Proof of Heaven

A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife

By: Eben Alexander

Narrated by: Eben Alexander

Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

The #1 New York Times bestselling account of a neurosurgeon's own near-death experience—for fans of 7 Lessons from Heaven.

Thousands of people have had near-death experiences, but scientists have argued that they are impossible. Dr. Eben Alexander was one of those scientists. A highly trained neurosurgeon, Alexander knew that NDEs feel real, but are simply fantasies produced by brains under extreme stress.

Then, Dr. Alexander’s own brain was attacked by a rare illness. The part of the brain that controls thought and emotion—and in essence makes us human—shut down completely. For seven days he lay in a coma. Then, as his doctors considered stopping treatment, Alexander’s eyes popped open. He had come back.

Alexander’s recovery is a medical miracle. But the real miracle of his story lies elsewhere. While his body lay in coma, Alexander journeyed beyond this world and encountered an angelic being who guided him into the deepest realms of super-physical existence. There he met, and spoke with, the Divine source of the universe itself.

Alexander’s story is not a fantasy. Before he underwent his journey, he could not reconcile his knowledge of neuroscience with any belief in heaven, God, or the soul. Today Alexander is a doctor who believes that true health can be achieved only when we realize that God and the soul are real and that death is not the end of personal existence but only a transition.

This story would be remarkable no matter who it happened to. That it happened to Dr. Alexander makes it revolutionary. No scientist or person of faith will be able to ignore it. Listening to it will change your life.

©2012 Eben Alexander (P)2012 Simon & Schuster, Inc

Critic reviews

"Dr. Eben Alexander's near-death experience is the most astounding I have heard in more than four decades of studying this phenomenon. In my opinion, Dr Alexander is living proof of an afterlife." (Raymond Moody, MD, PhD, author of Life Beyond Life)

"Eben Alexander brings a unique perspective to the sacred world combining a glorious, personal vision of spiritual consciousness with patient, insightful scientific inquiry. Proof of Heaven is a compelling story of what may lie ahead for all of us in the life beyond this one. We have nothing to fear." (Allan J. Hamilton, MD, FACS, author of The Scalpel and the Soul and Zen Mind, Zen Horse)

"I can highly recommend this important book that has the potential to break many scientific taboos." (Dr. Pim van Lommel, cardiologist, author of Consciousness Beyond Life: The Science of the Near-Death Experience)

The title says it all - Proof of Heaven

Well written, scientific, an excellent listen for anyone but especially those who are analytical thinkers. Jennifer

what a journey

what a profound and beautiful experience, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to every minute of it.

A Thought-Provoking Tale with a Resonating Message

Overall, I thought this audiobook was a good listen. (I always prefer those read by the author, so it had that going for it right from the start.) The subject matter of the story really captured my interest, so I was eager to get started. I though Dr. Alexander did a nice job building up to his time in coma, neither belaboring nor rushing the story. As a professional in his field, I also thought he did a commendable job keeping the language and explanations of the medical aspects of the book in terms the average person could understand. While I certainly understand a near-death experience (NDE) must be a terribly difficult thing to try and describe, there were times I found these portions of the story a bit difficult to follow. On the whole though, I thought the story was excellent, and I was moved by Dr. Alexander’s experiences and the central message—that we are loved—he conveyed in this work.

Money/Faith intersection: always a tricky place.

Because I am a believer who reads a lot, I am skeptical of this book. That is, while I believe in Jesus Christ and the afterlife, I have grown wary of anything FOR SALE that claims some authority or firsthand experience with God. Publishers know there is always a segment of the market that will buy a book like this, and with a brain-surgeon author, the book will sell. Make no mistake, that is always a primary consideration of a publisher; it has to be. Question: If Dr. Alexander's auto mechanic or gardener experienced what Dr Alexander did, would any publisher invest the capitol to publish and promote the story? Answer: Of course not! What I am saying is that one cannot trust anything where the spiritual/religious intersects with the desire to make money. The kicker for me is that this story and the story told by Todd Burpo in his book about his son's experience, HEAVEN IS FOR REAL have the same sort of verifying element: Both people bring back from their NDE the knowledge of someone they never saw in real life who actually existed, and they recognized that fact upon their return. Add to that the intensely popular and therefore requisite but questionable idea of "unconditional love," and you have a recipe for success with the mainstream religious mind. I read or listened to both books but I can tell you that neither of them impressed me as being true evidence for the afterlife. If one would seek evidence for such, one person's story is as good as another's and testimonies of spiritual experiences can be found from other people in other place. We put a lot more weight on books and that is what enables money to be made when credible people tell incredible stories. This book and the other one I've mentioned will go the way of all books of this stripe: Soon forgotten. But in ten or twenty years something similar will hit the market to gather the dollars of a new generation of people hungry for what the story offers. Even if Dr. Alexander's account proves to be entirely true, everything I have said here still applies.

Wow

Would you listen to Proof of Heaven again? Why?

I will listen to this again just to re-capture the feeling the author explained about his experience.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

I liked it when he could explain away the other surgeon's reasons for what happened to him.

Which scene was your favorite?

I liked his description of going in and out of different levels of heaven.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Gave me goose bumps and of course cried at different parts.

Any additional comments?

Was nice that it was read by the author for effect, but thought there could have been a little more emotion in the reading.

Still agnostic but good story

This was a pretty good book. Lots of technical information and emotional stuff. Loved the message and the hope it gives me and others.

Excellent in Every Category. Fascinating Story

Where does Proof of Heaven rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It would rank in the top 5 for sure.

What did you like best about this story?

The reason I loved this story is because the chapter in which he begins to realize something is going on with his health and it progresses at such a rapid pace, is almost the exact scenario I experienced when I had a health scare. The medical symptoms and terminology he uses in the story that lead up to him on his deathbed in the hospital was eerily the same experience I had. Of course, the similarities end there, but his story continues to unfold in such a fascinating, well-told story from then on. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire book.

What about Eben Alexander’s performance did you like?

A high quality performance.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not necessarily/

Any additional comments?

If your a skeptic, it's food for thought. If you are a believer it's just another confirmation that there is life after death and your loved ones are never very far from you.

Life Changing and Faith Building

It explained, expanded and restores faith. I am eternally grateful. Going to read other books he has written.

Loved his descriptive ability.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

His obvious search for the best words to describe this sensation which had so much emotion tied to it was, I felt, in the end successful and kept me wanting to hear more.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I was alway looking for a spare moment to continue to story.

Any additional comments?

I think the science, for me, made this a more interesting story, and really made me consider the author's viewpoint as a real possibility.
Very interesting and well put together story.

Amazing memoir on the spirit from a scientist

Another in the list of there really IS something beyond death...noteworthy because of the author's education and experience in dealing with the transition from life to after-life.
Believers will be comforted, non-believers will seek to discredit the author's account and/or experience and conclusions. A gentle listen on a fascinating subject.