The purpose of “The After Death Experience,” Ian Wilson explained in his book’s Introduction, is to explore two central questions: If we know so little about the nature of our consciousness, how can we be certain that it does not survive our physical death? And, since nothing in physical nature stops existing but simply changes into another form, either as inanimate matter or pure energy, is it not reasonable to apply this principle to our consciousness, our spirits, or our souls once our bodies die?

We learn about a girl who was found “dead” by her physician father, who was able to resuscitate her and to bring her back to life. Describing her experience, the girl said she had traveled to a beautiful garden where she was greeted by a kind old man who asked her if she wanted to stay or go back. She said, “I think Mummy and Daddy would be very sad if I didn’t go back, so I think I’d really like to go back.” But she spent some time with the old man before being sent home.

Several months later, some visiting relatives brought a photograph album. Looking at one of the pictures, the girl exclaimed, “Oh look, that’s the old gentleman I met up with in the garden.” She learned that he was her great-grandfather, who died long before her birth. She had never seen a picture of him prior to looking at the photograph album.

The late Pope Paul VI had a bedside alarm clock that, for 55 years, the Pope insisted on taking with him wherever he traveled. It was never known to be fast or slow and was always set by him to ring........

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