Introductory and General References

There are a number of books available which give either a short introduction to the subject of survival or which provide a substantial but not too detailed review of this field. Before describing some of these it is suggested, particularly to anyone seriously interested in the the subject, that note be taken of a book published in 1988 by a scientist with considerable experience and knowledge.
It is:

Ellison, Arthur J. (1988). The Reality of the Paranormal. Guild Publishing, London. ISBN 0-245- 54474-7.

Professor Ellison was a retired professor of electrical engineering who had spent a great deal of his life investigating psychical research. He was twice President of The Society for Psychical Research and was widely experienced in the subject. His book is essentially his psychical research autobiography but is written in a very clear and readable style. At all times he remains objective and open-minded. Although he reviews the whole subject of parapsychology he nevertheless has much to say that is relevant to survival. In particular he makes the reader aware that many of the mediumistic phenomena associated with survival can be more easily explained on the basis of telepathy, etc. between sitter and medium. However, having done this, and in spite of his inherent ‘scientific scepticism’, he is left with the conclusion that: "... in my view the evidence for survival is exceedingly good..." . Prof. Ellison’s book provides an excellent basis from which to set out on an exploration of the subject of survival.

A very straightforward and easily readable introduction to the subject is provided by:

Peter Brookesmith, ed. (1989).
Survival of Death. Theories about the Nature of the Afterlife.
Macdonald & Co., London. ISBN 0-7481-0298-1.

This is a large-format, fully illustrated book divided into seven main sections, each written by one or more authors. Each section deals with a major topic within the general subject area, but the decision as to what conclusions are drawn from the different aspects of the evidence is largely left to the individual reader.

A fascinating history of the early years of the Spiritualist Movement and of psychical research, up to the 1920s., can be found in:

Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur (1926).
History of Spiritualism (2 volumes). Psychic Press, London. New edition, 1989, also published by the Psychic Press
(20, Earlham Street, London WC2H 9LW); ISBN 0-85384-078-4.

The author begins by describing the life of the Swedish visionary Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) and concludes with a chapter on "Spiritualism and the War" with the story of the "Angels of Mons". He writes of the well-known mediums of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and on all aspects of psychic phenomena and research. A proclaimed Spiritualist and leader of the Movement in its early days, he is extremely knowledgeable on the subject and writes in his usual highly-readable style.

Paul Beard has written a trilogy of books which carefully assess and analyse the evidence for and against the survival of the human soul after death. Having been a member of the Society for Psychical Research for many years and the President of the College of Psychic Studies for 16 years, he made a lifetime study of psychical research. He was someone with the knowledge and experience to review the subject in a balanced way, quoting widely from many well-known writers as well as from other less accessible sources such as the archives of the Society for Psychical Research. The books are:

Beard, Paul (1966). Survival of Death. Hodder & Stoughton, London. Now available in a 1988 impression from Pilgrim Books, Lower Tasborough, Norwich, NR15 1LT; ISBN 0-946259-25- 9.

A good assessment of this book was written in the Foreword by Leslie Weatherhead: "Mr. Beard offers evidence with a quality of analytical detachment, which, to my mind, is exactly what is so badly needed. In the end he regards the evidence as sufficiently conclusive to warrant belief in survival, but he examines every possible alternative interpretation of the phenomena and is never wooly, or afraid of where his investigations may lead. He concedes every possible claim that telepathy and clairvoyance may account for many alleged "messages from the dead", but he finds a residue in the evidence for which the most intelligent and reasonable explanation is that of survival".

Beard, Paul (1980). Living On. A study of altering consciousness after death. George Allen & Unwin, London. ISBN 0-04-133009-9. Now available from Pilgrim Books, 1987; ISBN 0-946259-24-0.

The author presents some of the evidence for continuing life, analysing the material and making comparisons. He discusses the evidence we possess about the quality and meaning of life beyond death.

Beard, Paul (1986). Hidden Man.
Pilgrim Books; ISBN 0-946259-16-X.

Paul Beard studies the contribution of discarnate teachers who seek to clarify something of the meaning and worth of the human journey through many lifetimes.

A somewhat-popularised (it was the book of a BBC television series) but interesting and informative description of some of the more important evidence supporting survival is found in:

Iverson, Jeffrey (1992). In Search of the Dead.
A scientific investigation of evidence for life after death.
BBC Books, London. ISBN 0-563-36123-9.

