs after having grown into adulthood! Dr. Long bases the majority of his book on accounts of Near Death Experiences he has received via his website! That's it, that's all! He then does a bunch of statistics with his info in an attempt to make his findings seem scientific. But they aren't. They are stories from the internet - and from what I discern, the good doctor never really met with any of his e-mail evidenciary respondents. Did he check out any hospitals to see if the people writing him were ever actually flat-lining? No. He takes their written word as gospel truth - and then gives us bits and pieces of their testimonies...and for some weird reason he "paraphrases" many of them. Why? What is being added or altered in the paraphrased account? Real names aren't given. Dates aren't given. Nothing that is not already in dozens of other (and often much better) books is given. The book is a bomb, but not in the sense that Randy Jackson uses the word whenever he gets knocked off his feet by a fabulous singer.

There is a condescending tone that runs throughout the book that is also extremely annoying. He (Long or Perry) is extremely repetitious, especially when ending every chapter with a too-fast, too-assertive "Bingo!" moment wherein he concludes that there is Life after Death because of the anecdotes just given. He pounds his chest a bit much also in proclaiming he is a doctor. He actually begins the book with himself during his medical residency in 1984, stumbling upon mention of NDE while reading medical magazines in the University library. He is astonished to read about it, having never heard of such a thing before. Moody's book came out in 1975. It was a best-seller. It was the talk of the town and NDE became common knowledge with publication of that book. How is the heck could someone NOT have heard about NDEs for nine years, especially someone studying to be a doctor?

The book promises much via its P. T. Barnum-esque cover pronouncements, yet delivers nothing really new at all. It also has no index. And again, no mention of who Paul Perry actually is. And as I said in the beginning, given that physics tells us that energy cannot be destroyed but only transmuted, then the energy that perhaps creates the soul may, indeed, persist after physical demise. But that does NOT mean that it is a continued existence in the Elysian fields or the pits of Hell. (The negative NDEs aren't even discussed in the book, of which there have allegedly been several.) So, yes, there may be a life after death...but in the way that there is a lingering smoke after you snuff out a candle's flame. The smoke dissipates and becomes something else. We may die, retain our personal identites for a time and then become a part of the cosmos in a collective sense. The fragment returns to the whole, perhaps, but then may lose itself in becoming part of the Oneness from which we all came into being.

Anyway, the contents of the book do NOT match its cover. I was - and am - disappointed and pray that someday a truly great book about the possibility of an Afterlife is written before I discover the answer to the Great Riddle via direct experience.

"... near-death experiences: the tunnel, the white light, the encounter with long-dead relatives ... Scientists have cast a skeptical eye on these accounts... But now some researchers are giving a closer neurological look at near-death experiences" B. Hagerty



NDE Evidence for LAL:
Long's Study of NDE, as Evidence for life after life (LAL), is a most articulated presentation of recorded data in a 'Near-scientific' study of NDE lately published, being based on evaluation and analysis of a millennia of NDE/OBE paranormal encounters*. It should be stated in principle that a statistical abundance of similar NDE experiences does not confirm nor negate an eternal life, the assuredness of which would only be based on personal faith alone. According to Dr. Hans Kung, the eminent German theologian, "it is clear that such an experience of miracle is not in competition with a rational, scientific, and technological understanding of the world."
The people whose stories are here reported represent a wide spectrum of all age groups, and religious beliefs, almost worldwide, and reported similar or close experiences that make NDE worthy of such serious examination. Scientists have mostly cast skeptical views on the significance of NDE, debating such experiences were simply a consequence of a neurotic black out, rather than an OBE. Some individuals may have been reluctant to make their visions shared for obvious reasons, but not so Dr. Rapini, a clinical psychiatrist, appearing with Dr. Long on TODAY show of Jan. 20, recounted her near-death experience to the host and curious audience. She has been working with terminal cancer patients, and claimed she had often related their NDE related stories as a reaction to their strong pain sedation.

Life After Life:
Can Life After Life be proved by NDE encounters? As a believer, and after closely following the phenomenon, I think that no study, even if scientific can prove the existence of a life after life, based on NDE accounts examination, or may define its metaphysical dimensions. Statistical analysis of paranormal experiences cannot prove a mystical or religious belief. Clearly, Dr. Long exposes on the other side how neurotic medical skepticism fails to explain the multitude of all such experiences, reported by people surviving death.

Author's own Conclusion:
Dr. Long, has revived a dormant interest in this unique phenomenon in a milieu of deep insecurity and troubled times of a combined terror and economic suffering and end of world expectations. Seemingly, after an earlier appearance of Dr. Long on NBC's Today, NPR's religion correspondent Barbara Hanger presented a radio show on 'Decoding the Mystery Of NDE', he declared, "I think if near-death experiences were culturally determined, then people that had never heard of near-death experiences would have a different experience, ... My research involved experiences of young children age 5 and under, and I found the content of their near-death experiences is absolutely identical to older children and adults."

*Paranormal experiences:
Out-Of-Body (OBE) and Near-death experience (NDE), refer to "a broad range of personal experiences associated with impending death, encompassing multiple possible sensations including detachment from the body; feelings of levitation; extreme fear; total serenity, security, or warmth; the experience of absolute dissolution; and the presence of a light, which some people interpret as deity." Wikipedia

People so desperately want to believe that there is an afterlife! Therefore, people look for any supporting "evidence." Unfortunately, what this book (and all other examples of "evidence") does is make an incorrect and illogical association between a natural physiologic response to hypoxia (lack of oxygen delivery to the brain) and an afterlife. It is well known that causing a reduction in oxygen levels in the brain causes a characteristic feeling of "out-of-body" floating, seeing a light, distant memories, etc. This can be reproduced quite easily and scientifically. The feeling of "out-of-body" floating and seeing a light, etc, can be reproduced by certain medications such as ketamine and diprivan, medications used in general anesthesia, or even putting a tight noose around one's neck and depriving the brain of oxygen until unconsciousness occurs.

All the "evidence" consists of "near-death" experiences. Near-death is not death. There are no examples of someone who truly died and then came back to life, since that's impossible. The definition of death involves irreversible loss of life. Truly dead people cannot come back to life, since if the person does come back to life, he wasn't actually dead. Near-death is a condition in which a person's brain may be severely deprived of oxygen, but is still functioning, at least at a low level. Therefore, the examination of a phenomenon occurring during a near-death experience is not in any way germane to what happens after death. Near-death, and death, are so completely different that one cannot be used to extrapolate to the other.

This book is just one more example of authors preying on the fears and desperate hopes of those who, emotionally and psychologically, cannot accept or deal with the reality of death.

To sum up in a single sentence, this is perhaps the worst book I have ever read, next to "The Shack." It is both poorly reasoned and poorly written. Not a single one of Long's nine proofs is anything of the sort. Just a couple of examples: "Perfect Playback" (Proof #5) - how is recalling the past events of one's life proof of the afterlife? Who would not give an accurate account of their own life? Furthermore, even if one retold events in an imprecise manner, the only "check" that Long would have had would be the same person's claim to his own (in)accuracy - what kind of proof is that? Proof #6 is "Family Reunion": just from the title of the chapter, can anyone really be persuaded that "meeting" your deceased family members in some sort of vision while your heart lay dormant is proof of the afterlife? Long seems to be short on commonsense logic, which for a physician is downright embarrassing. There are many real proofs that would have convinced me, or perhaps made a skeptic think twice; one example would be if the person floated out of his or her hospital room and down the hall outside, far enough so that people there would have been inaudible from the hospital room, and then overheard a conversation, and reported it back after the so-called NDE with a precision independently verified by one of the people having the conversation. Or, if a deceased relative described to the NDEr some fact that would have been impossible for anyone--especially the NEDer--to know, such as the location of a murdered person's body, which the police have been unable to find, and then have this turn out to be accurate (think "The Shack"). You get the point.

