Religious or not, most people have contemplated what happens after death. One particularly common question: is the afterlife a fantasy concocted to give us hope that the end of earthly life is not the end of our story? Garlow (Cracking Da Vinci's Code)
a pastor, and Wall, a writer and editor, are certain there is an afterlife. They draw upon scientific studies of near-death experiences, biblical scholarship and personal anecdotes to make their case. At times their project appears objective and scholarly, drawing upon the likes of Kübler-Ross and her seminal work on death and dying. But it also uses literalist interpretations of Christian scripture that, unsurprisingly, prove that anyone who does not accept Jesus had better invest in a flame-retardant suit for the afterlife. The authors' attempt to describe what heaven is actually like seems arbitrary—there is music but no sex or marriage—and based on debatable exegetical premises. The most compelling passages are those that comment on how the living deal with the death of loved ones. These sections could give hope to readers suffering from personal loss. (July)
