Customer Reviews
nice idea, possibly unwriteable - By: T. Rowe, 19 Jun 2007 
I was prepared to stretch my credulity considering this was a book written in the mid 1970s & there was plenty of off wack new age stuff floating around at that time. However, I cannot forgive some of the stiled & cringemaking writing inside it. It's a reallly nice idea, it's fairly well constructed, but I get the impression that Mr Matheson ran out of ideas or steam or something & ended up taking the focus away from the very thing that made me pick the book up in the first place.
It's not Shakespeare, or if it is, then it's cymbeline.
A book that should be read by everyone - By: magic1@btinternet.com, 28 Aug 2001 
This book is the best I have ever read. It is a journal dictated to a medium by a man who has died. It tells of what lies beyond death. It reads like reality & not fiction & one feels uplifted & hopeful after reading it (which is surprising as it is simply a work of fiction). However it was thoroughly researched & the author has drawn from near death experiences, the amount of research shows & the eternal nature of the human soul shine through & make one feel alive. It will also make you examine your life in the here & now & wonder which of your actions will follow you through to the next life & which are superfluous. An amazing read. RUN out & buy it!
The most thought provoking, evocative novel ever. - By: G. M. Ranson, 15 Jul 2001 I read this book with great regularity - as a hospice nurse, having spiritual views can help enormously to cope with death & dying on a daily basis. Whilst it is, indeed, fictional the expansive list of references included demonstrates the amount of research conducted by Mr Matheson. Most of the references are non-fictional studies into near-death experiences. I would urge readers who enjoy this story to take a look at work by Raymond Moody & George Ritchie. The story is alll-absorbing - one feels acquainted with Chris Neilson (the dead guy) & desperate for him to find peace. The description of 'Summerland' is fantastic, reassuring (especiallly if you've been bereaved)and very convincing. It's hard to remember this is a novel not an eye witness account. The film adaptation was a travesty - this book is ahead of its time & an absolute gem.
Fantastic Book Brings Reading Alive! - By: yikeswebsite@hotmail.com, 22 Aug 2000 I loved this book. Right from the start, it whisks you right into its brilliantly conceived plot & Richard Matheson's brilliant descriptions of the beautiful afterlife are truly marvellous. I am 16 years old & part of a new generation that seems to be more partial to television shows with violence & films with the word 'Destruction' in the tagline. But this brilliant book has brought reading alive for at least one of the new generation. Me. It carefully balances sentiment with horror & at certain points throughout the story I was actuallly worrying so much for the main characters. Although they are ficticious, I feel like they are brilliant people who reallly do exist. The film was the same as the book, & yet so different - those of you who have read the book & seen the film will agree. I watched the film first & reading the book second has proved to be a great idea. I wonder is there may be a sequel to when Chris finds Annie? I hope so. I read every word on every page of this book like a hawk in three days I was so impressed by it. I think you will be too.
Affirming my own beliefs - By: , 29 Nov 1999 What a great book, having seen the film with my husband, (my very own lost love) I had to read the book, & loved every page of it. I have been a spiritualist for seven years & alll my beliefs were affirmed in this one book.