To compound the problems, just about every single sentence reeks of false confidence, not uncommonly reaching arrogance, as if to attempt to shore up the lack of persuasive logic just by saying something more emphatically. One could find a half-dozen examples on every page. Just a few: (1) "Events often include seeing their own unconscious body as well as frantic resuscitation efforts to revive them. The observations have been verified as realistic in hundreds of reports."(p.47) Verified by who? Verified in the sense that the NDEr accurately reported the details of how the resuscitation took place, confirmed by one of the doctors (who, necessarily, had no personal stake in the report), with the possibility ruled out of a family member or another physician describing the events to the patient after the NDE? This is the sort of logic that someone who is going to "prove" the afterlife needs to consider, and there is hardly a single instance where Long engages with this type of reasoning. And what is "realistic"? That the NDEr sees people and not pink elephants? (2) "Yes, you read that correctly. I have studied thousands of near-death experiences."(p.44) Well, the inner cover flap says the database took 1,600 NDE accounts, an on the same page as the above quotation, it says "more than 1,300" NDEs. How one and a half thousand accounts qualifies as thousands is beyond me. And just to ensure that you don't forget it, he reminds us of these "thousands" at least a hundred more times (perhaps I am exaggerating, but I am taking my cue from Long himself). "Previous scientific NDE studies generally examined only a few hundred case studies at most." Well, there you go! (3) "With a flat EEG, it is still possible for electrical activity to be present in the lower parts of the brain, such as the brain stem. There is no chance that electrical activity in these lower parts of the brain could account for such a highly lucid and ordered experience as described by NDErs." (p.57) I happen to think this is really important--isn't the possibility of the entire NDE experience deriving from the brainstem something that one in Long's position would want to consider? Saying "no chance" is strong in wording but weak in explanation. Perhaps my non-neurosurgeon knowledge is making a mistake here (such as if the brainstem were unable to generate dreamlike images), but as most of us are not neurosurgeons, Long would have been wise to explain himself better than "no chance." (4) The whole thing about the tunnel with a bright light at the end is not helpful to the advocate of the afterlife; in fact, it is a liability. Scientists have demonstrated quite definitively that as the brain loses its oxygen supply, peripheral vision is lost first: thus, the tunnel. They have also been able to show that many aspects of the NDE could be induced in someone who has been given a stiff dose of ketamine, a horse tranquilizer frequently used as party drug. Long nowhere addresses the fact that "in order to guard against damage during trauma, the brain releases protective chemicals that also happen to trigger intense hallucinations" (borrowed from Heaven: Our Enduring Fascination with the Afterlife" by Lisa Miller). In short, nothing of Long's descriptions diverges significantly from what might be expected with a powerfully vivid dream or hallucination. (5) "Worldwide consistency" is no proof to me either: it just tells me that the visions/dreams/hallucinations are hardwired in the brain, such that when hypoxic it generates similar-type images like reunions with deceased relative or out-of-body experiences or enraptured feelings of love.

From a personal standpoint, I am a Christian who believes resolutely in the afterlife. But I must say that I was sorely disappointed by Long's effort. If I were a skeptic this book would not remotely help; it would just ground me further in my skepticism. And even from a theological standpoint, Long's thesis doesn't hold water either. For example, is God--or his angels--so incompetent that they can't distinguish between someone who is really dead and someone who is--ha-ha--fake dead? Why bring someone to the gates of heaven when you have to shortly send them back? And, if everyone senses being embraced by love, and seeing a light, and seeing glowing individuals, does that mean everyone is going to heaven? Are there no NDErs who describe darkness, gloom, heat, and red men with horns?

I feel ripped off - like I just threw away $17 (thank God for Amazon, that I didn't shell out $26). But if I can prevent anyone reading this hard-headed review from throwing away their money as well, then it would have been worth it.

Like most humans I fear death and I had hopes that this book would indeed provide "scientific" evidence for an afterlife.

It had me going until the author talked about interviewing young children using language that no child of that age could possibly understand and then produced so called testimony from young children, which was either written long after the near-death experience or was simply false since no 5 year old would have the vocabulary to express themselves as he describes.

He also presents skeptic views in a truncated and biased manner and glosses over cultural differences.

Don't waste your money on this combination of wishful thinking and pseudo-science.

"A man should look for what is, and not what he thinks should be" - Albert Einstein

I like the above sentence stated in the book.

Most of us imagine the road of dying is horrible, but we never really thought what it really could be. This book states what the process of death really could be.

According to the thorough research in the book, fortunately, many people shared their near-death experiences with us. And they described their experiences as "beautiful beyond words," "I was full of love and peace," etc... I am pleased to read about these. We all should be very happy to face the process of death! It'd be my pleasure to translate this book into other language.

This is an excellent book for many people!


Sam Song
Author,
Learning Chinese The Easy Way with great fun and joy!

This elegant book postulates 9 lines of evidence that serve as compelling verification of the existence of life beyond physical death. The arguments for an afterlife as presented in this book, clearly puts the onus on skeptics to prove that there is no afterlife, which from my perspective can NOT be done. How does one go about proving that something doesn't exist? For example: I defy anybody to prove that I never went to Florida, or prove that I have never suffered a headache. Just because I've never been to India, doesn't mean that you haven't. NDE's are so subjective that it is impossible to denounce the existence of heaven just because one hasn't (or doesn't remember) ever being there.

There is an old maxim that I believe is attributable to Mark Twain "If one person calls you an ass, ignore him. If two people call you an ass, check for tracks. If three people call you an ass, buy a saddle." It occurs to me that several million people from all over the world are telling us, as best they can, that there is in fact a higher reality than this one. "Evidence of the Afterlife...." Is very well written and organized. No, it does not provide "proof positive" (as the only real way to obtain that type of proof is to find ones self without breath) but based on a preponderance of the evidence, I would say that the authors successfully plead their case. 5 Stars and high praise from me.

Careful examination of "Evidence of the Afterlife" clearly reveals that not a single one of the nine lines of evidence of the afterlife is proof of an afterlife. Dr. Jeffrey Long undoubtedly has a large database of near death experience reports, yet he fails totally to use this extensive body of knowledge to further the scientific study of near death experiences. Instead, he implicitly and unconsciously misuses the sad, and worn-out old "God of the gaps" paradigm in a totally ineffective attempt to prove what is very evidently a personal belief in the reality of an immaterial afterlife. His lack of knowledge of the large body of outstanding modern and older scientific research relevant to the topics he discusses is very evident. I even feel a sense of displaced embarrassment when I consider this book and think what could be achieved with such a database as he possesses, together with good physiological analysis. This book truly is a new nadir in the study of near death experiences. Its only result will be to hurl uncritical readers back into a new dark age of superstition regarding this fascinating human experience. So I would not seriously recommend this book, except as an outstandingly good example of bad science.

This book is a well-written account of the state of the question concerning Near Death Experience and its implications for our understanding of the mind-body relationship. The author adroitly marshalls scientific evidence to suggest that human consciousness transcends brain activity. He examines nine crtical areas of the Near Death Experience that suggest that we survive corporeal death and live on in a new and transfromed manner.

I have followed, studied and written on the Near Death Experience as it pertains to Catholic Theology and Spirituality. There is much to discuss about life after physical death as a result of the Near Death Experience. However, I caution anyone about making final or absolute statements as to whether or not Near Death Experiences constitute proof of life after physical death. No such proof will be forthcoming for anyone until they cross the final threshold into the new life. While NDEs are highly suggestive phenomenon, they are not absolute proof of life after death or God. Such certainty can only come from a relationship with God who calls into being the things that are not.

I applaud the work of Dr. Long and Mr. Perry for bringing to the general public the intriguing and important discoveries and studies concerned with understanding the NDE and its implications for transformed lving. I belive it is time for the religions traditions of the world to formerly and seriously engage in an outgoing dialogue about the meaning of this experience with the medical and scientific community.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is familair with the NDE or those just beginning to probe this extraordinary phenomenon.

I have read nearly every book published on the near-death experience since Dr. Raymond Moody's "Life After Life" broke ground 35 years ago. I really don't expect to find much new in the way of evidence, although new stories by experiencers add to the evidence already established. I think we are well past the point of diminishing returns in terms of research of the NDE, although there is always the possibility of some case surfacing that goes beyond the famous "Pam Reynolds" case. Of course, when such a case surfaces, the pseudoskeptics, i.e., the scientific fundamentalists, will attempt to pick holes in it, just as they have done with the Pam Reynolds case. And we will hear the same old argument that it is nothing but "anecdotal."

Even though I don't expect to find anything new in the way of evidence, I keep reading, though, because in my eighth decade of life I find a certain comfort and reinforcement in reading new experiences and new perspectives on the evidence. I have become a "vicarious experiencer" and like many of the experiencers discussed by Dr. Long in this book I no longer fear that I am marching toward an abyss of nothingness. It is like a person listening to his or her favorite music over and over again or reading the Bible every day. It is for the most part redundant, but it soothing and reinforcing. I haven't quite figured out what better things I might be doing with my time in my old age. Perhaps I should be hitting little white balls into holes, escaping life into novels or movies, or watching Oprah.

I found this book well written and believe it ranks up there with the best books on the NDE. I especially liked Dr. Long's approach of giving the skeptics view in each of the nine lines of evidence and then explaining why the skeptical arguments fall far well short of discrediting the evidence.

What the two or three negative reviewers don't seem to understand is that science is not limited to laboratories and test tubes. There is pure science or exact science and there is inexact science or courtroom science. One or two anecdotal stories may not make for science, but when you get scores or hundreds of them that can be examined and studied they do make for science, even if inexact science. Anecdotes are to courtroom science what individual elements are to laboratory science. Moreover, those negative reviewers don't seem to grasp the difference between evidence and proof, nor do they apparently recognize that proof is not necessarily absolute. They appear to be stuck in the muck and mire of scientism - which is to science what fundamentalism is to religion.

