Books on Life after Death.

Most of these books are channeled - in other words they are the words of someone who is "dead" delivered by a medium who is obviously a living mortal. There are however a few exceptions - "When Ghosts Speak" by Mary Ann Winkowski which is about her experiences with ghosts, and "My Travels in the Spirit World" by Caroline Larsen which was achieved in an out of body state by the author. J.S.M Ward also traveled out of body, but in his case, that enabled him to obtain the information from other spirits who were tasked with telling their stories. The very first book listed here, I wrote, based on many of those listed, plus the Padgett material on this site.

	Getting the Hell out of here by Geoff Cutler This is a relatively short summary of what happens after death, and owes much to the books on this list. After many years of offering it as a pdf, I have finally produced a proper book, and it is available at Lulu. This is 51 pages on the Spirit Spheres, including the Hells and the Astral Plane. This is now available in Amazon Kindle format.
	Life in the World Unseen by Anthony Borgia. It amazes me how long one can spend, interested in the things that happen after death, and still find amazing books that you somehow did not discover earlier. This has to be one of the best written, and more than adequately in depth, on the topic of what happens in the Spirit Spheres. It was first published in 1954. The spirit telling the tale in this case is an ex-cleric, Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson. In spite of his previous religious background, he tells us a tale largely devoid of religious comment, save for his indignation at what he previously believed and indeed wrote as a mortal. He does not cover topics such as Divine Love, and that is to be expected. There are a number of later books by the same duo, so I await those with interest. I have moved this almost to the top of the book list, as all it takes is 113 pages for you to know a huge amount about life in the Spirit Spheres. The topics include passing over, the magnificence of the spheres, how they move around, eating fruits, their cities and buildings. How buildings are constructed, hospitals and children. A number of topics are better covered here than anywhere else I have found, including the issue of garments, movement, and even boating. Yes boating. For those of us who like boating! This book is largely out of print, and even pdfs seem hard to come by unless you pay. So I have created a pdf and offer it here. And this is a free Kindle format. (When I have time I will improve its formatting)
	More about Life in the World Unseen by Anthony Borgia. This is a continuation of the book "Life in the World Unseen". It was first published in 1956. It is again an interesting book, particularly if you are pretty fanatical about wanting to know what happens after death. However compared with the first book, it should be said that there is a lot of repetition. There is an interesting discussion about the role, and the limitations placed on churches in the next realm.
	Here and Here After. by Anthony Borgia. This is a continuation of the book "Life in the World Unseen". It was first published in 1959. It is again an interesting book, particularly if you are pretty fanatical about wanting to know what happens after death. However compared with the first and second book, it should be said that there is a lot of repetition. One of the things that I wondered about, is that Monsignor seems not to have progressed spiritually very much in the period since his death. It is almost as if in giving up his Catholic Faith, he has decided he is not interested in God at all. (Subsequent to this comment, I have discovered a fourth book, devoted entirely to commentary on the Christian beliefs)
	Facts by Antony Borgia First published in 1946, this booklet is devoted to a criticism of the Christian religion, as seen from the spirit planes. Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson certainly demolishes much of the orthodox Christian dogma, yet fails to add such higher truths as we can learn via James Padgett, or even via the Urantia Book. Strange really, because Padgett's mediumship occurred while Benson was in the spirit world. He covers issues such as baptism, the Eucharist, the vicarious atonement, prayer, and notions of judgment, justice and mercy. A pdf is available here.
	Heaven and Earth by Antony Borgia Published in 1948 this is really not a book that simply describes life in the spirit spheres, but goes some way to try and explain their perspective on a number of issues. Robert Benson has a good turn of phrase, and eloquently makes his points. Probably the most significant of these concern folks that are "condemned to death" and end up being free to continue their mayhem from the spirit side. A pdf is available.
