REVIEW: PROOF OF HEAVEN BY EBEN ALEXANDER M.D.

Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander M.D.
Kindle edition


I originally heard of this book when I saw an interview with Dr. Alexander on 20/20 a month or two ago. (Se below for segment)  I PVR'd it so I could show my family, and they were equally blown away with what they heard.  First of all, the fact that this guy is a neurosurgeon almost immediately makes you want to believe him.  Rooted in science, he is forced to his knees by a bizarre meningitis infection that leaves him in a coma for 7 days.  What followed was a proverbial trip down the rabbit hole.

What I loved about this book is that it was written within the experience he was having AND cutting to stuff that was happening in the hospital with the people around him at the same time.  This became important later when as people were praying for him or mediums were attempting to contact him, there seemed to be a definite affect within the "spirit world" at these times.  The only thing that got on my nerves slightly, was the way he very intentionally ended chapters, with a "cliff hanger" of sorts.  This technique is awesome when it works, but when it is done over and over again through out a book, it becomes predictable and tiresome.

His description, however, of the various stages of "heaven" or the Earth Worm's Eye View and The Core, as he calls them, resembles other claims of near death tales.  But it was his initial journey that had me going, "WOW. This sounds familiar, yet I have never ever heard anyone describe this before!"  It was weird.  But in a cool way.  Like that he actually was describing a "place" that we have all been, and will return, and that is why it was so familiar to me in a very hard-to-explain kind of way.

All in all, a good solid read, definitely a conversation and/or debate starter.  Dr. Alexander was not a man of faith before his coma, but his proclamations after he woke up are very powerful, and considering the man is a surgeon who is still working, it's not like he needs the money from the sales of his book.  Or at least, I don't think he does, but who knows!

It's a fast read, which will have you, at the very least, say, "Hmm."

RATING:  4/5