HEAVEN AND HELL (REDESIGNED STANDARD EDITION) [Hardcover]

EMANUEL SWEDENBORG (Author), John C. Ager (Translator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0877852731 | ISBN-13: 978-0877852735 | Publication Date: December 1, 1996

Swedish visionary Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) spent the last twenty-seven years of his life in almost constant communication angels and devils in the spiritual realms. In his most popular work, he describes the nature of heaven and hell, his conversations with the inhabitants of those realms, and the ways that each of us find ourselves in either bliss or torment based on the decisions we make in our lives.

This edition is a reprint of an English translation by John C. Ager originally published in 1900.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The Swedenborg Foundation has done handsomely by its eponymous visionary with this first volume in a new 25 part set of translations for his of his work. They have begun with a fine new translation of Emmanuel Swedenborg's most famous work, a description of the many heavens and hells that make up the great 18th-century thinker's cosmology, at once perfectly logical and perfectly eccentric. Swedenborg's afterworld is a kind of reflection and amplification of our own, and his vision of moving and active collective of heavens, occupied by the very real blessed dead, has been a tremendous influence on Goethe, Emerson, and Jorge Luis Borges, among many others. Dole's translation has the clarity and simplicity of Swedenborg's Latin, and the notes and supplementary material are wonderfully balanced and informative. Highly recommended.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Review

Heaven and Hell is a classic, mind-altering canonical text of Western spirituality. -- Christopher Bamford, author of The Voice of the Eagle: The Heart of Celtic Wisdom --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 565 pages
• Publisher: Swedenborg Foundation Publishers (December 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877852731
• ISBN-13: 978-0877852735
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,947,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) was a Swedish scientist, inventor, and theologian who made significant discoveries in many of the natural sciences, including astronomy, anatomy, geology, and mineralogy. At age fifty-five, his intensive search for answers to ultimate questions culminated in an awakening that gave him a unique insight into the workings of the spiritual world. He spent the remainder of his life writing about his experiences and how human beings can come to a deeper awareness of the divine.

Swedenborg's ideas have influenced people as diverse as Helen Keller, Johnny Appleseed, William Blake, Henry James, Ralph Waldo Emerson, D.T. Suzuki, Jorge Luis Borges, and Dr. Mehmet Oz. The continuing appeal of his thought undoubtedly lies in his insights into the afterlife, concepts of divine love, and focus on personal and social development.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

97 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The answers you have been looking for, May 25, 1999

By 

Daniel Attila "Daniel Attila" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: HEAVEN AND HELL (REDESIGNED STANDARD EDITION) (Hardcover)

I spent years researching the five major religions and have read all of their main sacred texts, yet I never seemed to find clear answers to my questions or an explanation to the frustrating contradictions between common religious beliefs. Heaven and Hell put all that frustration to rest. This magnificent work presents a coherent theological model in which all major religions find a place and answers all questions people typically have about faith such as: why religions sometimes contradict; why people in various cultures developed a belief in reincarnation; the cause of gender and sexual love; what the concept of "eternity" truly means; why evil is permitted in this realm and so on. Swedenborg was the most powerful psychic in known history, someone whose work cannot be ignored by any serious student of religion or philosophy. Another book I recommend by him is "Conjugal Love," which offers amazing insights into the secrets of gender and human sexuality.

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is for real, May 16, 2006

By 

Jason Schnarr - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heaven and Hell (NW CENTURY EDITION) (Paperback)

If you really want to know what Heaven and Hell are like, sit down and read this. He talks about Heaven like he is visiting a foreign country. It is very matter of fact, very practical and tangible. In regard to spiritual truth, it's as rich as cheesecake. Angels and devils are seen simply as people who have passed on to the other side and chosen Heaven or Hell. Hell is not seen as a place of punishment, but one chosen by those who love evil. Similarly, Heaven is chosen by those who have loved goodness. It's very simple and profound. He speaks of marriage as an eternal union of true love. In fact, everyone in Heaven is supposedly married. Heaven is seen as a place where people are still people, who continue to work and do what they love. Hell is seen as a place where people spend their time alone in fantasy. Since they are not allowed to act out, this is what they end up doing. There's so much in here that you've got to read. Have you ever asked, "why hasn't anyone come back and told us about it." Well, this guy claims he's been there, and it makes lots of sense. Everyone who plans on dying some day will find lots of comfort in this book.

49 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why would a loving God create hell?, October 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: HEAVEN AND HELL (REDESIGNED STANDARD EDITION) (Hardcover)

This book offers the only logical explanation for hell. Hell exists because it is the only place where evil people are comfortable. In heaven they would suffocate because of the sphere of love and goodness. The creation of hell was an act not of punishment but of Divine Mercy. Learn what life is actually like in the other world. Swedenborg recounts first-hand of his experiences in both heaven and hell.