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)

Positive Feelings

What did you love best about Proof of Heaven?

It accomplished a feeling that anything is possible and God is waiting.

What other book might you compare Proof of Heaven to and why?

Near death experience books.

What about Eben Alexander’s performance did you like?

His story was well told.

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

Yes, it made me feel wonderful. Powerful. Positive.

Any additional comments?

Faith restored.

I have throughly enjoyed this book!

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

The author/narrator is so earnest and spell binding. I have really enjoyed his account.

I remember.

I appreciate your courage in sharing your experience. It helped me remember who I am.

Not just another NDE memoir

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

I buy audiobooks so I can listen to them in the car on long trips. This was the first audiobook engrossing enough for me not to be able to limit it to car trips. I listened to it inside my home, and that's saying something. It makes me want to own the printed book, however, because there were so many things I wanted to underline and dogear for future reference.

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

Alexander tells us how we can attain the realms he reached (albeit probably not as perfectly) through meditation and prayer.

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

This question is not relative to a nonfiction memoir.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

That the brain is not the end all. That science is limited, a kind of ideology that precludes our understanding anything beyond our own perceptions. That something of us is eternal, and that even in that higher realm, our earthly family is important.

Any additional comments?

The author, Eben Alexander, does not explicitly state this, but I believe he was chosen to experience the "after-death" realm so he could return and share his story with us. Though he states more than once how difficult it is to translate what he saw and learned into the language and perceptions of mere mortals, he has done a spectacular job trying. I have read many NDE memoirs and this one has to stand as the most credible.

Coping

What did you love best about Proof of Heaven?
The imagery created by the author's words.

What did you like best about this story?
It gave me hope.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
I was moved by the his description and/or lack of a description of God.

Any additional comments?
I bought this book a long time ago, but I never read it. My nephew was killed when he was struck by a car as he crossed the street. Prior to his death so many things were starting to go his way and he was so happy. He had a hard life and I was so excited for him. He was about to start his own business and he was ready to take on the world. Then, like that, it was over. It still doesn't seem real. I decided to download the audible version of this book and I listened to it as I drove home from Georgia. I'm a Christian and I believe in Heaven. But, this book made the tragedy of losing him in such a violent manner a little more bearable. Hearing the author explain the "love" available in Heaven made it more real than I ever imagined and that's all I want for my nephew...peace and love. I'm grateful for the imagery of Heaven. Prior to leaving for the funeral all I could imagine was my nephew's final moments. Listening to the book helped replace those images with images of his spirit soaring through Heaven learning and experiencing real love on a level I can't fully understand yet.

In His Own Words

What did you love best about Proof of Heaven?

I don't know that I would have had the same reactions to the book if I read it. The author narrates the book, and there is magic in the narration. Because he is telling his own story, in his own words, the story becomes so real,so believable, and so poignant. After listening to audiobook, you KNOW this happened.

What I needed to hear

This was a book that was recommended to me after my 42 year old husband died suddenly and unexpectedly 2 months ago. Over the past few years, I have been struggling with faith- and anything outside of being 100% proven. As a physician myself, my scientific mind, needed concrete evidence... Up until reading this book and hearing Dr. Alexander's experience- nothing gave me what I was looking for. Although my grief continues and will continue for the rest of my earthly life as i miss my dear husband and father to my 4 young children, I now believe that his physical body is no longer with us but his spiritual presence is still all around us. It provides me the comfort that I have been searching for. Thank you for sharing your story.

Worth the time, some exceptions about delivery.

Would you listen to Proof of Heaven again? Why?

There was some very good information in this book and I would review it without exception, if I had more time. I'll keep it in my library to listen again someday.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Dr. Alexander's personal story was compelling. His experience was interesting and I wish he would have found a way to go into more detail. However words are limiting.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene is when he identified the girl he had encountered.

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

I would have preferred to listen to this in one setting, but I don't have 6+ hours do so so. It might have flowed a bit better.

Any additional comments?

The book seemed to jump around a bit in terms of past, present, and his experience in heaven. Sometimes when I went back to it, I thought I might have missed something because of this. The flow was a wee bit off.

In addition, there were comments that might have "politicized" spirituality. I listen to these books to remove myself from government garbage and propaganda. Climate change, global warming, devastating problems of today, etc is nonsense. Humans have it better than they ever have on earth. Global warming is so inaccurate they've had to change the name of their propaganda three times since the 1970s.

I understand why Christians might take issue with this because it seemed to me that he had a bone to pick with that religion. Frequently he put it low on the list of ideologies, in a political correct way. He could call God "Bob" for all I care. I'm not so attached to Christian ideology as some people. Yet I don't change facts to fit my narrative. Dr. Alexander was easy to spot as a progressive with very limited understanding of history or science outside of his field. Christianity is the first religion that abolished slavery and stopped treating women as livestock,

I'm not questioning his experience and I am sincerely grateful that he shared it.

I hesitate to read his second book because I don't care to listen to or support someone with such strong ideology that it sweeps through the pages of a book on spirituality. When left or right political propaganda makes its way into the pages of a book about life, death and heaven I start questioning the writer. I've watched many videos with Dr. Alexander and he came locally to speak, which I attended. This is why I purchased the book. The same things I take issue with in the book are presented in his speeches, but when it's free, it's not worth mentioning. When I have to pay for it, it's another story completely.

Excellent treatment of difficult subject

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

Too see and hear of the conversion of this talented, experienced scientist and his detailed description of his experience. He will have an uphill task to convince other medical men of its validity.

What about Eben Alexander’s performance did you like?

Intelligent reader, pleasant voice, earnest performance

Falls short

What did you love best about Proof of Heaven?

The author's desire to pass on to man his knowledge and assurance that heaven was real and there was an afterlife was very believable. This definitely was the purpose of the book and it will give comfort to those who are not sure. His experience though still leaves open questions.

Would you be willing to try another book from Eben Alexander? Why or why not?

Maybe....I am not sure he has more to impart. This book seems to have told the story in enough detail I doubt if he will write another.

Which scene was your favorite?

The point when he realizes the girl on the butterfly was his sister.

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

Too detailed to keep up focus for a one sitting book.

Any additional comments?

I think the author tries to rationalize something that man has tried to do for eons....an afterlife. I have read many books on NDE and his attempt to put it in scientific terms somewhat turned me off; not to his story but to his trying to apply humanistic principles to it. It is what it is. I know he is a scientist and his brain is trained to analyze everything that comes his way but adding dimensions to consciousness is probably a way to put reality in the discussion did not reconcile with my simple faith and hope.The fact that he did not actually see God, or whatever he calls Him, gets me to thinking that he may have been in what we Catholics call Purgatory. Some theory's of Hell is the absence of God, whereas Purgatory is not quite the absence but not quite his presence. Him being an Episcopalian I would have thought it may have entered into his thoughts. I still have an hour left so it may have. What he termed as the gateway may be Purgatory. All in all I liked the book.