This book is worth every penny. Thanks, Dr. Long, for your dedicated research and for writing the book.

This is somewhat of an interesting read, but reads like a dissertation with its paragraphs of study numbers and statistics which can make it boring for some readers. The NDE/OBE stories were interesting, but despite the authors' efforts to show stories' similarities through nine points, one can't help but notice all of the stories' differences either. For example, some people experience tunnels and others do not. The tunnels may be soft, have doors, or made of clouds. Some people experience life reviews, some do not. Some people feel the presence of their dead relatives, yet some cannot cross the barrier. Some people have tea with their dead relatives. Others are only sense their presence. Some people experience being in a room while others experience being near a mountain or in a field or on the beach. Most experience some sort of a Creator, unconditional acceptance, and love for others, but all of the stories are so different that one begins to wonder about why, if the afterlife exists, the experience and process would be so different for each person. Despite the nine similarities the authors point out, there does not seem to be much consistency in the stories' details beyond floating above your body in the proces of dying. The message seems to be that everyone goes to "heaven" and experiences it differently. If your religious beliefs are not based upon universalist ideas, it's difficult to reconcile these stories with your personal faith. The authors do not really address the differences in stories and explain them. Leaves you feeling a little empty as if you did not really gain much significant knowledge. Worth a read if you're interested, but can leave readers with more questions than answers.

As a Registered Nurse for 24 years, and in having cared for many critically ill and dying patients, and in also caring for my father whom I lost to cancer in 1998, I found comfort in Dr. Long's research that there is an event that occurs at the time of dying and/ or into clinical death. I find it inspiring and hopeful that a member of the medical community, with belief in his mission and determination to fulfill it, has listened to his patients, widened his data collection research to a global level, and taken on the task of analyzing these profound experiences to share with the world. Although it is a huge leap for Dr. Long, or anyone, to pronounce that he has uncovered actual evidence of the afterlife, it is quite difficult to deny consistency of the experiences across age, culture, geographic location, sensory limitations, etc. The consistency is amazing, and if the reader is paying attention, the experiences and data presented moves one to contemplate that our consciousness, even though our physical senses and/or beliefs may tell us otherwise, does not end at the time of death. Thank you Dr. Long.

Dr. Long's book is a must read for anyone interested in NDEs. The book provides the best summary of the available evidence for the "survival hypothesis".

While I lean towards being "agostic" when it comes to afterlife experiences, I have to admit that I am somewhat appalled by the nay-sayer reviewers who criticize Dr. Long's science. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at this point by what people say on the Internet. I suspect that these people are either not scientists themselves, or they are scientists who are committed skeptics (with their own entrenched belief systems), and therefore not open to anomalous but very reliable observations.

I am a scientist with a moderate list of peer reviewed scientific publications. Not all legitimate issues in science can be easily put into an experimental control group kind of design. Hopefully, the study planned by Dr. Parnia and his associates will test these phenomena in a more rigorous scientific fashion. In the meantime, however, Dr. Long's hypthesis (i.e "survival") appears for now to be the most parsimonious explanation for NDE experiences. While not all alternative explanations can be completely ruled out, it is clear that the "dying brain hypthesis" for NDEs has many more problems in this respect, and comes across as a rather desperate patchwork attempt to explain away what many millions of people have reported.

Dr. Al Botkin

I was one of the people who contributed to Dr. Long's research, and a small piece of my experience was included in the book. Needless to say, I am a believer not only in the validity of near-death experiences but also of the existence of an afterlife.

Dr. Long and his colleagues carried out a substantial research project and careful analysis, and his conclusions are perfectly reasonable (as well as profound) given the data they collected. This book is clearly intended for both the a true skeptic (one willing to look at the subject with an open mind) and those who simply seek more information on the issue of near-death experiences. I didn't need convincing of the existence of an afterlife, though I found the similarities between my experience and those of others as a surprise. Regardless of what some pseudo-skeptics may think, the commonality between experiences reported by people who have never met, who had no prior knowledge of these phenomena, who come from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, is compelling evidence by any measure. This is what qualitative research is about. By definition, empirical data is limited to this material world. At best, empirical research can only point to the existence of the phenomena, not to conclusions. The experiences of those of us who have died and been resuscitated is legitimate data as well, especially when it is in the hands of a researcher who understands qualitative research methods. (Dr. Long's arguments on why these experiences aren't the last gasps of dying brain are particularly powerful.)

This book will not satisfy those who have already decided that there is no life after death--the pseudo-skeptics--nor those who are so grounded in the material world that they cannot admit the possibility of a nonmaterial reality. For everyone else, this book presents compelling, reasonable conclusions worthy of consideration.

There has been much evidence throughout the ages of the existence of God and His plan for us all. The ultimate reality of restoration to Him is voiced in Dr. Long's book, Evidence of the Afterlife. His exquisite, inspired work is yet additional evidence that adherence to a consciousness of His existence and plan is being revealed. Yes, our ways of understanding are so perverted by our limited consciousness and understanding that He needs to lift up various emissaries to testify of Him. Dr. Long presents a coherent model, grounded in the testimony of persons that have peered through the veil of illusion that most live in. It is the best evidence we have thus far, and a pivotal springboard for further development of evidence.

Much evidence can be found in the transformation of lives. My own life has been guided by my NDE in 1976; I was 21 years old with a 4 year old son. I had been raised by an embittered, impoverished, lonely woman in the hot, harsh reality of a dingy apartment in LA. My former consciousness was replaced by an entirely new way of perceiving that I formerly had no clue to. I had learned that fear was the obstacle to overcome and love the vehicle. Immediately, I chose to make profound changes in my life, left a consciousness bound to the wheel of poverty and fear and, within weeks found rest and restoration in a life high in the mountains of northern Idaho. Before, I was likely bound by fear to repeat the cruel cycle of my childhood, and then I devoted myself to making sense of the experience within the context of this world, by faith. Eventually, I engaged in academic and spiritual training at a Christian university, and became a nurse engaged in ICU and hospice work. There I found the need for psychiatric and spiritual support for these dear ones, and trained as a psychiatric nurse practitioner and began practice. At the same time, I completed PhD training as a nurse research scientist studying people who were experiencing life-threatening events. For the last many years I have been privileged to in provide psychotherapy and spiritual support by the sea in the NW. Mine is not a perfect life; there are dark nights of the soul, but, if I choose (God's precious gift to us all), I am illumined with the same bright light of love and security that I experienced there. I long to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, yet am perpetuated this life by sharing His glory.

Very rarely have I revealed my experience to anyone except in the context of assuring others with death anxiety or for spiritual healing. Dr. Long's exceptionally inspired research and book has been an answer to prayer for me. It establishes a body of scientific evidence and interest in this larger reality of, not only what is in store for us, but also available now to those who have a consciousness now of what is. His work points the Way that He would have us be now and provides assurance He intends for us all to have of the existence of Him. This life is not out there, it is available here and now.

We must look to the evidence of faith revealed in the lives that have returned from this experience to learn more. Through the testimony of their experience and then the evidence of the effect of that experience in their lives we will come to know more about God's plan for us all. I would like to participate in creating a coherent model of how and why life choices are made enlightened by the reality of the NDE experience. The veil of illusion no longer exists for those that have "seen" the other side. One can no longer merely exist in a world without consciousness. The soul takes no pleasure in shrinking back, but is inspired to move forward imbued with the Will of God. We must pay greater attention to what we have heard from these with NDEs to learn about the transformation and manifestation by God here and now. The voices in Dr. Long's study can help point the Way to the larger reality God would have us live in. Yes, our instruments are inadequate to measure and quantify this reality. The reality will be revealed in the manner of life chosen. We must, moment by moment, choose to align our very beings with His and perpetuate the unfolding of His plan by incorporating this larger reality into this mostly mundane, unconscious world. There is a responsibility to live, love, teach, and heal those who are willing. I humbly, and with utmost gratitude, thank Dr. Long for persevering in his inspired research to provide this firm foundation, and to actuate within the scientific community the need to understand the implications for further research.

Dr Long's Evidence of the Afterlife is an interesting and quite compelling read. The thoughtful, sensitive, yet methodical presentation of a mountain of evidence weighs heavily in support of the survival of consciousness. Since we may exist physically only for a brief moment between eternities- What could be a more important subject for study? Instead of starting with a conclusion first- and then struggling to make the pieces fit, Dr Long has obviously done his homework. Ten years of evidence gathered from the people who matter most (the ones who have been there)- is a powerful argument indeed. Skeptics will always exist, and serve an important purpose. This particular work, however, should make the naysayer's task a most unpleasant role, as they try to not believe their lyin' eyes.

