Customer Reviews

In Heaven As on Earth: A Vision of the Afterlife

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I happened to read this book while my son was fighting cancer and was in bone marrow treatment. I was struggling with death and afterlife. Dr. Peck's book was heavensent. He offered me a such a delightful comfort in this compassionate vision of afterlife. He offers a wonderful sense of continuity of ourselves.It's heartening to believe all this love we share here is passed and carried on. That we all stay connected at the deepest level of our souls remembering and living the love we share. Best of all, the afterlife Dr. Peck describes is not a panacea or the giant puzzle finally solved, but a continuation of the sweet-sour mystery of life (or afterlife). His message I believe is that we as love-bearers is the best role we can play in this vast mysterious universe. To love enough to pass on, hold on, let go, agonize, yield, accept and to rejoice in the faith and belief we are lovable and loving for eternity.

This is the first book by Dr. Peck that I have read, although I have heard of his other books. This is a work of fiction, of Dr. Peck's "imaginary" version of what he thinks the afterlife could be like. I find it hard to objective for the review of this book, as I have read so many books on NDE's and OBE's, that when I finished reading this book, it paled in comparison to the other books that I have read.

Dr. Peck's story revolves around Dr. Daniel Turpin, a psychiatrist, who lies dying from lung cancer with his two children around him. Daniel is able to feel himself leave his body and knows that he has died. While in "heaven" Daniel encounters other spirits, some in purgatory and some in hell. The allegorical "hell" was quite amusing for those souls depicted living in the bottom of trash can, working for Amalgamated Systems!! Daniel is also able to go back to earth to "check-up" on his children and to visit his former residence that he once shared with his beloved wife. Greeters help Daniel with his adjustment to the afterlife and he learns that he cannot interfere with earthly doings, yet he does have freedom of choice.

We experience Daniel's partial review of his life and his thirst to serve God. The Greeters inform Daniel that there are many committees in heaven, if he so wishes to serve. As Daniel comes to terms with the afterlife and his comfort level takes him out of his paradigm, he becomes adventurous and wants to see and experience more.

Even though this is a novel, with all of the information in print and in video of true experiences of the afterlife, this story seemed almost "clinical" to me. It was a very simple story, not at all colorful, and at times boring. Also, when Dr. Peck described Daniel meeting his wife and another son, those meetings, to me, were portrayed as cold, and not at all loving or warm. This lack of love and warmth really bothered me. Dr. Peck's allegorical view was very different, yet he does leave the reader thinking and asking questions. I think also, that readers have to keep in mind that this is a work of fiction.

Dr. Peck does portray love and compassion in the afterlife, with Greeters and others who do assist those souls who are having a hard time adjusting. The patience and love do shine through from those assisting.

This is one of those books where one will either really like it or they won't. It is not a terrible book, just very different with a lack of warmth.

I thought Peck's version of what the afterlife might be like was very original, and interesting. However, I only gave it three stars because the writing did not seem very "inspired". It was written from the perspective of someone who is analytical and not very emotional about his experiences. There were a few parts that I felt were a little awkward, namely the part where Satan gets involved, but even so I still think the book is worth a read. If you are are more interested in the concept then you are in the writing style, I would recommend this book. It's a very quick read.

The most devoted Scott Peck fan on the face of the earth, I read
the article about him in last years October issue of Rolling Stone
and thought, "it seems Dr. Peck is preparing for the final step of
his journey - death. It would be cool if he wrote a book about it".
Sure enough, a couple months later my wish came true. Dr. Peck's
books have meant so much to me and many others. He has the unusual
gift of enlightening people through stories of his own life journey
and even works of fiction. This book is no exception. After reading
this book, I discovered that the closer I feel to God, the more I
realize how little I know about He/She works and thinks. But
paradoxically, I also realized even more how much we are loved and that
death will only be the beginning of a new and exciting journey. Of
all the theories of the afterlife, Dr. Peck introduces one
of integrity and credibility. It is a must read for all who will die
someday. Thank you, God, for another gift, and thank you, Dr. Peck,
for being the messenger.