	Through the Mists Robert James Lees This book was recorded by James Lees in 1898, and had 20 reprints by 1952 when it went out of print. It is apparently a story related verbatim, as the spirit materialized and spoke to James Lees, who simply wrote down what he heard. This is a rather rare way of communicating, it must be said. I would rate this as one of the finest expositions of the spirit worlds, albeit that the language is perhaps too flowery for today's audience. If you put up with the slow pace, you will learn a lot about the next realm. What distinguishes this book, is that Aphraar is interested in "why" rather than simply "what", as would be the case with Robert Hugh Benson. This book covers many Spiritual Laws along the way, as the spirit tells of his first few weeks in "heaven". If you are a lover of the Bible, you may be amazed at the different turn put on many well known phrases, but if you are not a Christian, this may irritate. There is more to tell, and the sequels tell some of that, but as an introduction, it is very comprehensive. What is particularly interesting is that he also covers the sleep state - what we do in the spirit realms during sleep. I have created a pdf, so that you can enjoy this book without charge. If you would like a newly printed copy, you can get one here, as secondhand copies are scarce. This is now available as a Kindle e-book,
	The Life Elysian Robert James Lees. This is the second book in a set of three. It was initially published seven years after "Through the Mists", in 1905. I was frankly completely astounded how the material in this book aligns with that delivered by James Padgett from 1914 on. The spirit author Aphraar manages to set down many things with a clarity that is uncommon, and his grasp of spiritual principles is excellent. The book is in fact an attempt to set straight what Jesus really taught. As such it uses a large number of Bible quotations, and frequently the interpretation laid on these is both clear and novel. The book also covers a number of topics of great interest to folks, such as the issue of children lost in their early years. It is particularly good in its explanation of the purpose of the earth-bound state, as I have not previously seen that covered, and did not realise that it had a purpose. It is also very good in explaining how it is that Father helps us, when we cry out for help. There is also a fascinating glimpse of the issue of our being frequently in spirit during the sleep state, and thus being able to recognise many old friends when we finally arrive in spirit. I have created a pdf. A newly printed copy can be had here, as secondhand copies are now scarce. This is now available in Kindle e-book format at Amazon.
	The Gate of Heaven Robert James Lees I was frankly somewhat disappointed with this book, the final book in a set of three, when I first read it. Perhaps I should not have been? This book confirms the intriguing, and critically important spiritual information conveyed in both the Padgett Messages and the Urantia Book that there lies a dimension beyond the Spirit World. But I was looking for more, or to be specific, I expected it to conform to the clarity that exists in both the Padgett Messages and The Urantia Book about the "Gate of Heaven." In other words, some confirmation of how Aphraar got to that point. Some differentiation between those that pass through the Gate and those who do not. I could not initially find that, and now conclude, on a careful re-reading, that I was too harsh. I believe that Aphraar had as his mandate, the exclusive use of the Bible, and he never attempted any other source. And as a book limited to that source, it's exceptional. And yes it does its best to communicate that a rebirth by spirit is due to Father's Love. In fact he specifically links the "burning hearts" on the way to Emmaus with the rebirth by spirit. A pdf of this book is available here, and a newly printed copy is available here.
	Spirit World and Spirit Life Charlotte Elizabeth Dresser Now that I have read so much on the life after death, this is really a book I might have selected as a starter. The reason for that is I believe there is very little error in this book. And it does help if the first few books you read are accurate. This book is not one that portrays any philosophy of how the spirit world is organised. And is somewhat limited in explaining progression. But it does a really great job of trying to explain how they live, move, talk, what they do, what their houses are like, how they make music etc. The final chapter on the education of children is really good too. While we are never going to totally understand how things are in the spiritual realm until we get there, this book gets as close as any I have found. One chapter I would have initially preferred to have seen left out, and that is the one on aliens. Not that I am a disbeliever in that topic, but as presented one gets the idea that Mars is covered with inhabited settlements. As I have just read "Disclosure" by Steven Greer, I am open to the notion that there may be a lot of evidence that we simply have not been told about. Pdf Copy here.
	Life Here and Hereafter by Charlotte Elizabeth Dresser This is a continuation of "Spirit World and Spirit Life" by Charlotte Elizabeth Dresser, also a fabulous book. Actually however, it is a very different book, and is only partly her work. The pdf is available here Pdf Copy For me this book was really a missing link. The missing link between "30 Years among the dead" and the various Padgett related messages on life after death. It is a large number of case studies of a human working with a celestial support group tasked with awakening these recently departed folks - presumably in the Astral Plane, although that is not stated. Finally I have a very clear idea of how the many of us typically awaken in the next realm. And it's a sad scene. All too many mortals awake into darkness and confusion, with minds in a dream state, unable to see anything or hear anything. Some are relatively quickly taught how to awaken their spiritual sight, and hearing, and then progress as expected. Some are so caught up in their original earth beliefs, that they take a lot of work to awaken, insisting that they are not dead, because they are "alive" etc. Others (relatively few) may apparently take centuries to come out of this zombie like state. These are not folks that are bad either, just folks who never gave a thought to life after death. One can see how "earth bounds" occur, and one case of obsession is handled as well, although very interestingly this is a case of two ex-mortals being attached to another ex-mortal. I did not imagine obsession of one spirit by another could occur. This book also has two very interesting sections right at the end. One is on the subject of thoughts, and how they actually influence the mind. The other is on the location of what I suspect is the First Sphere.
