A bright, passionate journey through murky waters.
A renowned psychiatrist chronicles decades of scientific study of near-death experiences.
Greyson, a professor emeritus of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, draws on a lifetime of direct, evidence-based investigation into NDEs. As such, he offers a highly knowledgeable, well-contextualized inquiry. He is not here to convert but to present his findings along with a variety of insights and themes. He recounts his earliest introduction to NDEs and how he assembled the raw data into hypotheses and discusses the tricky application of practical research questions and protocols to such an amorphous, slippery concept. Greyson presents dozens of illustrative stories—much of the book’s pleasure derives from the author’s concise yet descriptive storytelling—and then tallies a number of distinctive qualities. For example, NDEs are common, typically lead to profound aftereffects (their transformative power is mostly, but not always, positive), reduce fear of death, and amplify one’s focus on living in the moment. Of paramount interest to Greyson is the information that NDEs provide regarding the mind-body problem and “the question of whether our consciousness might be able to continue beyond death.” Ever the scientist, the author is quick to situate his findings as “repeated assessments by experiencers and other researchers” aided by “statistical analyses.” Greyson’s enthusiasm is palpable, but he is always grounded in scientific observation, making conclusions based on where the research leads. “NDEs may be triggered by electrical or chemical changes in the brain that permit the mind to experience separating from the body at the moment of death,” he writes. “There is no inherent conflict between a physical and nonphysical understanding of NDEs….It’s like saying my desk is mahogany—a physical description—and that my desk is a legacy from my grandfather—a nonphysical one. They are both correct, but neither by itself gives a complete description of the desk.”
A bright, passionate journey through murky waters.Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26303-2
Page Count: 272
Publisher: St. Martin's Essentials
Review Posted Online: Dec. 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An incisive, urgently relevant analysis of—and call to action on—America’s foundational ideal.
An examination of how the U.S. can revitalize its commitment to freedom.
In this ambitious study, Snyder, author of On Tyranny, The Road to Unfreedom, and other books, explores how American freedom might be reconceived not simply in negative terms—as freedom from coercion, especially by the state—but positive ones: the freedom to develop our human potential within sustaining communal structures. The author blends extensive personal reflections on his own evolving understanding of liberty with definitions of the concept by a range of philosophers, historians, politicians, and social activists. Americans, he explains, often wrongly assume that freedom simply means the removal of some barrier: “An individual is free, we think, when the government is out of the way. Negative freedom is our common sense.” In his careful and impassioned description of the profound implications of this conceptual limitation, Snyder provides a compelling account of the circumstances necessary for the realization of positive freedom, along with a set of detailed recommendations for specific sociopolitical reforms and policy initiatives. “We have to see freedom as positive, as beginning from virtues, as shared among people, and as built into institutions,” he writes. The author argues that it’s absurd to think of government as the enemy of freedom; instead, we ought to reimagine how a strong government might focus on creating the appropriate conditions for human flourishing and genuine liberty. Another essential and overlooked element of freedom is the fostering of a culture of solidarity, in which an awareness of and concern for the disadvantaged becomes a guiding virtue. Particularly striking and persuasive are the sections devoted to eviscerating the false promises of libertarianism, exposing the brutal injustices of the nation’s penitentiaries, and documenting the wide-ranging pathologies that flow from a tax system favoring the ultrawealthy.
An incisive, urgently relevant analysis of—and call to action on—America’s foundational ideal.Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2024
ISBN: 9780593728727
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: June 25, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
