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)

Detailed well written recollection of NDE

Excellent read. Dr. Alexander's recollection of his NDE was very detailed. He takes you on his journey into life after death. It feels like you are there with him. I recommend this book to those, like me, who are curious about after life.

Rational analysis of a personal experience

Dr Alexander does an amazing job of presenting the scientific concepts he has had to address as a result of his near death experience in a way that his audience can understand and relate to. He records his experience thoroughly, and takes every opportunity to discuss the medicine and neuroscience involved. And most importantly, he addresses the skepticisms he himself would have had before his NDE and does so from a rational medical perspective. As a theology student I highly recommend his book for everyone interested in the NDE experience or in questions of afterlife experiences.

Should not go beyond what was revealed to him

There is much to like about this story. And as someone who firmly believes in the afterlife and is open to the reality of NDEs, I am inclined to believe much of what you he author claims to have experienced when he was in a coma for seven days. However, he loses a great deal of credibility when he moves beyond merely trying to communicate to the reader what he experienced to trying to convince us of his own “New Age” sounding theology and philosophy that goes way beyond what he directly experienced. He seems to prove the axium that “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing”. He seems to be a person who has had and continues to have a large ego and is likely very self-centered. The last section of the book that he wrote five years after the books original publication is further proof of how important he thinks he is and how far he is “out over his skis”. If humility is the greatest virtue, and pride the source of all sin, he has some personal work to do before he teaches us all of our he ultimate “truth” of all he non material world he just “discovered” nine years ago when he was in a coma for seven days.

Review of Proof of Heaven

Dr. Alexander's story is a spiritually inspired docudrama that gives us first-hand insight into a journey he was taken on by God and one of his angels. I don't think he could have done a better job of describing his emotional, turbulent account while also sharing insights and emotions experienced by his family. He describes how the experience healed his buried hurts and brought his loved ones together. Most importantly, that insight into the spiritual realm of God sealed his connection between himself and His creator making the reader completely understand what makes his so passionately compelled to want to give an understanding of that connection to others. Having experienced a very different tragedy in my life that gave me a crisis of faith- which later turned into a very beautiful and close relationship with God- I was amazed to read comments Eben took away from his experience that I thought only I had learned from God and didn't think to ever hear another person say out loud, such as "God is God but He is also human. If fact, he is more human than of any of us." This was only one of the many statements in his book that provided proof to me of the legitimacy of his story and reminded me that what I had experienced, not only really did happen, but was the most real thing I have experienced in my life. Some days, it is hard to believe that our Creator actually communicates with us and chases after us. It is so nice to hear about other people's experiences.
His story is the wildest I have ever heard- and I KNOW that every word of it is true.
It is so important for everyone who does go through something like Eben did to give their story to the world.
It helps us know we are not alone.

Inspirational

Many good books are a "once and done" type read Eben Alexander's Proof of Heaven is a book you can read over and over I've read through it at least eight or nine times just for the feeling of inspiration that it delivers and the great listen ability from the narrator Eben self.

Inspiration at it's finest

This story is inspirational in so many ways. It is told through the eyes of a former disbeliever in Christ and he explains why. The narrator is captivating and keeps ones attention, but the story and detail within are truly amazing. It should definitely be in your library. God bless and thank you so much for sharing your afterlife experience.

Credible, Insightful, In-depth Wisdom

I've never experienced an NDE, but in my effort to understand the meaning of life, I've been drawn to faith studies, quantum science, and NDEs for insight.

This book is the most complete revelation of self, world and meaning of life that I've ever read. At one level, it validates so much of what I had come to believe, but opened my mind to considering additional aspects of the universe, God and self.

Absolutely worth reading. The flow is fully engaging, the reading itself is excellent. And this is the first book I've ever read straight through the appendices.

Excellent book!

Brilliantly written. Loved it. Difficult to put down. Will hopefully give everyone who reads it the same it did me, a sense of peace and reassurance that this world isn’t all there is. God is greater than we can imagine!

If this book doesn't change your life...

If this book doesn't change your life, it will give you something to contemplate for the rest of it.

Great listen

As a former skeptic, I wonder what I would have thought of this if I’d read it sooner? My hope is I would have been open minded enough, but I doubt it.