This book is based largely on a series of specific cases or individual stories of events which relate to the possibility of survival; it is not a detailed study of the evidence. Nevertheless the author does quote some very telling passages from interviews he had with leading figures in the field.

Dr. Raynor Johnson was born at the beginning of the 20th. century. He trained as a physicist and held teaching posts in Queen’s University, Belfast and King’s College, University of London. At the relatively young age of 34 he was appointed Master of Queen’s College in the University of Melbourne. His scientific background was therefore impeccable. As well as being a scientist, however, he also studied psychology, psychical research and mysticism, believing that ".. the scientific attitude points beyond rationalism to the direct apprehension of spiritual reality." During the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s he wrote several books in which, seeking for a reasonable philosophy of life, he sought to explore and integrate three fields of enquiry - natural science, psychical research and mystical experience. His books, now classics, are as important now as when they were written over 40 years ago and are well worth reading in their entirety. However, certain chapters in three books make excellent introductions to the subject of survival and what happens to the human soul after death. These are:

Johnson, R. C. (1953). The Imprisoned Splendour. An approach to Reality, based upon the significance of data drawn from the fields of Natural Science, Psychical Research and Mystical Experience.
Hodder & Stoughton, London. New impression publ. by the Pelegrin Trust, ISBN 0-946259-30-5. Available from Pilgrim Books, Lower Tasburgh,
Norwich , NR15 1LT.

A general discussion on the nature of reality, including chapters on The Survival of Death (Ch. 13), Pre-existence, Reincarnation and Karma (Ch. 18) and the Purpose of Human Life (Ch. 19).

Johnson, R. C. (1957). Nurslings of Immortality.
Hodder & Stoughton, London. New impression publ. by the Pelegrin Trust, ISBN 0-946259-43-7.
Available from Pilgrim Books.

The sequel to The Imprisoned Splendour, this book is an interpretation of the universe in terms of the philosophy of imaginism, the concept that Divine Imagination creates and sustains the universe. As well as surveying psychical research, Johnson includes chapters on The Adventure of Being Man (Ch. 9), The Nature of the "Next Life" (Ch. 12) and Cosmic Life: Group Souls (Ch. 13).

Johnson, R. C. (1963). A Religious Outlook for Modern Man. Hodder & Stoughton, London. New impression publ. by the Pelegrin Trust, ISBN 0-946259-27-5. Available from Pilgrim Books.

His re-interpretation of religion, particularly Christianity, in the light of modern science and psychical research. The final chapters cover subjects very pertinent to the present theme, such as the survival of death, the after-death state, the concept of rebirth and the meaning of human life

Dr. Johnson’s final book, a series of lectures given in 1976 and printed as a British edition in 1984, is the culmination of all his thinking and seeking throughout a long life:

Johnson, R. C. (1984). Light of All Life. Thoughts towards a philosophy of life. Pilgrim Books, Norwich. ISBN 0-946259-07-0.

As Paul Beard says in the Foreword in this book Johnson ".. reaches the summit of his quest, where the crown of life is seen as the willing surrender to a meaning beyond any the intellect can work out for itself, but which, when experienced by the whole man, then finds a willing acquiescence in the intellect too". In particular, it contains chapters on The Certainty of Survival of Death and The Soul’s Great Journey.

A valuable synthesis of a whole range of psychic communications suggesting survival has been published in:

Crookall, Robert (1961). The Supreme Adventure. Analyses of psychic communications. James Clarke & Co., London.
(Published for the Churches’ Fellowship for Psychical Study).

In a very scholarly work, Dr. Crookall has reviewed the literature describing experiences relating to the periods before, during and after death. He considers that, "... by means of analyses of psychic communications .... it is possible to pierce the veil that obscures death and the immediate hereafter. Such analyses not only indicate survival: they also provide a means by which we can envisage the general conditions under which we survive and enable us to adduce reasons why certain experiences are undergone at certain stages in the process of disembodiment."

After a very scientific analysis and discussion of all the material the author comes to the conclusion that: "The whole of the available evidence is explicable only on the hypothesis of the survival of the human soul in a Soul Body. There is no longer a ‘deadlock’ or a ‘stalemate’ on the question of survival. On the contrary, survival is as well established as the Theory of Evolution."

