Robin Williams Speech What Dreams May Come
See a Problem?
Thanks for telling us about the problem.
Friend Reviews
Reader Q&A
Community Reviews
When deciding whether or not to read this book, you must think about how you feel about stories that conjecture about the afterlife. If that is a touchy subject for you or you are uncomfortable reading about possibilities o
I enjoyed this thought provoking book. I have read Matheson before and I like his writing style. I feel like his prose is such that it will draw a wide variety of people in. The fact that it is so accessible with very little filler or unnecessary flowery-ness is a plus for me.When deciding whether or not to read this book, you must think about how you feel about stories that conjecture about the afterlife. If that is a touchy subject for you or you are uncomfortable reading about possibilities outside of your beliefs, this is not the book for you. However, if you enjoy exploring possibilities, like to see what someone else speculates, or are fascinated with the "what ifs" and the "maybes", then this is a very good book worth checking out.
Warning: this could be a very difficult book for someone who has recently experienced a loss. Please proceed with caution if that is you.
...more
So a guy is sitting peacefully at home in 1976 when a strange visitor calls : "I am a psychic type medium and your dead brother Chris has dictated the whole of this manuscript thr
Unique, mindblowing and utterly preposterous heap of outrageous twaddle. Richard Matheson, author of the great apocalypse novel I Am Legend, decides to take on The Big One full frontal with no messing about. This novel describes exactly what happens to us after we die. The Afterlife! In full surroundsound 3D Panavision!So a guy is sitting peacefully at home in 1976 when a strange visitor calls : "I am a psychic type medium and your dead brother Chris has dictated the whole of this manuscript through me! So here you are, take it or leave it."
The rest of the novel is the first person story of Chris, who died horribly in a car crash, and what then happens.
The first thing is, he's very upset and more than a little confused to be standing around watching his earthly body die, be wept over by his wife & children, then attend his own funeral. It's all hey, I'm here, why can't anybody see me! But then he gets beamed up to a place they call Summerland, some call it Heaven (but its correct name is The Third Sphere), and wakes up in the prettiest of all country parks and meets his old dog who had died but now bounds up wagging its tail. Hello Katie! Then cousin Albert turns up and he turns out to be a most helpful companion. He answers every question to the best of his ability and THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS.
So here is a summary of interesting points.
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR STAY IN HEAVEN
1. When you die your life really does flash before your eyes, but slowly, and backwards, and you relive everything.
"It's a time when men and women come to know what they truly are. A time of purging… a period during which each soul is cleansed by a self-imposed recognition of past deeds – and misdeeds."
"Self-imposed," I repeated. "There is really no outside judgement then?"
"What condemnation could possibly be more harsh than one's own when self-pretense is no longer possible?" he asked
Well, whole theologies teeter and crumble to the ground at this point. There's no judgement day! You do your own judging! But where do these suddenly-acquired moral standards come from? If you didn't think that fiddling tax returns was a crime at all when you were alive and fiddling, why suddenly should you realise it was a bad thing now you're dead?
(I should say right now that in this version of the Afterlife, God hardly gets a look-in. And Jesus? Nowhere, man.)
2. Earth ties have less meaning. Relationships of thought, not blood, are what count. So you might meet your mother and just go Hey how's it going, Mum? And mosey right on by. Well, you were never that close.
3. You choose what age you are in Heaven. Some people like being old! "Wouldn't it be silly to have nothing but young people here?"
4. All the buildings and rolling countryside and gorgeous arboreal panoramas and exquisite shrubberies are made of a kind of mental stuff which comes from somewhere called The Matrix (yep, that one) and anyone can make themselves a detached Palladian-style house in its own grounds by getting a few brainy types together and concentrating, but you gotta learn the skills first. It's not magic. And once you lose interest in your house or your library or your dog it vanishes. Back into The Matrix.
5. Your new body doesn't need food, and has no stomach or intestines. So logically there are no bathrooms or toilets in Heaven. As for clothes – "They're as real as your body. Everybody – except certain natives, of course – has, in their mind, the conviction that clothes are indispensable. The conviction garbs them after death."
Albert does not discuss the question of naturists at this point. Could be there are nude beaches in Heaven, but he doesn't say.
6. "What about reproductive organs?"
"You still have them because you expect to have them. In time, when you understand their lack of purpose, they'll disappear."
"That's weird," I said
(I think that already some readers might be going off this version of the afterlife a bit. But wait---)
"Still, part of my relationship with Ann [his wife] was physical."
"And there are people here who love each other, who have sexual relations. The mind is capable of anything… in time, of course, these people usually realize that physical contact isn't as integral here as it was in life."