I cannot say enough for this book!! It speaks volumes. It speaks the truth!!! There is a lot of research going on out there but there are still so many skeptics. It takes so much bravery & dedication to stand up & say that you believe, after all that you have heard & seen, knowing that you may be opening yourself up to negative comments. Speaking as a person to whom this has happened, & having the medical proof to back me up, I stand firm when I say it is real. If I could wish anything in this world, it would be that everyone experience what I did, or what has been told to you in this book. However, even then, I am sure we would still have the hard headed skeptics. I was one of these skeptics, for the longest time, until I finally started to look at the evidence presented, & started to accept my own experience in 2002. This evidence came not only from what I saw & the tests that came back, on my after-effects, but on the work people like Dr. Jeff is doing.
Dr. Sam Parnia is conducting the Awareness project,which is also mentioned in this book. There has been evidence before of out-of-body, with verdical perceptions. This project is the largest & involves a representative from almost every county, Canada included, I am so very proud to say. These representatives are professional, scientific people, who look for the facts, just like Dr. Jeff has.

I understand that many of you may feel this is all "not real", & unfortunately, I too have struggled with my experience.

I contacted Dr. Jeff thinking I had totally lost my mind, after my experience & trying to deal with my after-effects. Easier to blame it on my brain, thinking something had gone wrong, than accepting it for what it was. Although as far as I know, he has not experienced a NDE himself, he was sympathetic & assured me I was not crazy. He told me of IANDS, the International Association of Near-Death Studies. He helped me understand what I had gone through...what I was still going through, from the standpoint of a professional who cares & is trying to help.

I go onto his site, weekly. I read the stories, which contain many of the same truths that I have experienced. In this tough world where people step over people trying to get ahead, or will kill a person in the name of GOD....their GOD....people that will take advantage of their own children....the list goes on....I look to Dr. Jeff's site to remind me of who we truly are. As I was told, in my latest NDE, which was very short & so I did not post on this site...."LIVE THE LIFE OF LOVE THAT YOU ARE". This message should be spread to everyone. We all come from the BIGGEST LOVE imaginable & only turn into what we are, as time goes on. We are shaped by society, our families, what is done to us. This book helps us to remember who we were, before all this "coating" on our soul/essence/spirit, that makes us do or say, the things we shouldn't. Don't point & make negative comments on something you don't understand. The many have spoken. The many have experienced.
The proof is in so much research, including this book. Open your mind. If people like Dr. Jeff hadn't taken steps likes these, we wouldn't be able to talk on the telephone, fly to another country, access info on the internet, drive to the store....wake up people. Do you really believe that you end, after your body quits? You don't! Dr. Jeff's book has helped improve my outlook, once again. Given me hope in such a sad hopeless filled world...& no, I am not some religious nut, just someone that reads the papers & listens to the news...I am also someone that analyzes things until I cannot analyze any more, to find the answers. There is so very much out there that we little humans do not know about. Let's work together & find the truth together by helping one another instead of acting like children, in this endevour. Don't stamp your feet & cry out "not good enough". Look at Dr. Jeff's work, which not only comes from his own website, reporting to you what experiencers have gone through. Look at the other research that has occurred or is still in the process, in finding answers. LOOK & THINK about what he has written. GO & RESEARCH, for yourself, before you start giving negative reviews. Dr. Jeff certainly gives you a lot of evidence & information to help you, if you so choose to do an honest research of your own.
One last comment...the book is written on the "man on the street" level. It's refreshing to someone like me, who has been doing her own research for the last decade (only for her own sanity), & has tired of having to look through the dictionary or medical books for the terms. Dr. Jeff, you speak from the heart, armed with the proof, & my heart as well as others out there, have heard you. Thank you for being our voice!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Took a study and actually made it enjoyable to read. Definitely made me re-think things in my own life. It is a very convincing book. The research in this book was very thorough. Could more research be conducted? Yes of course as with most subjects. This study reminds us that there is life after death and more research needs to be done.

I am pretty agnostic on the life after death question, but am interested in what science can tell us. So I bought this book. It's fascinating, but I had two problems:

1) The book jacket says it offers proof of life after death. Unless I missed something, that's not true. It offers evidence that something happens to people when they are dying. The people offering accounts obviously didn't cross the threshold into death, they came back. So, there's no proof of life after death. Only something - vivid and life-changing certainly - happening during the dying process. What we do know is that dying is a process, that clinical death is not necessarily permanent death. What these people are describing amounts to going to the threshold of death. There is no proof in this book of what lies beyond.

I just have a problem with people offering "proof" of life after death, because so many of us yearn to believe it. Saying that exploits people's grief. It also exploits the fear of dying.

2) I'm not sure what the author does to verify any of the anecdotes he collects. It wouldn't be hard to read the ones already posted on his website, change a few details and post. Voila, an "experience" with similar details! I have to wonder how many of these are included in the author's research, which he then touts as proof.

I look forward to a day when we can read something that offers real evidence, really investigated.

I had a near death experience which was written in this book. Prior to reading this book, I had no knowledge of what others experienced during an NDE, yet when reading this book, I was amazed to read how others described what I had felt, what I had come to know, and I know through their words that they had been there, too. How does one quantify such an experience? I cannot imagine. We do not have words that describe an experience such as this. All we can do is to report what we know in our hearts is true. It is not important whether or not my experience is accepted by others, although, I do feel it is important to share, to the best of my ability. Now that I have read this book, and read how others who have experienced what I experienced, I have no doubts that they have been there, too.
M

EVIDENCE OF THE AFTERLIFE is a break-through book in the area of afterlife research in general and near-death studies in particular. Not only is Jeffrey Long a careful scholar, but he and Jody Long have amassed the largest collection of near-death experiences (NDEs) ever. Their collection also includes the largest group of non-English-speaking NDEs ever.

When it comes to research, there is no substitute for data! My own near-death book, VISIONS OF GOD FROM THE NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE, is fairly typical with 75 of my own cases plus accounts from other sources. Near-death books generally range from one case study to a little over 100 cases, but Dr. Long's book is based on over 1,300 cases from the [...] website. His book especially focuses on 613 NDErs who completed the most current edition of the Near-Death Research Foundation survey, in addition to giving their personal account of their near-death experience. Dr. Long's scale included questions to detect fraudulent accounts, but over the past 10 years, he reported less than 10 false accounts.

Based on his research, Dr. Long concludes, "NDEs provide such powerful scientific evidence that it is reasonable to accept the existence of an afterlife." He goes on to offer nine "proofs" of afterlife, including 1) Lucid Death (NDErs report increased alertness and consciousness), 2) Out-of-Body Experiences (NDErs provide evidence from verifiable experiences), 3) Blind Sight (NDErs blind from birth report a form of "vision" during their NDEs), 4) Impossibly Conscious (NDErs report experiences while under anesthesia), 5) Perfect Play-back (NDErs report life reviews that include experiencing the feelings of others), 6) Family Reunion (NDErs report seeing dead relatives, including people unknown to them who were identified to them later by viewing family photographs), 7) From the Mouths of Babes (NDErs who are children have every NDE element of older NDErs, and this is true whether the account is told during childhood or from an adult who had the experience in childhood), 8) Worldwide Consistency (NDErs who are non-English-speakers from Dr. Long's database form the largest collection of cross-cultural NDEs and provide evidence that NDEs are the same all over the world), and 9) Changed Lives (NDErs report that their lives are changed as a result of their NDE, and the majority report a change for the better).

Dr. Long concludes that the evidence convinces him that afterlife exists. I think the general population will agree with him, but my personal opinion is that most skeptics will require proof from physics on how God communicates with us, how consciousness survives death, and where the dimension of reality that is afterlife is located. Nevertheless, the evidence for afterlife is much stronger because of Dr. Long's massive amount of data and his analysis of it. This book is a "must-read" for all who are interested in the scientific study of afterlife.

While I found this book interesting, I did not find it convincing. As a matter of fact, I was disappointed with what I see as a very big problem. That problem was that the conclusion that there must be an afterlife is based on the fact that so many people who have claimed to have had near death experiences, had the same sensations. These shared sensations may very well be the brain's final impulses as it dies. And judging from most of the anecdotes in this book, it is a very gentle way to pass.
The brain may create these shared feelings and sensations as it shuts down. We know that many mind altering drugs can change a person's perception of reality. Some drugs can create feelings of being one with everything in the universe, and some can create feelings of incredible euphoria. Similarly, scientists have been able to alter a person's ability to feel that he or she was actually out of his or her own body, when in fact he or she was very much still in his or her own body. So it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to think that the brain may create those shared sensations as it deals with it's last impulses, or it's last moments of oxygen. While I would love for someone to find evidence of an afterlife, I don't think it can be found in shared sensations that can be explained in other ways. Similar experiences across cultures and age groups can simply mean that our common brain structures are all wired the same from the moment we are born until the moment we die.
However, there was some interesting information in this book that I thought could be investigated further. For example, there were a few stories about people who met unknown relatives while experiencing their NDEs only to find out later who those people actually were. Similarly, another interesting thing was the fact that so many NDErs met relatives who have passed away. Those were the things that in my opinion could point to the validity of NDE, and could be expanded upon further. But in general I felt Dr. Long was too quick to accept common experiences as proof of the reality of NDEs.

