100 Books Like Tyson's Gift

While James Van Praagh’s book titled Unfinished Business: What the Dead Can Teach Us About Life is not strictly dealing with reincarnation, but rather, what those who have passed over want us to know, it is founded on the same principle—that life and death are not about punishment and reward but compassion and love. Told on a case-by-case basis, the book aims a spotlight on just how important our earthly relationships are. And those souls, who have moved out of their bodies, are determined to have their messages heard, whether to right wrongs, settle debts, or, as in most cases, to ask for simple forgiveness from those they wronged on earth.

For those with a religious upbringing like mine, Elizabeth Clare Prophet’s book, Reincarnation: The Missing Link in Christianity, may prove a fascinating read. And for those many brought up in the Southern Baptist culture of fear and punishment like I was, the idea of living other lives can be a frightening one or a welcome one, particularly when seen as a second chance, instead of through the lens of the Biblical concepts of judgment and Hell. It is a scholarly read, in that the more you know about the Bible, the more you will get out of reading it.

On a much lighter note, The Zack Files Great Grandpa’s in the Litter Box by Dan Greenburg is a children’s chapter book with a big message, using humor to sum up what reincarnation really is (at least when souls reincarnate as pets). In a nutshell, the titular cat reincarnates to clear up unfinished business with his loved ones who survived him. This book manages to simplify in less than sixty pages what could take a scholar a lifetime to disseminate.

Finally, Repetition: Past Lives, Life, and Rebirth written by clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, Doris Eliana Cohen, Ph.D. is a book focused on healing. Whether the reader is interested in learning how to heal from past-life traumas that are hindering their growth or move on from dysfunctional relationships, this book offers professional help and support. It also illuminates the nuts and bolts of different ways a soul can reincarnate. Most surprising of all may be how much free will is involved in the process, not at all the never-ending cycle of death and rebirth or the mislabeled karma of punishment for previous wrong-doings. This book offers the hope of taking responsibility for one’s life and the possibility of healing many past lives in one’s own current lifetime.

The information in this book is in a whole new realm, literally! I have never read anything quite like this, and it was fascinating to delve into the human brain under the trance that Dolores Cannon was able to induce. The level of detail in each subject was described in the afterlife, soul contracts, and heaven was mind-blowing.

This was a book I could not put down. I turned the pages to hear what the next person had to say. It was one of the most interesting books I have ever read. 

For insights into non-western afterlife theory, the Bardo Thodol offers a collection of texts covering aspects of death, reincarnation, and the ‘space’ in between. The work, which dates back to the 8th century, serves as a ‘guidebook’ on preparing the soul for its continuing journey, including advice on meditation, the six states of consciousness, death rituals, and the pursuit of karma. Over the centuries the Bardo Thodol has inspired numerous interpretations as well as literary works. Screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin, who spent time secluded in a Buddhist monastery, describes his film Jacob’s Ladder as a modern take on the ancient text. 

A science teacher who knew that my interest in enduring consciousness was tempered with skepticism recommended I read this book after I lost Caitlin. The author is an investigative journalist, and her essays are dense with in-depth, picked-apart examinations of claims of paranormal phenomena. A good chunk of its pages are devoted to over 400 end-notes. Leslie Kean is a smart and down-to-earth narrator, equipped with an objective yet curious sensibility, and I found Surviving Death to be an addicting read that spoke to my skepticism.

The title of this book seemed nothing more than a gimmick to get attention. Fortunately, I decided to read the book anyway. In hindsight, the title was perfectly fitting for the subject matter behind the cover. The creative and scripturally sound musings concerning our departure from this world warmly touched my heart about a subject matter no one likes to think about.

The author has tough things to address, but they are all extremely enlightening. It’s been a while since I read it, but I do believe a tear or two might have been shed toward the end. I have given this book to many friends and family.

Have you ever met someone for the first time, and felt like you’d known them forever? I have. On multiple occasions. Not just love interests, but friends, mentors, and others who have come and gone from my life at times when they were most needed. This particular story struck me hard as something I can identify with in this way, as it explores that phenomenon, and takes it one step farther toward the possibility of reincarnation, and the idea that we all have a single soulmate who we are meant to meet in every lifetime. I loved this idea, and it was well done enough to—again—still stick in my memory years later. 

No living writer rivals Hillary Mantel in terms of sheer accomplishment and talent, so it might be annoying for us mortals to learn that on top of it all, she is also very, very funny. Fludd was a wonderful surprise for me after reading her previous works. A mysterious curate joins the parish of a small, bleak British and Catholic town whose priest has lost his faith and whose parishioners are wallowing in superstition. What could possibly go wrong? Mantel elegantly satirizes the eccentricities and harsh judgments of the religious townsfolk, while giving us a thoroughly pleasurable read about faith and love.