An excellent and balanced survey of psychic phenomena in general has been written by Brian Inglis. In two volumes he provides "a detached historical survey" of the paranormal from earliest times up to 1939. His detailed coverage provides a lot more detail and background information than is normally found in popular works. Strangely enough, for what seeks to be a comprehensive survey, he does not mention the important Canadian research undertaken by Glen Hamilton in the 1920s:

Inglis, Brian (1977). Natural and Supernatural.
A history of the paranormal from earliest times to 1914.
Hodder & Stoughton, London. ISBN 0-340-20526-1.

Inglis, Brian (1984). Science and Parascience.
A history of the paranormal, 1914 - 1939.
Hodder & Stoughton, London. ISBN 0-340-26325-3.

A revised edition of the first volume was published later as:

Inglis Brian (1992). Natural and Supernatural. A history of the paranormal from earliest times to 1914. Prism Press, Bridport.

Lorimer, David (1984). Survival?
Body, mind and death in the light of psychic experience.
Routledge & Kegan Paul, London. ISBN 0-7102-0003-X.

David Lorimer’s wide-ranging study of the possibility of our survival of death deals firstly with a review of the beliefs concerning the nature of life and death, moving from primitive attitudes through to modern philosophers and neurologists. The second part of the book, a short chapter, examines the ways that people think about the paranormal and what can be considered as evidence. The third part is an account of the empirical evidence which supports survival - apparitions, out-of-the-body experiences, near-death experiences and descriptions of bodily death; arguing that only a hypothesis involving conscious survival of bodily death provides a complete and coherent explanation of such evidence.

Colin Wilson is a prolific author, having written more than 50 books across a wide variety of fields, including science, literature, philosophy, psychology and criminology. However, among his chief interests have been the subjects of mysticism, the occult and the paranormal. In the field of the paranormal he has written nine books and he has been exploring and researching this subject for more than 20 years. Two of his books are of particular value for this review. They are:

Wilson, Colin (1985). Afterlife. An investigation of the evidence for life after death. Harrap Ltd., London. ISBN 0-586-06628-4. (Also published by Granada, London, 1988, same ISBN).

Wilson reviews the evidence for survival in a very balanced, objective and readable manner; his book is well worth reading. He does not personally declare himself convinced of the reality of survival, although he says that the evidence points unmistakably towards that conclusion. At the end of the last chapter he states: "It is not my purpose to try to convince anyone of the reality of life after death: only to draw attention to the impressive inner consistency of the evidence, and to point out that, in the light of that evidence, no one need feel ashamed of accepting the notion that human personality survives bodily death."

Wilson, Colin (1988). Beyond the Occult.
Twenty years’ research into the paranormal.
Bantam Books, London. ISBN 0-593-01174-0.

Although this book is not specifically about survival - it is an attempt by Wilson to summarize all that he has learned over 20 years about the paranormal - it nevertheless contains much material dealing directly with the subject of survival and a great deal of useful discussion about how all the pieces of the ‘paranormal jig-saw puzzle’ may fit together. He puts forward a powerful case "... that our so-called ‘normal’ experience may in fact be sub-normal, and that evolution may have brought us near to the edge of a quantum leap into a hugely expanded human consciousness."

Finally, a very useful and up-to-date survey of the evidence for survival can be found in a website produced by an Australian, Victor Zammit, in 1999. Dr. Zammit is a retired Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the High Court of Australia who is formally qualified in three university disciplines, psychology, history and law. He also describes himself as a psychic researcher and lecturer in psychic phenomena. In 117 pages of text, entitled "A Lawyer Presents the Case for the Afterlife. The Irrefutable Objective Evidence", Dr. Zammit analyses the evidence for survival from the point of view of a lawyer in court. In other words would the evidence be accepted in a criminal court as being beyond reasonable doubt - a standard of evidence which, until recently, was enough to hang a man. But he goes beyond this, having "... carefully selected aspects of psychic research and afterlife knowledge which would technically constitute objective evidence ... in every civilised legal jurisdiction around the world." He comes to the conclusion that " ... the evidence taken as a whole constitutes overwhelming and irrefutable proof for the existence of the afterlife." A very interesting and informative, if sometimes idiosyncratic, account of the evidence and one which has been of value in the construction of this bibliography.

Dr. Zammit’s website is:

A Lawyer Presents the Case for the Afterlife:
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~vwzammit

Printed versions of the text can be obtained from: Association for Scientific Investigation of the Afterlife, P.O. Box 168 Double Bay 2028 N.S.W. Australia, for the sum of $10 Australian plus $7 postage (overseas).