Heading Toward Omega: In Search of the Meaning of the Near-Death Experience [Hardcover]

Kenneth Ring (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 348 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow & Co; 1st edition (August 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688039103
• ISBN-13: 978-0688039103
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #214,427 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kenneth Ring, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Connecticut, and an internationally recognized authority on the subject of near-death experiences on which he has written five books and nearly a hundred articles. He is also the co-founder and past President of The International Association for Near-Death Studies and the founding editor of its quarterly scholarly journal, The Journal of Near-Death Studies, now in its thirtieth year. Dr. Ring has appeared on many television and radio programs and been often interviewed in the press in connection with his work on near-death experiences.

Early in 2008, Dr. Ring became interested and then deeply involved in issues having to do with the situation of Palestinian people and in that connection traveled to the West Bank. His contacts with Palestinian people led to his work on his book, Letters from Palestine, on which he collaborated with a Palestinian friend, Ghassan Abdullah of Ramallah. Dr. Ring has also written articles about Gaza and continues to be actively engaged with issues having to do with Palestinian life and culture.

He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has three children and four grandchildren.

Much more information about Dr. Ring and his books can be found on his website, www.lettersfrompalestine.com He is also on Facebook.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Arguably one one the most important books in the field., June 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Heading Toward Omega (Paperback)

Dr. Ring was my advisor at school (Connecticut) and being ableto see him at work and pick his brain on a regular basis, I can saythat he is greatly underappreciated as a scholar and scientist (albeit a "social" scientist, with all of the stigma that such a title undeservedly carries). Heading Toward Omega and The Omega Project are tremendous contributions to the literature of the Near Death Experience in particular and Consciousness Studies in general. Although the dire predictions of global change in the later chapters of H.T.O. seem a bit goofy from our 1998 vantage point, Ring nevertheless forged new ground with this book that remains, I believe, the best "second" book to read on the subject (after Moody's Life After Life). It is intellectually challenging, thought-provoking, life-affirming and just a darn good read...on every page, no less. High praise, deserved high praise. Not to mention, you'll pick up a few dozen groovy vocabulary words along the way.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I ever read on the subject!, March 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Heading Toward Omega (Paperback)

I read this book over ten years ago and have never forgotten it! It gave acounts from so many and made me feel as though I were sitting in on the interview. I have read many books on this subject, but I cant wait to read it again! Now if only I could just find it!

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well written but too subjective., July 11, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Houston, Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heading Toward Omega (Paperback)

This book serves it purpose well as an introduction to the NDE. The book is very well organized and well written. As a writing exercise, I would give this book very high marks.

However, I do have one serious problem with this book. The author goes to great pains to present his material in an objective fashion, but this comes off as nothing more than wishful thinking on his part. These experiences, by their very nature, are utterly subjective, and therefore beyond the scrutiny of science. At the end of the book, the author presents a hypothesis to explain NDE's which I find to be frankly ridiculous. It is a wish based on an assumption which is founded on whimsy. This is not science, this is good karma.