So there's great news for you - there is sex after death!
7. In heaven you communicate telepathically. I think that really goes without saying.
8. Parts of Heaven look like England. (page 96). I knew that! And the other way round is true too!
9. When you no longer have a physical brain you can think better. This is rather challenging for a person like myself. I think that if you don't have a physical brain you can't think at all because you've gone, baby, gone like snow on the water, but could be I'm wrong. Which brings us to
10. This guy Chris was an atheist and a firm believer that there was no afterlife whatsoever, but he still ended up in Heaven. Nice to know!
11. Heaven has countries just like Earth!
"Where exactly are we?" I asked.
"In a counterpart of the United States," he told me. "One naturally gravitates to the wave length of his own country and people."
"There's an equivalent, here, to every country on earth then?"
"At this level…"
Again, Albert does not address the thornier aspects of this – what happens to a Kurdish person after death, or a Catalan – neither have their own countries on Earth, so will they still be campaigning for independence in Heaven?
Also, is there immigration in heaven? What about border control? Or maybe every country now has none of those earthly problems like, you know, perpetual war and malaria and so forth. These things were not fully addressed. Actually, they didn't get a mention.
12. Heaven is not Christian. Or, well, it is if you're a Christian, but if you're a Muslim, say, it will be a Muslim heaven.
"You'll find in the hereafter the particular heaven of each theology."
"Which is right then?" I asked, completely baffled now [as well he might be, so am I].
"All of them and none. Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jew – each has an afterlife experience which reflects his own beliefs. All are real. Each is a portion of the overall reality."
Logically (if logic exists in Heaven that is) that means every tinpot cult gets its own bit too, unless there's a bureau somewhere that issues certificates. This whole thing could get as messy in Heaven as it is on Earth.
13. Although there is work to be done in Heaven, "there's no need for a Health Department, a Sanitation Department, Fire or Police Department nor for food or clothing industries, transportation systems, doctors, lawyers, realtors." (Imagine being a realtor in Heaven - nice view of the choirs of angels during the Autumn months, madam. Actually, no angels are to be had for love nor money in this version of Heaven. I wanted my money back. No angels? Come on!)
The work that people do is , as far as I could figure, making yourself ready to either get reborn or proceed to one of the higher levels, like in your usual computer game.
14. There are seven levels, probably. "He explained that earth is surrounded by concentric spheres of existence which vary in width and density, Summerland (aka Heaven) being the third. I asked how many there are altogether and he answered that he wasn't sure but had heard there are seven."
15. Don't mourn the dead because it prolongs their adjustment to the afterlife. Sort of gives them a migraine.
16. Cremation, not burial! It will be so much easier for you if there are no mortal remains. Trust me on that. "People can't forget their bodies easily. They keep wanting to see the thing they once believed to be themselves. That desire can become an obsession. That's why cremation is important."
17. Life in Heaven is real nice but a little bit too much like Stepford Wives.
18. The theatre is alive and well in Heaven, but there is censorship.
"Are plays written on earth performed in the theatres here?"
"If they're appropriate," she said. "Nothing that's sordid though. Nothing conceived merely to harrow an audience." So, Neil Simon is okay, Samuel Beckett probably not.
19. Don't commit suicide. This is a real big no no. You will be condemned to stay in a rubbishy decaying version of your own house where all the facilities have been shut off and there is nothing in the fridge and your pets limp and there are tarantulas popping up all the time. You will be there until the time when you were supposed to die naturally (which is written down somewhere I guess). Then you can proceed to Summerland where there is a sale on.
20. What happened is that Richard Matheson read a ton of books about the afterlife and combined all their ideas into this ridiculous novel. Most of these books seems to be THEOSOPHIST. Otherwise known as COMPLETE POPPYCOCK. But it's nice to know that my severe negativity towards the concept of the afterlife will not prevent me from popping up in Summerland when the time comes. See you there!
Remember the movie GHOST with Patrick Swayze....that's what I first thought of when disaster strikes and a good man finds himself watching the love of his life as she grieves his death. (no spoiler here)
Struggling to come to terms with his own demise from the great beyond and terribly missing his wife, Chris pleads to know when she will finally join him....but discovers disturbing news.
The storyline then turns to a plac
Well now, this one will get you to thinking about how you live your life!Remember the movie GHOST with Patrick Swayze....that's what I first thought of when disaster strikes and a good man finds himself watching the love of his life as she grieves his death. (no spoiler here)
Struggling to come to terms with his own demise from the great beyond and terribly missing his wife, Chris pleads to know when she will finally join him....but discovers disturbing news.
The storyline then turns to a place where dark thoughts consume the mind and violent spirits lead you astray.