This author attempt to prove the existence of an afterlife, though valiant, and interesting at times, fell far short. He set up a internet web site so people could chime in with anecdotes of their Near Death Experiences, or NDEs, and uses arguments of their similarity across various differences among them - cultural, age, etc - proves post-life existence. However, he presents no scientific or other proof regarding the credibility of the anecdotes, nor does he adequately address medical explanations for NDEs such a hallunications caused by the pumping of brain chemicals such as adrenalin in anticipation of one's death.

In short, reliance on numerous anecdotes may be interesteing but proves nothing.

It is difficult to know how to be fair in reviewing this book. The author is sincere in his beliefs and has made an earnest attempt to collate data in a difficult area (doing experiments on people at the boundary of death is hardly easy science).

A number of those attacking critical views as "unbalanced," "opinionated" and other invective (to quote Monty Python "Don't give me that, you snotty-faced heap of parrot droppings!") have claimed, in so many words, that such reviewers do not know what they are talking about and cannot back up their arguments. I cannot speak for all critical reviewers here, but I will respond below in the best manner possible, which is to provide the very substance which they wrongly claim is missing. I have therefore added to the review to offer readers more detail as to why I do not accept that this volume, and volumes like it, consider the subject matter in sufficient depth.


Responding to the Out of Body "proof"


There is no doubt that people often have the subjective experience of being out of body. Yet almost all scientific attempts to establish the existence in literal fact of any such thing as an out of body experience, have fallen flat. The only really notable exception to this was a one-off incident with a subject of Dr Charles Tart, and that was decades ago

To talk of "proof" in respect of out of body experience is massively off the chart of present levels of demonstration. However, this does not mean that we cannot say anything about them at all, and that there aren't a range of other phenomena, which when understood correctly, shed significant light on it. To begin with, what enables you or me to move around in a coordinated way and to have spatial sense of the body's domain of action and limits of action, in other words awareness of the body's kinaesthetic and somaesthetic boundaries, is not just a series of nerve impulses arriving at the brain, but a virtual map or modal "image" of that space that builds up in the brain over time. There are many terms in circulation, but let's just call it the sensorimotor map for simplicity. Children who do not have full coordination yet have not reached the point where this map is mature, despite having normally functioning musculo-skeletal system, etc. Pathological versions of this map can form when things go wrong or when the brain gets confused as a result of altered or suppressed proprioception from the body. The nervous system tends to shut down from the outside inwards, so loss of normal body awareness is an earlier as opposed to later event in this process. This renders proprioception inactive but does not discharge the body image which may remain active, functioning pathologically, for a while longer. Phantom limb syndrome can be considered a partial case of this. Here there is a mismatch between arriving stimuli, including the visual stimulus, and the body image. The resulting sensation is of an "out of body" limb extending into space. This can be considered an impaired body image. The opposite is also possible: the body image can be artificially enhanced, as in a long term baseball player, where the bat really can in a sense become an extension of the arm. The relevance of these observations to "OOBEs" should not be difficult to spot. While they are clearly not exactly the same phenomenon, a "phantom limb" and a "phantom whole body" are clearly not entirely different phenomena either. Ramachandran, using modern computer imaging techniques, and originally mirrors, succeeded in morphing and changing these phantoms, demonstrating that they are neural-map-like in character.

There have also been cases where almost entire ability to process proprioceptively has been lost due to neuropathy, yet the patient was not paralyzed. In other words, the defect was in the body image, not the muscular system or motor function (Cole, Gallagher, McNeil 2002).

What I'm saying here also carries with it a prediction and is testable. The prediction is that individuals with profoundly impaired body images will not be able to have "out of body experiences". Indeed, I have yet to hear of a single case of long term spinal injury at level C6 break or higher, with quadriplegic dysfunction, who had "out of body experiences" and again this would make sense, because the body image would have changed or atrophied over time. Likewise, although some young children might have OOBEs, they should not be able to have them with an ongoing image of a phantom body until their own body image is established. Again, this is testable. Contrast this with blind people. There is no reason why blind people should not have OOBEs, even those blind from birth, because their body image is for the most part functional and complete.

Finally, there have been experiments done by changing the sensory input information using virtual goggles or other altered perception that fools or confuses the brain's body image. The body image then adapts to "seeing itself" from a different position. To claim that this is something wholly different from "real" out of body experiences is obviously special pleading, as the similarity is to any reasonable person beyond coincidence, as well as the logic of what is happening and why, which begins to achieve transparency.

Responding to the NDEs of the Blind "proof".

There is a similar system of problems with this claim. "Vision" consists of an ocular component (the actual eye apparatus, optic nerves, etc) and a neurological component. Congenitally blind individuals lack a functional ocular component but they do not lack the structural visual centers in the brain unless there was also relevant brain damage. To be sure, these are likely to redistribute their allegiances and / or be appropriated by neighboring regions or to appropriate other functions themselves, but it is questionable even then that they ever redistribute their functionality entirely. In other words, there are brain-rooted systems of "vision" even in the blind, and "seeing" is more than the arrival of external light stimuli, but involves spatial processing. Vicki Umipeg, perhaps the flagship case of "NDEs in the blind" was not congenitally unsighted but blinded post partum due to exposure to excess oxygen levels in an incubator. However, even in cases where we are talking about the congenitally blind, this does not offset the fact that brain structures normally associated with visual processing still exist in the individual's brain structure. The reciprocal situation to this is blindness caused by tumor or injury to the occipital cortex, while the ocular system is uninjured and functional.

Additionally, direct stimulation of the visual cortex has long been known to generate phosphene-style light impressions (at least as subjectively reported, see below) in the blind. This is now the basis of attempts to create prostheses that bypass the ocular end of the human visual system.

The above discussion relates to a deeper philosophical problem, namely how someone who has never seen by way of external visual stimulus can discriminate category between "seeing" as the rest of us do and "vision" as in the internal processing of experience, even if, under abnormal stimulation or activity patterns of the nervous system (as in near death) they are processing that for the first time. Clearly they cannot, as they do not have any resource or the tools with which to make the distinction. This is in essence the same problem as knowing, for instance, if a bat "sees" sounds as colors. We can't know. But neither can a bat know. A bat might assume, if it could assume, that what it experiences is what humans call "red", but there is no way to establish this. That is a very serious problem with this whole argument of NDEs in the blind. I recommend a famous essay "What's It Like to be a Bat?" by Thomas Nagel, to put yourself in the space of this problem.


Responding to the Perfect Playback "proof"."

The "life review" that is often spoken of NDEs in fact has strong analogs in a number of other situations with unequivocally living brains where it is clear that the same (or, on the minimum hypothesis) a very similar process is acting. A good instance of this is experiences under the drug Ibogaine. A rolling evaluation of life events in a temporal sequence is frequent with this drug, along with the therapeutic benefits of such a self-evaluation. That very term "life review" has been used by a number of people undergoing the experience. Again, the chances of this being a coincidence are minimal. A similar effect, although to a lesser degree, can occur with the brew ayahuasca and as a result of prolonged meditation. There also seems to be a strong connection to other self-therapeutic activities of the mind-brain such as the eye movement EMDR treatment in which subjects see images or glean impressions of deceased relatives and gain some element of healing or even complete healing, or Raymond Moody's "psychomanteum" (essentially a skrying mirror) where similar events take place. It seems to me though that the real thing going on in these various processes is that the subconscious mind, by one route or another, is being de-liminalized. By this terminology I mean at least a partial fusion of conscious and unconscious mind not normally achieved, and whereby unusual phenomena are observable at the interface. In near death experiences, this deliminalization would be caused by the far-from-equilibrium state of the brain's normal process. In Iboga and ayahuasca, normal brain function is again significantly altered, and the upwelling of imagery and themes normally residing in unconscious domains strongly suggests deliminalization. Meditation too, over a protracted period. I don't profess to know exactly how EMDR is deliminalizing, but I'd make a strong bet that it is nonetheless, probably coupled with alterations in memory processing. Of course in all of this there is the question of what is meant, ontologically, by "deliminalizing the unconscious". However, that question cannot be addressed by anything resembling Dr Jeffrey Long's methodology. See the following remarks at the bottom of my review.

People having NDEs report panoramic "life reviews" in which, it is said, they even see the hurts that they have done to others. But again, all of this can be understood on a psychological model of grief reduction. In addition, there has been no study done, to the best of my knowledge, which seeks to determine whether these memories people experience are actually accurate, or whether the events and hurts they see caused in the lives of those they have influenced, really happened that way. Without such close study, it is impossible to know whether these reviews are more than internally self-referenced psychological events.

In the interests of not making this already long and hopefully depthful review too long, I won't list blow by blow through the other categories. Suffice to say that there are pretty robust counter arguments to be put against each of the author's categories (I could elaborate in comments should anyone be interested), including this popular misconception of worldwide consistency which is largely a sampling artifcat, and the book would have been much stronger if it had demonstrated an awareness of these issues or argued against them cogently, which it does not.

