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)

A Marriage of Faith and Science

What did you love best about Proof of Heaven?

Dr. Alexander's desire to share his most intimate thoughts about his life experiences.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Proof of Heaven?

When he spoke of the realization that it was his sister who spoke to him from the wings of a butterfly.

Have you listened to any of Eben Alexander’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Throughout the book Dr. Alexander communicated a sense of mission and purpose; to share his near death experience with others so that they might find hope in this life and love in the afterlife.

Any additional comments?

One does not have to agree with the author's theological conclusions in this book to make the reading/listening of it be meaningful. It is a rare quality to "see" such conviction on the subject matter presented in such a personal, yet scientific way; AND written with a great deal of love. Great book. Thank you Dr. Alexander. Keep on keeping on. :-)

Confirmation

I’ve always believed in after life and Heaven
I’m aware many people don’t but I love the fact that a scientist/Dr has now first hand knowledge of what the Bible and Jesus proclaimed all along. Great read and very well written

Hope

Hope is was I seek in my life change. Maybe this book is part of that and I will read this more than once

Wanted to hear more experience

I did not need a proof
I wanted to hear more stories about the other side

Not enough detail about the afterlife

The book was very interesting but I didn’t feel it went deeply enough into what he saw on the other side.

This Book Will Challenge Non-Believers

I spend most of my Audible "reading" on business books, but bought this book because the story sounded so interesting. This book is very compelling. The author, an accomplished neurosurgeon who was a committed scientist and religious skeptic (if not an outright non-believer) before he went into a coma that should have killled him or left him hopelessly brain damaged, made a miraculous recovery. That alone would be an interesting story, but Dr. Alexander absolutely believes that he visited heaven during his near death experience.

Dr. Alexander's prior skepticism, when combined with his scientific analysis of why what happened to him could not have been produced by his brain, makes his story extremely compelling, and, for some, will probably be life changing. The book has certainly caused me to examine my own beliefs, and has also added some comfort to my belief that there has to be something out there more than the day to day linear existence of our life on this small planet. At the same time, Dr. Alexander's story also makes you thankful for your life and blessings here on earth.

If you are buying this book because you expect a detailed description of heaven, you should know that it is a small part of a pretty short book. The book is as much about Dr. Alexander's life and family and his struggle to deal with the fact he was given up by his birth family and adopted as it is about his experience while in coma.

I do not want to say much more because I feel it will be spoiling the reader's experience. Read this book. It may change your life.

By the way, it turns out the doc is a pretty good narrator, too!

Captivated

If you could sum up Proof of Heaven in three words, what would they be?

Comforting, moving, inspiring

Who was your favorite character and why?

The author as he came from a scientific background and was able to find a bridge between science and spirituality that makes sense.

Which character – as performed by Eben Alexander – was your favorite?

Eben himself, as he as the main person everything was happening to.

If you could give Proof of Heaven a new subtitle, what would it be?

There is an afterlife, and so much more beyond that!

Any additional comments?

His voice is easy to listen to. His story is compelling. I've heard so much about this book and all the positive reviews were correct, from my perspective. Whether you believe his conclusions or not, his experience is his and his alone and there is no question that the actual medical situation was real and the fact that he survived at all is in and of itself a medical miracle. If nothing else, it is inspiring to hear a story where someone was on the brink of death and miraculously survived. Those are the stories that give all of us a little faith that if a circumstance that looks hopeless happens, maybe just maybe we or our loved one, will be given a second chance and if you believe his conclusion, even if there isn't a second chance, the beyond is not to be feared. Everyone should be able to take something positive away from this story.

Very enlightening and near to my heart

If you could sum up Proof of Heaven in three words, what would they be?

Truthfully Raw and educational...........never a dull moment!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Proof of Heaven?

When Eban is relating his experience to his colege and it hit home that he was not alone in this experience of trying to decide who he could trust with this precious news.

Which scene was your favorite?

When his youngest son was with him just before he awoke from his coma saying "everything will be ok"

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

I would have had I had the time. I did listen in 4 sittings.

Any additional comments?

I would recomend this book to anyone in the field of medicine.

This skeptical believer found it convincing.

What made the experience of listening to Proof of Heaven the most enjoyable?

I always enjoy for the most part hearing the author's own words as it tells me sometimes what is important to the author and helps me determine the authenticity of the work. I felt a sense of wonder from Alexander in his retelling and an authenticity to his experience.I am a believer but a skeptical one of the the other side. Alexander had everything to lose writing such a book and I suspect his professional stature has been battered with this retelling of his experiences. When someone puts his/her reputation on the line, when someone challenges his/her own accepted beliefs, when someone steps outside of his/her own comfort zone and risks ridicule and rejection, it lends credence for me to the telling of their "truth". Eban Alexander does all of these here.The story is an easy listen and at times seems almost magical in its retelling but then would not a visit to the "other side" be magical to anyone? I enjoyed the book and it further enhanced my efforts to explore this "other side", its existence and its experiences. I found a certain synchroncity with other NDE experiences but again it had surprises.

This book does not answer all your questions; but it does offer a glimpse of his experiences and creates even more questions, at least for me, to explore.I highly recommend it.

A Book For Everyone

I couldn't wait to get to the next chapter. This book was well written and entertaining.