Between Heaven and Hell: A Dialog Somewhere Beyond Death with John F. Kennedy, C. S. Lewis & Aldous Huxley [Paperback]

Peter Kreeft (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 16, 2008

On November 22, 1963, three great men died within a few hours of each other: C. S. Lewis, John F. Kennedy and Aldous Huxley. All three believed, in different ways, that death is not the end of human life. Suppose they were right, and suppose they met after death. How might the conversation go? Peter Kreeft imagines their discussion as a part of The Great Conversation that has been going on for centuries. Does human life have meaning? Is it possible to know about life after death? What if one could prove that Jesus was God? With Kennedy taking the role of a modern humanist, Lewis representing Christian theism and Huxley advocating Eastern pantheism, the dialogue is lively and informative. This new edition of this classic work includes a postscript in which Kreeft describes why and how he wrote what has remained a standard of apologetic literature for a generation. He also adds an outline and index to the book as well as a never-before-published dialog in which he imagines "A World Without an Easter." Now more than ever this book offers an animated interaction that involves not only good thinking but good drama.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

* Provides a dramatic exploration of life after death
* Highlights common perspectives represented by C. S. Lewis, John F. Kennedy and Aldous Huxley
* Focuses on the trilemma that Jesus was either liar, lunatic or Lord
* Combines logical argument with creative invention
* Lively and engaging
* Excellent resource for those with questions about Christianity
* Includes a new postscript in which Kreeft describes why he wrote this book which has remained a standard of apologetic literature for twenty-five years
* Now includes the never-before-published dialog by Kreeft, "A World Without Easter"

From the Author

Visit Peter Kreeft's website!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books; Expanded Edition edition (May 16, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 083083480X
• ISBN-13: 978-0830834808
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #332,819 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Peter J. Kreeft (Ph.D., Fordham University) is professor of philosophy at Boston College where he has taught since 1965. A popular lecturer, he has also taught at many other colleges, seminaries and educational institutions in the eastern United States. Kreeft has written more than sixty-seven books, including The Best Things in Life, Christianity for Modern Pagans, Fundamentals of the Faith and The Handbook of Christian Apologetics.

Dr. Kreeft's MP3 audio lectures can be purchased on Amazon, such as
"Christianity in Lord of the Rings".

Free articles, audio lectures, the speaking schedule and more info from Dr. Peter Kreeft can be found at his popular web site:
http://www.peterkreeft.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely Creative and Vivid, May 25, 2009

By 

J. Fallon - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Between Heaven and Hell: A Dialog Somewhere Beyond Death with John F. Kennedy, C. S. Lewis & Aldous Huxley (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book very much. Peter Kreeft is a brilliant creative writer that captures the essence of all three men in Between Heaven and Hell. Those three men being:

C.S. Lewis - A Professor of Mid Evil and Renaissance Literature at Oxford and Cambridge University. He wrote more than thirty books in his life, most of them having to do with (or symbolically related to) Divine philosophy and theology. Most popular among them are The Chronicles of Narnia Movie Tie-in Box Set Prince Caspian (rack), Mere Christianity,The Screwtape Letters: Letters from a Senior to a Junior Devil, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, and The Great Divorce

John Fitzgerald Kennedy - American President and renowned war hero. Saved America from the Cuban Missile Crises, and set into motion what has become modern day NASA. He was a very smart man who graduated Cum Laude from Harvard University. However his degree was in international affairs, and at its heart his thesis/book Why England Slept was a deep look into international affairs as well. Kennedy therefore was not a philosopher, and so doesn't get a lot to say in this book, which is mainly on divine philosophy.

Aldous Huxley- Was a renowned British Universal Writer/Philosopher. He spent most of his life writing novels, short stories, and film scripts. His book mostly having to do with the relations of "Between Heaven and Hell" is The Perennial Philosophy: An Interpretation of the Great Mystics, East and West (P.S.) He is also very famous for his philosophy of taking psychedelic drugs to connect with the divine. Huxley was a sort of Hunter S. Thompson of his generation.

What do these three have in common? They all died on November the 22nd 1963. This book is a speculation of these three men meeting in the afterlife, and discussing various religious philosophies.

The towering argument in this book is on the Deity of Jesus Christ. Was He God, or man, or both, or not at all?

Overall a very enjoyable, thought provoking book that in my opinion really captures the characters of these men, and the things that they would have/might have said on the divine had this situation really come about. Reading this book I felt as though I was propelled back to C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorceas these two books have enormous similarities on the subject of afterlife speculation.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Frequently recommend!, December 20, 2010

By 

A.R. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Between Heaven and Hell: A Dialog Somewhere Beyond Death with John F. Kennedy, C. S. Lewis & Aldous Huxley (Paperback)

This is a great book that I frequently recommend to friends, especially those short on time. It's very easy to read, since it is entirely dialogue, and amazingly short (only takes a couple hours to finish, if that). Yet, even in its simplicity it carries some very weighty questions and thought-provoking answers. I also really enjoy seeing different perspectives interacting; it's more informative than a simple argument for one worldview that does not consider how other worldviews would respond. All in all, a book I enjoyed immensely, and one to keep on my shelf!

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read, August 21, 2011

By 

M. Thompson "miketrx" (Austin, Tx.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Between Heaven and Hell: A Dialog Somewhere Beyond Death with John F. Kennedy, C. S. Lewis & Aldous Huxley (Paperback)

The format took a little getting used to but I found it very stimulating-both mentally and spiritually. I have read C.S. Lewis in the past but was not that informed about many of the "arguments" put forth. I learned a lot and rally enjoyed the read.