Customer Reviews

My Last Breath

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My Last Breath is an intense autobiography by author Matthew D. Dovel.
The author shares with the reader two incidents where he came to the door of
eternity and returned to tell about it. One happened when he was a young
boy, meeting and enjoying the presence of a loving Savior.
The second was at his own hands, and what he experienced at that time was
much more detailed and not as pleasant. I believe this had a great impact
on the rest of his life.

I have read many near death experience books, and have found the experiences
of what they see and feel can vary greatly, but I always find them
intriguing. This work was no different.
I would have liked to have had a few more details in some areas, but what
he gave was enough to keep my interest, and perhaps look forward to another
book.
I did like the way the author encourages others to think about their life
on earth, giving some important points to follow and warnings to heed. He
also shares with the reader the change in his life since these happens,
which include visions, predictions and healings. Interesting!

If you are curious about the afterlife you will enjoy this book.
All in all an interesting and enlighten read.
Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer

This book makes me think about my actions towards others and I can't seem to get what I have read in this book out of my mind. It's very impactful and I actually cried at the end. Life is very short and I've always want to make a difference with mine in this world. And after reading this book I'm convinced that my actions are important. We all matter and I believe Matthew has been touched by God to relate this fact to us all. I also give this book high marks for its relevance in todays world as we search for answers to all the insane behavior taking place, and that there is a purpose for each and everyone of us.

Author's blurb on the back cover begins: "I have written this fiction based on my true story about two near death experiences." Fiction or truth? The reader is left to sort this out for himself.

If I did my sorting correctly, the last half of the book alone is worth the price, but the long, tedious description of his "sins" in the middle of the book could be shortened by 75% with no harm to the story.

Toward the end of the book Dovel does an excellent job of suggesting ways for the reader to put to use some of the lessons he learned and shared, but even there ... especially there ..... the reader would benefit by knowing to what extent the lessons are based on truth and to what extent they're based on fiction.

The book "My Last Breath" by Matthew D. Dovel is a very interesting and intense story of someone who had two near-death experiences which resulted in him first going to heaven and then hell the other. This makes Dovel's near-death experiences unique in that one was heavenly and the other was hellish. Most NDEs involving a person experiencing both heaven and hell are within the same NDE. It is refreshing to read the comparison between the two destinations from someone who experienced both but at separate times. "My Last Breath" is easy to read and thought-provoking at the same time. As it is with many NDEs, many of his profound insights requires time to fully digest as you reflect more and more on his wonderful message. Undoubtedly, such insights require the rest of your life to fully appreciate. In essence, "My Last Breath" is not only a fascinating read, it is also a guide on how spirituality can be applied in everyday life. - Kevin Williams, "Near-Death Experiences and the Afterlife" http://www.near-death.com

Wow...the opportunity was there but I felt this book was poorly written. Also, the second "death" experience wasn't corroborated medically; he "died" in an apartment and "came back" in same apartment. I'm less inclined to beleive he "died" but have no problem believing it was a spiritual "dream".

Nevertheless, the experience did have the power to transform his life. I do believe in NDE's, God and the afterlife so my problem with this book wasn't skeptisicm but feel the author lacked writing ability and would have benefited from a good editor.

I liked "My Last Breath" because it describes the aftereffects of the near death experience extremely well. The author focuses on how the experiences have affected and still do affect his life. Having experienced the NDE myself, I do understand the issues Mr Dovel faces.
This book presents valuable insights anyone can use to improve their daily life. I personally didn't care for the religious references in this book, but in no way does this affect my rating. To me, the insights presented are more important than my opinions on religion. My Last Breath is well worth reading and by all means deserves five stars!

MY LAST BREATH is a fine little promotional book about the importance of Suicide Prevention. It is also an attempt to explore the 'near death episode' that peppers more and more self-help books. Only in this memoir author Matthew D. Dovel recounts not one but two such episodes - the first as a drowning accident and the other as an unsuccessful, sloppy suicide attempt. The facts are interesting if not original, but it is in the telling that his brief book falls short.

