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)

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.

Wonderful NDE story

I enjoyed this book very much. I love that the author narrates! That makes the book much more enjoyable for me! I highly recommend reading/listening!

Too Much Information for the Average Reader

It is my belief that Dr. Alexander most certainly did experience a Near-Death Experience and that he did, indeed, journey to and spend time in the place we call Heaven. He felt the Love of God and the Wonders there in Heaven far beyond anything our human minds could even remotely begin to comprehend. There were, however, things he described that I could not agree with or relate to at all. Dr. Alexander referred to God as "Ahm" which reminds me of a New Age Mantra. He speaks of Reincarnation, Karma and New Age thinking as all part of the experience to knowing the true Love of God. For me personally, as a Born-Again Christian, I simply cannot relate to any of these ideas as they do not fit in with The Word of God. I felt that Dr. Alexander spent way too much time expounding on things which are just way too complicated for the average reader to grasp. The last couple of hours of the book was much too laborious and just plain exhausting to listen to. My mind was so "numb" by the time I finished the book due to the never ending Medical diatribe shared to us by Dr. Alexander. If you have a Medical background, you could relate. However, for the rest of us, we are hopelessly lost ...

A wonderful testimony to the spiritual world

I really enjoyed the book and Dr. Alexander's efforts to explain his experience into the spiritual world from his near death experience and also explain how from a neuroscientist's viewpoint, the experience could only be explained as beyond science and the physical world. What Dr. Alexander described as the spirit world and lessons/messages he gave in the book closely align with my faith in the Unification Church. I hope Dr. Alexander explored the teachings of Reverend Sun Myung Moon and his wife, as their understanding of the spirit world, the purpose of creation, and the nature of God being in essence love match Dr. Alexander's message.

Empowering!

I personally rate this book in my top 5 all time favorites. For me it taps into the ever-pervading
question of the afterlife and who and what we are! I appreciate this book greatly!

eye opener

super loved this book, and i highly recommend it. Best read with an open mind.

It's not selling religion or mystical concepts.

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

What I liked most about this book was how the author remained objective and explained from the scientific, yet personal point of view, why he thinks that human consciousness exceeds this one lifetime.

Who was your favorite character and why?

This is an autobiography, but the family members are also involved.

Which scene was your favorite?

I didn't know about the "re-entry" process that people who have been in a coma might have to deal with. It isn't my "favorite" scene, but one that I wasn't expecting.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Not what the title says. This isn't a "heaven" factored story, it is a NDE, or near death experience biography told in a straightforward manner.