I might be accused of deciding a priori that out of body experiences or perception of operating room events by the blind, and so on, cannot be what people hope they are in their spiritual aspirations for the subject. I do not in fact decide in advance. However, to discern that, as should be clear from the above discussions, requires a much tighter protocol than this book uses (not that it's unique in that...the same applies to pretty much every other published book in this subject area). To answer that question requires a protocol clearly capable of discriminating between events in personal space and a (putative) transpersonal space. The only study in action I know which is attempting to do that is the AWARE study. However, any positive results that might emerge from this study will be worthless if the protocol is not tightly controlled. And the problem is, I can't see how it COULD be in a real world hospital or critical care environment. I seriously hope that it will not be discovered later that there are all kinds of loopholes in observation, as led to the controversy for the Charles Tart experiment mentioned. Apparently the hidden images are "randomly generated", but without round the clock surveillance of dying patients, which I really have to wonder if they have the kind of permissions for, the study runs the risk of exposing itself to severe future criticism. I would hope these problems are addressed now, rather than at the end of the project.

This book, while well written and easy to understand did not, in my opinion, contribute anything significantly new to the my understanding of what evidence of the afterlife actually exists. However, if you have never read a book about the 'science' of near-death experiences, then I would definitely suggest this one. It is an interesting and thought provoking read for anyone who has never read other material on this subject before.

After seeing Dr. Long on the Today Show, I expected more from this book than was delivered. All of these NDEs are based on the data on a web site he designed for this purpose. However, absent were the negative NDE the author has mentioned. I have to wonder why. if the book was meant to be balanced and accurate it should have been included.

I found the book to be a bit dry and pseudo-scientific, based on anecdotal evidence that was statistically analyzed to be significant. I am not a scientist but I don't see how he proves anything with this book.

I came away from the book learning nothing new, except the statistical data of the NDE's that were included in his studies. The stories of the survivors are like those in Life after Life.

After reading this, I came across the book, "My Descent Into Death: A Second Chance at Life" by Howard Storm, a former college professor and artist. It is his personal account of his own NDE. I would encourage anyone interested in this topic to read it. It is very well written and engaging. I could not put it down. What is interesting is that he had 2 vastly different experiences. First, he has a very traumatic NDE that is transformed to a blissful one. He only shares some of what he experienced, stating the rest is too traumatic to share. Unlike Evidence of the Afterlife this book leaves one with much to ponder!

In January,1998, I had a Near Death Experience. I was pleased to participate in the research and anxiously awaited publication of this book. This book is very easy to read, and should provide comfort to anyone who fears death. The NDE removed my fear of dying as it has for other people. Evidence of the Afterlife is an easy read and makes specialized research reader friendly. I find the experience of hundreds of other people validates my truth. I highly recommend this book.
John Neilson

I have been a critical reader of NDE and OBE for over thirty years, but such credentials to review this contested book may not come close to a first hand experience of avid reviewers.
I have few observations, one concerns the author's definition of his study as 'the Science' of Near-Death Experiences. This study, though thorough, is based on experience accounts that are not entirely recent. Further, NDE or OBE are clinically questioned paranormal visions. I agree with the rational statement of the Vine Voice reviewer that, "paranormal experiences cannot provide clinical proof to a mystical experience," since recording instruments would not pick or detect illusions. Now that the engaging NDE book pretends to 'provide scientific evidence', which it failed to articulate, this controversial study hardly earns three stars; four for the NDE database collected, but a mere two for the pseudo-scientific evidence. The book is still worthy of a trial reading for any novice joining the NDE fellowship club.

The accounts gathered on near-death experiences, by the 'NDE Research Foundation,' and used by this book, are very impressive. Anyway, a hundred question answered may not recall all elements of the experience and could not identify any "illusionary feelings." The responders are passionate OBE (out of body encounters,) who are not trying to deceive, but may be deceived themselves by their own illusion perceptions, at or after their encounters. Yet, even the similarities in their OBE stories could be merely due to systemic neurotic interpretation of the physical experience. Dr. Long claims, to his credit, that medical skepticism fails to explain the root cause of similarities in these reports, although cannot be taken a 'negative' evidence to its own credit.

My last observation considers a graphical plot of the book ratings by the mostly passionate reviews written and heartily defended by the polarized reviewers. A simple statistical analysis reveals an inverted distribution curve skewed to the right (Applauders), which does not boost the credibility of their observation beyond a strong illusion.

Supplementary reading:
Lessons from the Light: What We Can Learn from the Near-death Experience
Out-of-Body Experiences: How to Have Them and What to Expect

This is a well written and interesting work, but the conclusions suggested by Dr. Long are not really supported by the evidence. There is no question that some percentage of people who are "near death" (between 10-20% according to the book) have an experience that seems very real and also appears to be common over various cultures. However, there is nothing in these experiences that "proves" that the experiences are anything but normal brain function. Also, I think the way in which the NDE accounts were collected - through a web site - is problematic. Have these accounts been independently verified? Anyone can go to the NDERF web site and fill out an account. All in all, this book makes some interesting arguments, but I believe more research is required to make any definite conclusion; this book really is unlikely to convince anyone of the existence of an afterlife.

Evidence of the Afterlife is a good introduction to some bad arguments. The writing is relatively clear and non-technical. The narrative is laced with stories of near-death experiences submitted to the author, which I found to be a good supplement to the author's narrative.

The clear writing of the author and the fun I had tearing it apart is what saves this book from being a 1-star book. I would recommend it to anyone trying to get a feel for the arguments that believers make for the objective reality of the near-death experience. Researching and combating the claims made in the book might be an enjoyable intellectual exercise for skeptics; it was for me. People who want to have their pre-existing belief in the afterlife confirmed would enjoy it as well. I doubt anyone already familiar with the arguments would get much intellectually out of the book, and I would be surprised if it changed the mind of anyone sitting on the fence.

The book is based on the data collected from an online survey the author conducted, where people who had near-death experiences would come and share their stories. He is trying to argue that near-death experiences provide evidence of the afterlife, but his argument is essentially one from ignorance: since we don't know what is causing near-death experiences, obviously it's because there is an afterlife.

There is nothing in the survey data, or in the book, that could distinguish between the "afterlife hypothesis" and the "it's happening in the brain hypothesis." For example, one of his "nine lines of evidence" is the alleged cross-cultural similarities of the near-death experience. That can either be explained by the fact that we all go to the same afterlife, or by the fact that we all have the same basic brain structures, and nothing in the survey data can distinguish between the two.

Bottom line: If you buy the book, don't expect to find truth, but expect to be intellectually stimulated. It prompted me, for example, to write a series of posts on my blog, Psyconoclasm, with a critique of the specific claims in the book.

I hadn't read anything about near death experiences for a few years, but this one seemed fresh and new. So of course I had to read it. The authors have collected thousands of NDE's on their website and analyzed them statistically. Their numbers are probably better than the other well-known NDE authorities. Their description of the syndrome is thorough and systematic. Their attempt to be all inclusive, taking reports from non-English languages and non-Western cultures is praiseworthy.

Unfortunately, the book leaves more questions than answers. Do these anecdotal experiences prove that there is an afterlife? Not necessarily. Do they prove that there is some kind of lucid mental activity that can take place even while the brain is shutting down from lack of oxygen? Maybe. Is there some part of the mind that doesn't depend on the brain at all? Intriguing possibility, but not proven. Is there an afterlife that extends beyond the few minutes the patients were in medical crisis? What lies beyond the barrier that the patients report? The line which--if they cross it--there is no coming back? The authors don't even touch these questions. And what is the "science" touted on the book's cover, beyond collecting anecdotes and analyzing them statistically?

The anecdotes reported by children are particularly interesting, but again, not convincing. They were not taken from children and don't sound childlike. They were recollections reported by adults. So they don't really support the authors' contention that they are free of cultural influences.

On the other hand, the book is well written, thorough, engaging and quite readable. So, if you're interested in the near death experience, you should definitely read it. I recommend it, but with some reservations. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

Too clinical. Too much about the study and statistics. I was looking for more about the full stories of the experiences people had. Toward the end I found myself doing a lot of skimming to get through the stats. I'm sure there are people that are interested in that aspect of it, but it wasn't what I expected. If you like stats and studies, it was well written and organized for that.

I anxiously awaited the publication of this book and after reading it, I wasn't disappointed. I'm a NDEr-- drowned and died before Raymond Moody ever heard of NDEs. Excerpts of my story on pages 76-8. If it had been last week, I might have had my cell phone with me and been able to take pictures to appease the skeptics.

