Maryanne R. (hypatiascorner) reviewed on 7/21/2010 + 9 more book reviews

I bought this book because I had been reading the studies that Dr. Raymond Moody had been conducting of near-death experience, and have grown to greatly admire him for his courage, scientific discernment and honesty.

This is an account of Dannion Brinkley, who survived a lightning strike that shot down into his home's telephone wires and into a receiver as he was having a conversation. I'm not sure if Dannion actually wrote the book himself, but the accounts are folksy and chatty, so it's probably only edited by Paul Perry. Dr. Moody wrote a few pages of commentary. I would guess that the film, "Phenomenon" is very loosely based on Dannion's story, only much more highly romanticized. Dannion's story is heart-breaking and gruesome, but, surprisingly, he has you laughing all the way through the book.

I don't dispute that because of an accident that caused Dannion to be dead for close to 25 minutes, he would develop unused and fascinating talents. But, a lot of the ideas are familiar and not extraordinarily novel. The biggest leap for him personally was a total 180 in Dannion learning about compassion and, apparently, gifts of precognition.

It's a great book to read if you want a fascinating journey through a candid story about a riveting paranormal account, and not bothered by the fact that Dannion will make you laugh about stuff you "shouldn't laugh" about.

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