	My Travels in the Spirit World by Caroline D Larsen Initially published in 1927. Unlike the majority of books in this section, this is not a tale by a deceased mortal channeled through a medium. Caroline Larsen actually personally experienced all that she describes in an out of body state. She was able to travel to all of the four lower Spirit Spheres. There is an extensive coverage of ex-mortals still unable to come to terms with their new state, post death. The only point to note, is that she seems to use the word "astral" when perhaps it might be more accurate to simply refer to the word "spirit". No where in her tale does she describe an Astral Plane such as is described in two other books on this page. However she does state that the sphere where children are raised is in the Third Sphere. (However the numbering of spheres by authors is very problematical, and that may actually simply mean Summerland, which is in the First Sphere) A pdf can be found here.
	Gone West: Three Narratives of After Death Experiences J.S.M.Ward Received in 1914, this book is a phenomenally detailed description of the dark planes of the First Spirit Sphere, and also the Astral Plane. Quite useful classifications of these and even the higher spheres are used in this book, and although these may not easily align with the Spheres described through James Padgett, nevertheless they seem very descriptive and useful. The Astral Plane has to my knowledge not been as carefully explored and communicated in any work that I have ever read, and this seems a great pity, since many mortals apparently pass to this plane where they may reside for a considerable period, till eventually passing up into the Spirit Spheres, or down into the dark planes. It also thus gives a lot of background to the phenomenon discovered by Dr Irene Hickman, and also Dr Carl Wickland of obsession and possession. One of the REALLY amazing things about this book, is that even though it has very little on the life in the higher spirit spheres, the spirit very clearly communicates that there is yet another realm beyond the Spirit Spheres, and that it is a one way journey there, though what he calls "the wall of fire". This is of course the Celestial Realm, and that is the focus of James Padgett's work, so it's good to find this corroboration. This book can be purchased on Amazon, as it is available though Kessinger Publishing. It is a pity that this publisher does not user OCR, and merely scans the old books, with the result that some pages are nearly impossible to read. The pdf is here.
	A Subaltern in Spirit Land - a Sequel to Gone West Part One J.S.M.Ward This book concentrates on the Astral Plane. That statement may mean nothing at all to the reader, as it is rare for any of these books to be so specific, and one often wonders where the spirit is located, who is describing life after death. This is the finest description of the Astral Plane I have ever read, and makes it clear that some people go here after death, while others go to the Spirit Spheres. There are also excellent descriptions of other inhabitants of these planes, both elementals and astral shells. The elementals include "wee folk", or fairies, indicating that some folks have really seen these elusive creatures. There are also evil elementals, and evil astral mortals. The issue of obsession and possession is extremely well described, being wholly supportive of Dr Irene Hickmans book : "Remote Depossession" and also Dr Wickland's "30 years among the dead" A pdf is located here.
	When Ghosts Speak by Mary Ann Winkowski. The author has been able to see and converse with earthbound spirits since she was a child. Interestingly, she cannot see those "in the light". This book should be good enough to convince even skeptics that folks are alive after death. It is a very good coverage of earthbound spirits, also called ghosts. But because she has no experience of those who have crossed over, it does not cover the situation that the majority of us will experience. This book is current, and should be available in many book stores.
	The Blue Island by Pardoe Woodman and Estelle Stead This is a relatively short channeled book, the spirit author being W.T. Stead, a man of considerable significance in journalistic circles in his lifetime, and who died when the Titanic sank. It is his story of passing over and spending time in the transition zone, which he has called the Blue Island. It is probably the most comprehensive coverage of the transition zone that I have found, and thus answers very completely what happens after spirits "pass into the light". Interestingly, he did not travel through a tunnel of light, nor did he see any light immediately after his death on the Titanic. Also interestingly, he reports that all the dead traveled together in a group to the transition zone. It is a good coverage of the issue of communication by thought, as also the technique of materializing and transferring thoughts to mediums. The book is at it's strongest in describing his personal experiences, but it is at it's weakest when he tries to postulate on what lies ahead. Here he foresees the choice to reincarnate, and he repeats a common belief that one loses one's individuality in passing beyond the seventh, into the eternal realm. This book can be downloaded as a pdf. It was published in 1922. A hard copy of this book can be purchased here.
	Letters from the Light Written through the hand of Elsa Barker. This book was first published in 1914 under the title "Letters from a living dead man." It was republished in 1995 by Beyond Words Publishing - ISBN 1-885223-08-0. This book chronicles the experiences of a spirit in it's first year. This book is based predominantly on the Astral Plane, and the spirit also touches on a number of curious things that I have verified elsewhere, such as sleeping survivors and the issue of eating. But the Astral Plane is rather different to the Spirit Spheres and unless one is aware of this, one would find some things quite contradictory to other spirit experiences. I have created a pdf copy of the portions of this text which are in the public domain in other words - the original publication of 1914.