Short of that, what would constitute proof to these closed-minded folks? Apparently not that millions of people throughout history, have reported similar experiences. Apparently we're all a bunch of brain-damaged lunatics with nothing better to do than try to convince people there is more to life beyond our earthly existence. I haven't quite figured out what we're supposed to gain by doing that. Apparently loving each other, living peacefully, being kind and compassionate, finding your purpose in life and enjoying the journey, is a negative message. Do they really think this life is all we get so get as much as you can while you're here without thought of how it affects others and he with the most toys wins, is the key to happiness? Talk about brain-damaged!

There are several good books out now attempting to prove there is life after death. Dr. Jeff's study is an excellent contribution to the literature and establishing NDEs as a legitimate field of scientific inquiry.

I too have a web site about NDEs and have many stories from NDErs, including former skeptics who had their minds blown when they suddenly found themselves out of their bodies and beyond the veil. Wow! Even skeptics have NDEs... imagine that!

Interested in preparing for your own journey home? I recommend "Beginner's Guide to Conscious Dying: The Path to Soul Healing, Peace of Mind & Unconditional Love.."

By Albert C. Bender, Author of "You Are Forever In Time". ...Does the author understands the real meaning of death?..The book tells about what people see in those siuations, and how it later affects their life for the better...But, these people are not dead, in the true sense of really being dead!...You could have 100,000 or more subjects to research...It still doesn't give the true answer to the question that the author, I think, is trying to make. But,I may be wrong.... Where does this after-life lead too??... Understand that "life" in itself never dies, but only the body it comes in, which is finite...."Nothing ever dies,it only changes" ...There is no death.. We are "Infinite Spirital Beings".....Life after death, is but life continued....And,we don't meet up with past love ones, even though that would be nice...Our Heaven is now, as is our Hell!..If NDE makes those people better now, that in itself is great...And, all the kodos to the author for that. What matters at the moment, is how we address life now. After bodly death, that's another story to be read...I think though, that the author is sincere, and I will give him 4 stars...

APPROACHING THE BOOK:
I've read at least a dozen books on NDEs. Unfortunately, I now see why this belongs in "Christian Inspiration" rather than "Science" or even "Paranormal". It's "extensive" because it's an internet survey, and it's "scientific" because it's, um, logical (sorta). The author compiles a bunch of similar stories and says "All these people had the same experience and we should listen to them." This isn't science. This is, at best, phenomenon!

PROS:
A great selection of anecdotes, most notably the ones from other countries.

CONS:
My biggest complaint is that there are no controls in this study. What about those who had drastically different experiences? According to the author's "science", they have as much validity as anyone else, yet it's never addressed! Even if it were, it should be given just as much attention.

CONCLUSION:
THIS IS NOT SCIENCE!!! This guy clearly puts the cart before the horse. For the best book on a scientific approach to NDEs, I highly recommend Michael Sabom's "Light And Death". Spirituality is never referenced (until the very last chapter). You're much better off reading that than this guy who just likes to hear how right he is.

Well, looky here, the latest new age/occult/paranormal hoax, but this time it's 'written' by a snake-oil salesman who somehow managed to hoodwink some university into giving him a medical degree.

One can't even begin to state how fraudulent this thing is. How does relying on web-based postings (which are already suspect to begin with) and interview even begin to construe scientific evidence? We know so little about how the brain works and what it can and can't do under certain conditions to that automatically assume that these 'visions' of long tunnels and family members constitute anything other than a brain still operating in dream mode when the rest of it has shut down is ludicrous.

By this same argument, we might as well say that those who take LSD are actually experiencing real giant spiders and dragons in their hallucinogenic frenzies. We might as well affirm the veracity of all the UFO abuctees just because their stories seemed so real (even if all the alients looked like crosses between ET and bad 1950s invasion movies).

Why should it be surprising that so many people have the same NDE visions of long tunnels and lights and Jesus and family members appearing at the end? These hallucinations are likely nothing more than wishful thinking of oxygen-deprived brains that burrow into comforting memories and cultural rationalizations. If you're a religious person, your brain will use this conditioning to create a religious vision during times of stress. What's so hard to understand?

Long's book would be instantly dismissable if it hadn't become a bestseller as most of these psychobabble things do. If its readers' brain activity were anywhere near in life as it was when they were on the operating table, they wouldn't be so easily suckered by this junk.

This book and the studies cited gave me a believable opinion of the afterlife which I always wondered about.
But now, there is clear cut evidence to validate that when our body ends our soul (or what we call our soul) continues. There is a force beyond our physical existence that could not be made up. I believe we can see that when reading the NDEs of children who could not know enough at their ages to fabricate. I liked the book and all the websites and studies it offered.

I recently lost both my mother and then my father to death in a span of two months. I have been told this is not unusual, since when a couple are close they want to be together. My parents were notoriously in love all of their lives, so I was at peace with their passing over, knowing they were reunited.

Having read the book, Evidence of the Afterlife, it gave me renewed hope to believe more fervently that existence does go on when we leave this earth. I am a believer in this already, so did not need much convincing. The stories were honest and forthright and believable and I was encouraged to know that all generations of a family were present. What a reunion that would be!

However, for an unbeliever, I could see no concrete scientific evidence that would be convincing to someone in doubt. This book seems to be more of a collection of stories that can't be disputed, but is lacking in any real scientific proof. I guess it all comes down to faith, which is believing in those things unseen. The unbelievers will just have to wait their turn to see if it is real or pie in the sky.

I've witnessed too many people in my life who experienced these things to "not believe in it". There will "never" be any scientific proof of this. It's not something science can prove nor do I think science is the end all, be all of all facts and reality. Maybe there needs to be a "new kind of science"...that pertains to "intuition,instinct, feelings etc. Science never wanders into those realms simply because they can't put it all down on paper and prove that "instinct, intuition and feeling" exist. We all know it does and the only way to prove it is to look at yourself and what you know of it. I can't read a book to prove my beliefs....but I can look at my own as well as my family and friends who experience these things. I don't think anyone needs to convince the world....that's not necessary. Everyone finds their own truth about life and there's no rush in doing so. I liked this book...for the personal events mostly. Will I base my opinion on life after death on it.....probably not, because I have tons of other events and such to base it on.

I have been reading articles, books, etc. about NDEs and OBE's since 1975. This is the most definitive study I have ever read. I hightly recommend it to anyone who is interested in or is a skeptic about life after death.

I was already interested in the subject and found the research to be very enlightening. Subject isn't new but the research is. I am more convinced that the phenomenon exists now.

This book probably could have been condensed into a single chapter without subtracting much from its original content. The basic subject matter is facinating, but there is too much repetition and detail of research methodology which can detract from the reader's interest. I would have liked to have seen more accounts of personal near death experiences.

This is an EXCELLENT book! It deletes the fear of death and the doubt of afterlife. It puts you at ease that deceased love ones are at peace and that you will see them again. This book makes the Bible and Jesus's promises more vivid and easy to grasp! Already being a Christian and having a belief in everlasting life made this book wonderful to read from beginning to end. I recommend this book for everyone!

I found Dr. Long's approach to the subject of NDE to be very scientific and a very easy to read. I can say without any hessitation that I believe that there is life after life and that Dr. Long has done a fantastic job at trying to open the minds of any nay sayers in and out of the scientific community. I am very proud to say that I am one of the many individuals that have had a NDE and I am also one of the many individuals that has been honered to be a part of this amazing book. After reading the book I then gave it to my children to read and their reaction to it was very similar to my own; inspiring. I cannot say that Dr. long or anyone else has proven the existance of an afterlife by conducting a study and writting a book, but He has come as close as humanly possible and for that I am truly grateful. I know that the afterlife exists because I was there, just like countless millions of other people in the world. Dr. Long and his amazing research foundation has given all of us a true voice with a solid message. The afterlife exists and there is truly a such thing as peace.

If you are only going to read one book that deals with near death experiences, this is the one to read. Having read numerous publications on this topic, while all of them were good in their own right, this one gives the best summarial statements and proofs of the existence of NDEs. Having had an NDE myself less than a year ago, I can personally verify that what the author writes about is absolutely true. This is a state of heightened awareness, is a completely surreal experience, it does change your life's outlook, your fear of death is lessened considerably and that there is a lack of words to describe the event itself.

But this author takes this process even one step further. Having created a website the allows persons to detail their personal NDEs, Jeffery Long MD is able to take the data from these surveys and conclude, from his studies, that there is life after death and that NDEs are merely one manner of showing that. He bases his conclusion on nine different parameters each of which would lead to the conclusion of a likelihood of the survival of consciousness after death. By adding the conclusions of all nine parameters together, however, the author feels that he is compelled to conclude that life after physical death is inevitable. While none of us can know this with 100% certainty until it occurs to us (myself included), it is encouraging to have this conclusion be reached by a man of science, where facts drive conclusions, and not merely by a religious figurehead who 'feels through faith' that this will occur.

