Synopses & Reviews
What is the likeliest cause of death? What were the worst killers of the past? What happens to the body as it dies? And what can we look forward to after that? Herbie Brennan examines these questions and many others in a beguiling book drawn from all parts of the globe, and all the sands of time. Physical science, psychical science, religion, and folklore combine in an engaging study whose profound insights make deaths sting a bit less pointed. Readers are guided through the biology of death from such causes as heart attack, the bubonic plague, Ebola, and warfare to the physical symptoms that occur as one passes from living body to decomposing corpse. Brennan examines the ongoing scientific search into ways to cheat death, from cryonics to cloning to rebuilding life atom by atom in the future. Next comes the tricky partwhat happens to the soul? Beliefs about the afterlife, heaven and hell, and reincarnation are all considered. Brennan also scours the records of scientific inquiry into the body-soul divide for evidence that supports and refutes the souls survival post mortem. From spectral manifestationsvisual and auditorythrough mediums, radio transmissions that give voice to the departed, and out-of-body experiences, these stories provide tantalizing pathways for further inquiry. Last, this book takes us as near to the final conclusion as mankind has ever recorded, through near-death experiences. With this book that answers our most troubling questions about death, readers will be less fearful of the big sleep, and will wake up to eternal liberation.
Synopsis
From the burial rites of the earliest humans to the current price of freezing one's dead body, this engaging study confronts the mystery of death, leaving no question unanswered. In Death, Herbie Brennan dissects the biological processes by which people die, delving into the history of plagues, wars, and natural disasters. This fearless exploration also goes beyond the moment of physical death to unravel the mysteries of the afterlife, with chapters on ghosts and near-death experiences. Clear and informative, this book presents a wide array of research, inviting readers to learn the likely causes of death and telling them what to expect in the process. Brennan turns the most frightening concepts into comforting revelations and devotes a good portion of the book to "the good news"the history of the afterlife, the tranquillity of near-death experiences, and how scientific advances are increasing our chances of cheating death. Traveling the world, Brennan reveals the surprising similarities and differences in cultural manifestations of this universal concept. Brennan also explores out-of-body experiences, documented radio communication with the deceased, and telepathy. The result is a comprehensive account from multiple perspectives that is captivating, mysterious, and wonderfully reassuring about this most feared of human experiences.