First, in credibility: before the drowning episode Dovel had little affiliation with religion except for a couple of church attendances, so it seems odd that his vision while 'dead' should so quickly identify a readily recognizable God and Jesus and all the intricacies of Christianity. Sounds a bit like recreating a scene retrospectively. The second near death episode is one of the more bizarre recountings of the interactions of cocaine, alcohol and over-the-counter sleep meds. If a mind is as altered as was the mind of Dovel during this episode of 'waking up', how would he be able to later transfer the process to the written word with such scientific exactitude?

But the purpose of this book is not literary but rather as a platform for the author's commitment to Suicide Prevention Programs and for that reason it is worth perusing. This information doubtless comes across better over the microphone than on the written page where it all reads in a rather clumsy fashion. Grady Harp, May 05

Having read hundreds of books, including several of this genre, "My Last Breath" has to be one of the most poorly written and grammatically incorrect ones I have seen. How did it ever get published with so many typographical errors? The author has experienced a life changing event and wishes to share that with us, but most of the book details his "drinking, drugging and sex" (his words) in far too much detail! I'm left wondering how much was a near death experience or a drug and alcohol-induced fog. A VERY disappointing read.

"My Last Breath," by Matthew Dovel is a book of courage, experience and real life experiences. If you're looking for a touching book, that will "wow" you with experience, then this is the book for you. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. This book is an easy read, as you're reading it the pages just fly by. This book implies a huge message about life, and how to live your life to the fullest.

Matthew grew up in Poway, California. He died and went to heaven in Poway. At the age of twenty-one he joined the U.S Air force. They stationed him in Alaska.

Matthew Dovel wrote this book about himself. This book a complete nonfiction from start to finish. This is a unique story about the presence of Jesus Christ in Matthew himself after he visited Heaven and Hell.

At the age of twelve Matthew Dovel died. While he was knocked out he remembers a feeling of peace coming over him. He saw a light with a man standing infront of it. Matthew, being a child with no religious back round, didn't recognize who it was. Finally it hit him that it was Jesus Christ. Jesus told Matthew his time was not up and to go back and live the rest of his life to the fullest.

Matthew came back to life, only being overcome with the feeling of wanting to go back to heaven. The peace that came over him was a once and a lifetime experience. The only thing Dovel wanted in life was to go back to heaven. Drugs and Alcohol took over Matthew Dovels life. He spent the rest of his childhood and young adult years abusing alcohol and drugs till one day he realized the only way he could be back in heaven was to die again. Dovel attempted to commit suicide. This ended in a 3 day trip to hell, but once again he returned to tell of his experience.

After Matthew explains it's not until after the near death experience, until you realize the importance of life, and how unique your life is.

After coming back from hell Matthew immediately stopped abusing drugs and alcohol. He was blessed with a strong knowledge of electronics. He didn't know how, and he didn't know why, all he knew was he was really good at understanding electronics.

Dovels life had changed and he devoted in life to the bible, and to Jesus Christ. He believes Jesus knows what is right for him, and no matter what will lead him in the right direction. After coming back from hell Dovel had a completely new understand of life, and a whole new understanding of his purpose on earth. He finally realized this earth isn't hell.

Dovel explains the importance of living your life to the fullest and why you don't want to have it go in the wrong direction.

I suggest reading this book to everyone out there. I would give this book 5 stars, for keeping you interested and an extremely touching story.

This book may not be for everyone, but for those seeking yet another valid confirmation that NDEs are real, and not always do they take the participant to the Heavenly reamls, this is a must read. I do not doubt in the least the sincerity of Mr. Dovel's experience, that he genuinely wants to warn others away from even considering suicide, and that he sincerely wants to help people. While not always written in the most professional style (the descriptions of his Hell NDE were riveting however), the truth shines through. Thank you Mr. Dovel for sharing your experience.