"The way will be dark at times, but it leads assuredly to light" and yet another frightening direction for Chris to travel in search of his soul mate.
First published in 1978, WHAT DREAMS MAY COME is deeply thought provoking and a powerful tale of life after death.
(Hope to locate a copy of the film with Robin Williams)
UPDATE: March, 18, 2019 - WELL DONE MOVIE......especially the identities of the heavenly friends, Katie the dog's appearance, and the way it all played out in the end. (Such a young Robin Williams, so sad his fate)
...more
Now, I almost never read author's notes or introductions, because I find that they inevitably ruin some aspect of the book for me. Whether it is a spoiler, or an introducer's opinion which causes me to think of the book in a certain way, or interpret things in a certain way, or whatever the case may be, it lessens my
I am going to start this review by talking about the one thing that caused this to be a 4-star book rather than a 5-star book. That one thing is the author's note at the beginning.Now, I almost never read author's notes or introductions, because I find that they inevitably ruin some aspect of the book for me. Whether it is a spoiler, or an introducer's opinion which causes me to think of the book in a certain way, or interpret things in a certain way, or whatever the case may be, it lessens my enjoyment of the book. I never know whether I would have thought of the interpretation on my own without the thought having been planted, for instance, and therefore I feel as if I have been cheated out of the full experience of reading, absorbing and pondering the book. I enjoy that part as much as a good story.
So, with that in mind, I avoid anything written about or pertaining to the book which I am reading, at least until after I have read the book proper. But in this case, no matter which order I'd have read it in, the author's note would have annoyed me and caused me to take a star off. Matheson doesn't spoil anything, technically, nor does he really change the way I interpret the book (honestly!), but what he does, is claim that everything in the book, except the characters, is true.
This is a book about the afterlife. Generally speaking, it's impossible for any of us to know anything about the afterlife until we're no longer living our present life. I know that there are people who hold strong beliefs in the afterlife, or who believe that their religion holds the key to their afterlife, and even those who have died briefly and have come back to tell about their experiences. And these may be similar in nature, but it doesn't make it true. There is no proof to back up the statement that this book makes, which I will get to in a moment. And while it is true that "the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence", any claim of "truth" regarding something that cannot be proven by anyone still alive feels very irresponsible.
I don't think that there is anything in this book that would physically harm anyone, and I do think that everyone should be exposed to ideas from all different walks of life, not just their own belief system, so I don't mean "irresponsible" in that way. I just mean that stating something as true when it is virtually unverifiable, and very subject to belief, is a fine line to walk when your career and livelihood depend on not alienating people by your beliefs.
I don't happen to be a religious sort, so in that respect, I was kind of wary of reading this book, given the claim of "truth" that I mentioned before. But I decided to read it as I would any other, and go from there. And while Matheson does touch on "God" and "The Creator" briefly, it is in very general terms, and does not specify any further than that. In fact, he even goes so far as to show people of the Christian faith as being a bit closed-minded in the afterlife that he depicts here, in that they are unable to imagine any other belief system as having an afterlife, and making demands, etc. Nothing outright negative, just that they weren't as open to possibility, so to speak. So I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't preached at, as I was half-expecting.
So, anyway. Now that I've covered the one thing that bothered me, I can move on. For those of you who know anything about my afterlife beliefs, you'll know that I believe that what happens after a person dies is dependent on their own personal belief system. For instance, a Christian who has led a good life and expects to get into Heaven, will. For an atheist who thinks that there is nothing after death, there will be nothing. For someone who believes that they will make it to Valhalla, they will. A follower of Islam who believes that they will make it to Paradise, will. And so on...
I don't really know how long I've held this belief, but I do know that it makes the most sense to me. There are so many religions, and so many sects among each one, that it seems like no two people ever believe the exact same thing. We all interpret religion differently, if we follow one at all, so who's to say what's right? Why fight and kill and hate over a belief? My theory, they're ALL right. Whatever you personally believe is what you will experience. It's kind of comforting, right?
Matheson's book is similar to this, but different in a few major ways.
*********Possible Spoilers Below*********
His book states that there is a sort of ethereal energy plane which occupies the same space as Life, but on a higher level. People who are receptive to higher planes of existence, those who meditate, for instance, are sometimes able to travel in this plane, never realizing it is real, but thinking instead it is a dream or a vision. The higher in the plane we go, the more knowledge we acquire and "divine" we become on our way to rejoining God or the Creator. ("Divine" is my word, not Matheson's.)
