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Sum
Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives | David Eagleman
9 posts | 28 read | 17 to read
At once funny, wistful and unsettling, Sum is a dazzling exploration of unexpected afterliveseach presented as a vignette that offers a stunning lens through which to see ourselves in the here and now. In one afterlife, you may find that God is the size of a microbe and unaware of your existence. In another version, you work as a background character in other peoples dreams. Or you may find that God is a married couple, or that the universe is running backward, or that you are forced to live out your afterlife with annoying versions of who you could have been. With a probing imagination and deep understanding of the human condition, acclaimed neuroscientist David Eagleman offers wonderfully imagined tales that shine a brilliant light on the here and now. From the Trade Paperback edition.
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RaeLovesToRead
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Pickpick

For anyone doing #pop22 ... I read this book years ago and loved it. It would fit very well with the prompt: a book about the afterlife... written as a series of thought experiments, it provoked all sorts of feelings.

If I was deeply religious or held strong ideas about what the afterlife would be like, it wouldn't be for me, but as someone who likes to play with big ideas and tickle a feeling of existential dread - it's a masterpiece!

RaeLovesToRead @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB @KarenUK @Megabooks @Kalalalatja @Cortg @4thhouseontheleft One to consider? If you'd like something more heartwarming, I'd suggest the tagged instead! 😊 2y
BarbaraBB Thanks, I really need to start planning my reads for #pop22! I‘d like to make a grid like @Karenuk did! 2y
RaeLovesToRead @BarbaraBB I don't think I'm prepared enough for a grid yet... although a haphazard stack or four may start forming soon... 2y
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emtobiasz
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Mehso-so

Eagleman presents 40 different ideas of possible afterlives in 2-3 page vignettes. Maybe it‘s because I‘ve been interacting with a lot of beautiful media about death lately (see my last post), but I found the content of this one somewhat shallow and repetitive and longed for something deeper. If you like this narrative structure try Lightman‘s Einstein‘s Dreams (about time) or Calvino‘s Invisible Cities (about cities).

RaeLovesToRead I adored this book: my favourites were Sum & Prism. Agree that there is quite a bit of repetition. 3y
45 likes1 comment
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TCLinrow
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Pickpick

I'm honestly not even sure where to begin on singing the praises of this book! Each of the stories was absolutely mind blowing, and even though each one was really short I was utterly lost in them. Absolutely 100% recommend it.

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Mikepronouncedmichael
Pickpick

It's a fun read. Each story is only a couple of pages long so it's perfect for waiting rooms or lunch breaks.

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shanaqui
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Pickpick

There are some amazing little snippets in this book. Some of the stories feel too flippant or glib or repetitive, but some of them are really amazing ideas about the afterlife.

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teebe
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My airport read. Had the shortest business trip to T.O. and now I get to go home to my bewildered dog and my books✈️

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olyvianne
Pickpick

This was so thoroughly excellent. Highly recommend.

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Flaneurette
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Super interesting thought experiments about the afterlife. After death we are actors in other people's dreams or we relive all our experiences by category, thus we spend 5 months straight flipping thru magazines on the toilet and 30 years sleeping. I still think about many of the stories years later. #Recommendsday

19 likes2 stack adds
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MarieA
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