Dr. Long and Mr. Perry have presented some exhaustive evidence compiled from experiences submitted through their internet site, that reveals undeniable and convincing conclusions for the existence of not simply a life after death but the idea that we are conscious, spiritual beings experiencing human lives. It gives way to the notion that we can live our lives in a much more profound way BEFORE we die, that we are capable of living in a joyful and positive way and that we can influence others to do the same. While having experienced my own NDE the evidence presented is convincing for those who have not, the only real surprise for me was the fact that only 12.7 percent of those responding to the questionnaire felt that their experience was consistent with their already established belief systems. I still visit the site frequently for random readings of the profound experiences others have had! [...].

Dr. Jeffrey Long does what has long been overdue, presenting the evidence that points to one astounding conclusion, that the "I" in us does not die when the body dies. Anybody familiar with the Near-Death literature will already know that the evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of life after death. All the old theories, trying to brush the phenomenon aside, crumble and fall to pieces in light of the evidence presented in this book. Dr. Long takes you on an incredible journey of people who remember their life after death.

You think that NDE's are just the whimsical neural firing of a dying brain? Far from it, as people who have died while under anesthesia have reported NDE's, as well as those who have had a cardiac arrest and had a flat EEG. You think NDE's are just dream like psychological projections to cope with a frightening physical experience? Again, you better hold the phone because Dr. Long points out that people report accurate details when out of body time and time again. They report details that they could not possibly have known unless they were indeed operating consciously outside of their body. And holy smokes! That's just two of the nine lines of evidence for the existence of life after death.

If you would like to expand your vision of life and the universe, start with this book. It just may change the way you view the world and hopefully give you a deeper sense of the profound mystery of consciousness.

An interesting, in-depth review, of more than 1500 people who had Near Death Experiences. I felt it to be more factual than some others I read. The experiences of the blind patients were the most amazing. Written by a medical doctor, an Oncologist, it is very thought provoking. While I am not totally convinced of his theory, I am certainly leaning more in that direction than before I read it. I had heard him speak on the Dennis Praeger radio show and I guess this lent some authenticity to his book, in my eyes at least. If you are interested in the subject, this book is a must read.

Based on studies of thousands of near-death experiences collected on a website created for the purpose, Dr. Jeffrey Long (a radiation cancer specialist) attempts to answer one of the most fundamental human questions of all: what happens when we die? What is distinctive about this book is that as a result of his research, Dr. Long- a trained medical doctor, with a very scientific background- has come to the very un-scientific conclusion that there is definitely life after death. Within the book he presents what he calls his 9 lines of evidence to prove that there is a conscious existence after our physical bodies have died. It is very thought provoking and makes fascinating reading, whether or not you believe in his conclusions. I recommend it for anyone with an interest in this fascinating subject, or even anyone with a terminal illness, their carers, or the recently bereaved: it may be of great comfort.

I know of no way to prove near death experiences. I remember talking to a doctor who had one years ago. He said after his experience he had no fear of death. Dr. Long may be profiting from this best seller but I think his attempt to prove the validity of NDE's is convincing. This book and Long's NDE website are valuable additions to material already published on NDE's and the best so far on this subject. Note the majority of reviews are positive.

Dr. Long has done an amazing job of compiling objective research on near death experiences ([...]), and I view this book as the culmination of all that work and research. There are so many near death experiences at his didposal, and the accounts and exerpts he shares from this wealth of informaton is what, in my mind, makes this book such a treasure.A Few Thoughts About the Course

An excellence study of personal experiences of near death experiences (NDE) from many cultures and and belief systems. What is fascinating in the similarity of NDE of people from around the world. An interesting and thought provoking study, either it affects your current beliefs, religious or not.

I believe we have a tipping point in consciousness on the event horizon, and this book is done in such a way as to keep out all but the most rigorous of the documentary stories of the NDEs, experienced by those who shared their stories.

I have been following these stories for a very long time (since reading Raymond Moody's book back in the 1970's), and although I haven't had such an experience myself, I have had others which make it quite evident that we are on the brink of a new level of consciousness about the Universe itself. One only needs to retain a normal amount of skepticism and an open mind to appreciate where the conclusions will lead us. I have had so many experiences other than death which add to my intuitive sense that 'something is happening' here....

I've read many books like this and really enjoyed this one. It was well put together.

I gave this book to someone that I love very much and he zoomed right through it an thought it is a marvelous book

I appreciated the fact that the author (one of them) is a physician and approached the subject matter from a scientific viewpoint. I did not appreciate the mentioning of that fact at the beginning of almost every chapter. The title of the book sounded interesting to me but that much of the scientific approach left me with a feeling that there was something missing. There was no "story" to it, just a collection of data and the repetetive interpretation of that data.

Again, I appreciate the authors' attempt to support their theory by science. I hesitate even to critique their work (not being able to write anything better myself). However, from a customer's stance, I would say the book did not deliver as much as it seemed to promise. (Or, perhaps I just expected too much from a scientific study).

This book gives great anecdotal evidence of life after death. I found it inspirational. Highly recommended.

This is the first book that I have read that proposes the existence of an afterlife based upon factual, scientific evidence. The text is easy to read, clear and concise. Important arguments are repeated often enough to assure that the author's point gets across and are always backed up by believable data and evidence.

Usually, the belief in an afterlife is presented as just that - a belief, based upon religious teachings and arguments, not scientific facts or evidence.

This book does not dispute religious tenets but instead provides scientific proof that these religious beliefs in an afterlife are compatible with scientific findings and are easily demonstrated by an impressive array of unbiased observations and data.

Very informative and interesting.I'm a believer already in the afterlife but if your not you should read this book!I ordered it thru Amazon.com

This is a book that I would never considered eleven years ago. Since my accident, however, I find real emotional comfort and the sanctity of the scientific foundation to put my memory into the proper context.

Dr. Long makes use of a fairly large series of stories of near death experiences which he obtained by opening a web site. The data suffer from the lack of a control group and no prospective studies. His argument for the authenticity of the data is its reproducibility from one indivdual to another in 70-85% of some of the case details and the cross cultural similarities (he has data received frominput from around the world). His arguments are semipersuasive and worth your time if your are inclinded toward a belief in an afterlife.

I loved the book. I read it in a few hours!
I found it easy to read, informative and honest.
I love reading this subject it is so inspirational and very comforting especially for people to come to learn that we all go on to a better place when we pass over.
Highly recommended read.

The firsthand accounts of near death experience were extremely interesting. Although they were necessary for this type of book, some of the statistical discussion are dry and leave you looking forward to the next eyewitness account. I found it very hard to put this book down and read it in approximately 2-weeks, which for a book this size would normally have taken me twice as long. I have recommended it to several friends as well.

When I read this book, I know many people might have other questions but it's nice to have a Web site with over 1,300 persons sharing the same story of a unique voyage to the other side as a complement of the book.
I know it's true as I am one of the 1,300 persons listed in the web site! Before my own experience I had some doubts about NDE but now I simply know it's true.

Thanks again Jeff



Roger C

This book is simply a well written documentary of REAL stories from REAL people. The doctor may not have EVERY answer and does not claim to. You critics are too caught up in words like "proof" and "science". This book has changed my life and has certainly given me a HUGE RAY OF HOPE as to what may lie ahead. Good Job Dr. JEFF !

As a healthcare professional, I have encountered death more times than I care to remember. I have long been interested in this subject, and even know a person who has experienced what is described in this book. I am also surprised by some of the comments that people have made on this website--that they didn't get enough "proof" or that the book couldn't conclusively show that there is an afterlife.

Well, if you want solid proof, without a shadow of a doubt, then you're just going to have to die right now to find out. Yes, this is anecdotal, and certainly shows a strong similarity in experiences, regardless of who the people are. There have been many studies investigating scientific reasons for this phenomena, but none have been able to conclusively find a physiologic, biologic or psychological reason behind them. All of the theories have not held up.

Saying that this book does not provide proof of an afterlife, is like saying that you don't believe that there are other forms of life beyond planet Earth because there is no proof. In both cases, I think what it boils down to is looking at the extensive evidence being presented and making up your own mind. If you look out at the night sky and see thousands of stars and planets, is it conceivable that only planet Earth has life on it? Well, depends on what you want to believe. Is there a God? Many people believe so, but then, there is no concrete proof either. Did Jesus walk the Earth? Maybe, maybe not. There's no proof--no photos, videos, recordings....but many people believe in him and his message.

So likewise, this book is offering up further information about an afterlife. The people who have NDEs are the closest we have so far, to someone who dies and then returns, and to tell about the experience.

The book was great. I chose regular shipping and it took almost 4 weeks to get it. Not the fault of anyone but the US postal service. I called them and they told me it was sitting in a warehouse in Memphis and they didn't have to put in on the truck until they got the space............really, it is a book! The folks I bought it from had it in the mail the next day and that is really what this review is all about. Their service couldn't have been any quicker.

Very good service, quick turn around. The book is the best I have read about this subject.

Received the book. Purchased for mom, she is the one reading it. Thank You.