Starred review from September 11, 2006
In India death is perceived very differently than in the West, "as a brief stopping point on an endless soul journey," says Chopra in this introduction to life beyond bodily existence. Chopra, a medical doctor and world leader in mind-body medicine as well as author of more than 45 books, now ventures to answer: what happens after we die? For Chopra, death deserves to be called miraculous, a "doorway to a far more important event—the beginning of the afterlife" and a mode of being that "can be as creative as living." Chopra effectively uses the classic Vedanta story of Savitri—a woman who comes home to find death, Lord Yama, waiting to take her husband, and who seeks the monk Ramana's advice to outwit death—to frame each chapter. Chopra grounds each topic in the long arc of this singular story, which is the perfect springboard for Chopra to introduce concepts such as Akasha (the highest stage a soul can attain) and Eternity within the Indian tradition (where we are beyond death, life, maleness, femaleness, and the experience of time). Chopra presents a fascinating account of life after death for Westerners that will certainly please his avid fans and draw in new readers as well.
October 1, 2006
Chopra has good claim to be one of the most popular writers on spiritual subjects in our time, and his popularity has not been hurt by his productivity. His retranslation of a few portions of the Indian erotic manual The Kama Sutra, produced in collaboration with many unnamed Indian artists and the comic book division of Virgin, makes a coffee-table book out of the once under-the-mattress substance of the ancient writings. Nothing in Chopra's version would shock a modestly experienced auntie, and, in fact, the whole proceeding is very tame by MTV and Girls Gone Wild standards.
Much more important is Chopra's thoughtful book on death and the afterlife, which ingeniously attempts to reconcile several faith traditions and certain modern scientific insights to show us that death is a necessary part of our cycle and that the disposition of our souls is driven by our own choices. Both books are recommended for most collections. [Life After Death was previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/06.]
Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.