I have read this book twice and the subsequent reviews on your site and felt it was important for a certain viewpoint to be expressed. Peck is not maintaining that this will be your heaven or my heaven. He is not maintaining that his temptations will be your temptations or my temptations. So often I read reviews that seem to take some sort of personal insult from the printed material. I don't necessarily agree with every single part of this book, but if you understand that he is attempting to be honest and realistic about his own perceptions and thoughts I think it would be amazing what you can learn. Peck's ideas about all of us being resistant to change, too attached to whatever "disability" or "fault" we have, his honesty about his anxieties and downfalls (and yes we all have them!), and the overall sense of utter acceptance and interest in individual as well as collective growth are, for me, the key aspects and are very, very comforting and thought provoking. Try this one if you want to jog some of those "hmm, this is interesting." cells in your head!!

I loved this book. To me, it is a very happy and "realistic" look at the afterlife. I can imagine that when we leave here, many of us may need a kind of "celestial therapy" before we really move into "Heaven". I was a little disappointed that the protagonist, Daniel, does not actually meet Jesus...and he doesn't seem to be interested in meeting up with his parents. It's a neat vision...I think we (i.e., the whole world) have a lot to look forward to in the next life. I think God created us (I believe in evolution etc.) with only the best intentions for us and all Creation. I would also like to recommend C.S. Lewis The Great Divorce...one of my favorite books of all time.

I just lost my brother and I've been thinking about dying a lot lately. And yes, like Scotty, I had some cocktails and a bunch of vile cigarettes. Chain smoking and praying, What a paradox. What a weird life. Still, I remember this book and how it made the afterlife seem interesting and challenging. I mean what good would it be to just die and go up and sing worship songs. I want the continuum that this book suggests. I want the growth and challenges to continue. I miss Scott Peck. I miss my brother. My brother and I grew a lot from Scotty's works. We discussed TRLT on a regular basis. Now he and Scotty are discussing other things.

I'm a long-time fan of Dr M. Scott Peck. Read a number of his books such as "The Road Less Travelled", "The Different Drum", "People of the Lie", etc, over the years ever since I was 18.

In this book, Dr Peck explores life after death, based on his theological understanding, what he imagines it would be and on accounts of people who had gone through OBE (Out-of-the-Body Experiences).

It's quite interesting. Initially, Dr Peck's analytical tone and non-literary style of writing got in the way of the story-telling - making it rather contrived and unnatural. However, as the story moves on, the possibilities get fascinating.

I don't agree entirely with what Dr Peck has portrayed through the story. But yes, it seems perfectly possible that the private hell/purgatory/heaven that one creates for oneself on earth could be carried forward even after death - and that in heaven, the kind of psychiatric support that one could get to be healed is simply divine and eternally patient.

And yes, instead of just floating around in heaven, playing harps or singing "Alleluia" endlessly, people in heaven might just find themselves working in committees! If that's what they want to and enjoy doing, according to the Principle of Freedom (in Peck's book and Christianity), that's what they'll do. The difference perhaps lies in the redemptive, enriching or crippling effects of whatever they have chosen to do. And yes, wonders of wonders, we might find ourselves literally working FOR God, WITH Him, and THROUGH Him!

SO, I would recommend this book to those who enjoys Dr Peck's psychoanalytic insights (along with his deep religious convictions), but not to those who are only looking for a literary story or a fun reading.

I respect Scott Peck's authority on psychiatry and faith in the spiritual life. I read both "Road Less Traveled" and "People of the Lies" and both are captivating, the first ending in babble I had trouble relating to and the latter opening my eyes to evil in even the most innocent of us. But "In Heaven as on Earth", I was caught up in a realistic poetic journey filled with images into the life after death, from the mind of a person who has delved into the minds of so many people. I felt somewhat shortchanged in that this book seems to end with a lead-in to another book. Where is it? I hope to find that book one day. Or must I wait for the afterlife to find out what remains to be seen?

M. Scott Peck, one of my favorite authors whose spiritual maturity and awareness have propelled him into credibility as a new American spiritual leader, brings us an intriguing story of what someone experiences after leaving earth for his heavenly home. Although the situations he encounters and the truths that are revealed about life-after-life are interesting and poignant, I didn't quite find the tale to be as spellbinding and powerful as I had hoped for. Never-the-less, it did give me what I consider to be valuable insights into the phenomena of how our souls retain their character after living on and leaving earth, and I was especially delighted with the encounter the central character has with the temptation by Satan at the end of the tale.