	Testimony of Light by Helen Greaves Quite a recent book, published in 1969 and is the communications of Frances Banks. For 25 years she was a teaching nun, based in South Africa. But her ever inquiring mind led her out of the Anglican order, and into more general psychology and spirituality. This story is at its best when she tells exactly what she is experiencing, and far less so when she repeats that which she formulated on earth. She too believes in reincarnation, but this topic does not form a large part of this book. She describes the Healing Hospital, or Station where she initially woke after death, and subsequently served. This book does not have as much detail on the after life as many of the books I have recommended, but for all that it is interesting. As the copyright is still in force, there are no pdfs of this book.
	A Wanderer in the Spirit Lands by Franchezzo, transcribed by A. Farnese. This book, published in 1901 is an extensive coverage of the dark spheres, but not quite as extensive as Gone West. The same topics are covered in the Padgett Messages, but here we have an entire book devoted to the subject. Franchezzo passes into darkness, and details his extensive journey back to the light, and later, back to help others in the dark. Some of the descriptions of cities ruled by dreadful ex-mortals are quite terrifying. I do not think this book would fall into the "must read" category unless, like me, you are extremely keen to understand all that one possibly can about the Spirit Realms. In fact I would recommend against reading this book, unless you already have a clear idea of the wonderful places in the next realm. There are descriptions in this book of low levels of consciousness that I would think might be called Thought Forms. But for me the most important material was a very good description of the Astral Plane. It seems that our definitions of earth bound spirits may in many cases be inaccurate, as it appears there are also a significant number of astral shells which once housed a mortal, but no longer do, as also thought forms some of which can attain a degree of independence. Probably these are the classic ghosts that no one seems to be able to help. I also wonder how many of the attachments that Dr Irene Hickman and Dr Carl Wickland described may fall into some of the categories described in this chapter. I have created a pdf of this book.
	Is Reincarnation an Illusion? by Geoff Cutler After ten years research, I feel able to comment on pretty much any aspect of reincarnation that one might raise as proof. In this book I look at curious aspects like the Dalai Lama, why regression delivers past life information that so closely parallels the current life, even the participants of this life involved in the drama and sometimes things like birth marks. In sixteen chapters and 197 pages, I also look at spirits who try to reincarnate, and those who think they have reincarnated but are merely obsessing a living human. I cover: Eastern beliefs. The Bible. Where is the mind? Past Life Memories. "Past Life" researcher Ian Stevenson. The Law of Attraction. Trying to Reincarnate. The soul and the spirit body. Sleeping Survivors. Non-survivors of death. Hell. Getting out of Hell. Progress in spirit. Hearing from famous spirits. Indwelling Spirits - the perfect Guide. What really happens after death? This is really a tour through many sources of spiritualist literature that have been published in the last 100 years. Those pro and those against reincarnation. But as far as I can see, there are solid arguments against any aspect that one might review. And the more one studies these things, the more curious it is that so many others have not. This book also includes all of the content of the book "Getting the Hell Out of Here." The book is available here. This book is now available in e-book format at Amazon.
	Always Karen by Jeanne Walker This I expected to be a "nice" book about the after death experiences of a beautiful 19 year old girl who died of cancer. Its not in print any longer, and unfortunately still under copyright (1975). That means copies can be expensive, and also means its probably not a book many people have read. The more is the pity. I am absolutely blown away by the information in this book on the topic of thoughtforms - a subject that is very rarely even mentioned, and I have never found discussed. It is also in my view, very sound on the subject of reincarnation, and in this it introduces an approach also not often found. It also discusses possession by those so determined to reincarnate that they attach themselves to a physical body and deprive the real incarnate of a life experience. I truly wish I could share this book as a pdf. It's not really about life after death, and probably should be in another of my favourite book lists. But her mother, Jeanne, who was very concerned about proving that the communications were genuine, takes up a lot of the book with that aspect.
	More Alive Than Ever......Always Karen by Jeanne Walker The original book was republished under the title "More Alive Than Ever... Always, Karen" in 1995. These copies can be many hundreds of dollars secondhand as this newer edition is also out of print. I have included both reviews here, as the books are very similar. There is probably a 90% commonality in content and even entire sentences are repeated exactly the same, yet the minor additional careful editing makes this later book much better for a serious researcher into the occult. For one thing it becomes very clear that thoughtforms created by discarnates are effective in our material world. That strangely was left unsaid in the earlier book. There is far less emphasis given in this later book to all the proof that Jeanne (understandably) required. And the later book has some few pages covering what transpired in the following 20 years. I have now created a Kindle e-book version of this, but I do not have permission to publish that, and I am unable to contact either the author or the publisher of these out of print books.