Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife is a followup to Roach's fascinating book Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, which looked at what happens to bodies after death (including embalming, plastination, funeral practices and other interesting aspects). In Spooks she explores the question of life after death, from a history of the search for a soul (the impact of wishful thinking on scientific studies of sperm with microscopes, weighing dying bodies of people and animals to determine the weight of the soul), to the mid-nineteenth century ectoplasm hoaxes and claims by mediums, through to modern investigations into possible hallucinatory effects of electromagnetic fields, possible explanations for hauntings, and rigorous (in the academic sense) examination of near-death experiences (NDE's).
Roach has a fantastic writing style - well informed but accessible, and unexpectedly funny (particularly in her footnotes); on several occasions I actually laughed aloud, often to the consternation of fellow public transport users. For example, in the chapter on NDE's Roach says in the text that survivors often report having been met by deceased friends or family. The footnote reads:
Or occasionally, ex-husbands. A celebrity website reports that Elizabeth Taylor saw Mike Todd during her near-death experience. "He pushed me back to my life," she is quoted as saying. Whether this was done for her benefit or his is not clear. (p. 247)
This is a brilliant, interesting and informative work - I aspire to write as well as Roach. - Alex
To read Lynn's review of this book, click here
No comments:
Post a Comment