What makes his afterlife similar to my theory is that the afterlife plane is a sort of template, onto which the recently deceased imprints their expectations of afterlife. There are certain laws, supposedly handed down from the Creator, which make lower levels (those closer to earth) into a sort of Hell (although there are countless Hells depending on what sort you create for yourself). People who have lived violent lives, for instance, aren't able to rise to the higher levels because they wallow in the misery that they've caused others, and do not seek to better their souls. Sometimes, they aren't even aware they're dead, and just go on living horrible, bleak existences until they ask for and receive help to change and try for more.
The higher levels, of which we only see Summerland, a sort of way station, is adjustable depending on the wishes and beliefs of the individual soul. If your idea of heaven is to have a library full of books in a house by the sea, you have only to create it. So, the higher levels are templates that are adjustable by will, whereas the lower levels are templates that are pre-written by the life you've just led, if that makes sense.
It's a nice thought, that we will all survive death, in a way. It gives us hope that there's not just a one time shot, and if we blow it, or it's taken from us, that's not all there is. We aren't just forsaken and lost forever. It makes me hope that something like this is true, and that I will see my loved ones again when we're gone.
This again is a major theme in this book. Love transcending death. This, I must say, is the facet of the book that most touched and affected me. Matheson's writing about relationships is mesmerizing. He is able, with so few words, to convey to me a lifetime of love and trust and intimacy between Chris, the main character, and his wife Ann, that at times I felt almost like I was spying on their lives. The way that he shows their love made me hope that when my life ends, I can feel as though I've had the kind of connection they shared. Chris's thank you to Ann for being everything to him was heart-rending, and I read it with a pain in my chest and a lump in my throat. Yet I didn't feel like it was contrived or fake, or that I was being manipulated. I just felt as if I was party to his goodbye.
Matheson's writing is simple, but he is a master at depicting life in all its glory and ugliness. He is quickly becoming a favorite author, and despite the fact that I disliked the truth claim, I'm sorry that I put off reading this book for as long as I did. I will definitely need to find and read more Matheson in the future.
...more
First of all, it is very tedious, with too much exposition and endless infodumps in the dialogue form. The story gets so bogged down in the exposition that it becomes very dull to follow. At times it reads like a technical manual, with dry and repetitive narration. In this book, Matheson for the most part tells instead of showing, which makes it hard for me to enjoy the story. The characters are poorly fl
As hard as I tried to make myself care about this book and its characters, I just could not.First of all, it is very tedious, with too much exposition and endless infodumps in the dialogue form. The story gets so bogged down in the exposition that it becomes very dull to follow. At times it reads like a technical manual, with dry and repetitive narration. In this book, Matheson for the most part tells instead of showing, which makes it hard for me to enjoy the story. The characters are poorly fleshed out, and the relationships between them are one-dimensional.
The afterlife world that could have had such potential to be exciting and fantastical is filled instead with arbitrary rules and regulations, and seems like a rather dry, boring, and bureaucratic place. What really frustrated me is that based on these rules, if a person, let's say, struggles with self-esteem or a mental illness, he or she would be eternally screwed here. Not cool.
Basically, this version of afterlife is not as much like this ...
... as it is like this. Boring.
Overall, reading this book felt like being beaten over the head with a lesson in morality, which was not that well-written either. Giving it 2 stars is almost a stretch, but I have read many books that were much worse.
...more
I loved, absolutely loved this beautiful story. I don't agree with the theology. I'm a Christian. Nuf said bout that. The story reads like a myth or legend, and symbolism abounds for the lives we live. THE POWER OF LOVE. That phrase describes the theme. A man dies and goes to a heaven-like place. He wants his wife to come, but learns she has condemned herself to the lower regions through suic
(My fan went out on my laptop again so I'm writing this from my iPhone. So if I misspell or something...)I loved, absolutely loved this beautiful story. I don't agree with the theology. I'm a Christian. Nuf said bout that. The story reads like a myth or legend, and symbolism abounds for the lives we live. THE POWER OF LOVE. That phrase describes the theme. A man dies and goes to a heaven-like place. He wants his wife to come, but learns she has condemned herself to the lower regions through suicide. He risks his soul by descending to save her.
The movie stars Robin Williams, ironic. I threw some thoughts about him in a notebook, and they cover the ideas in the book, death and afterlife. If you feel compelled: Robin Williams/ I miss you/ Man of the World/ comedian/ and hero-/ your laughter died/ with you-/ But I remember Dr. Seuss-/ a beautiful man/ like you/ who told us/ to be happy/ because you came/ and don't cry/ because you left. Your light/ your smile/ your gift/ YOUR GIFT-/ We forgive you/ for hurting us/ But/ only God/ can judge you. He knows/ your heart/ and if you believed. I hope to meet you/ in heaven-/ I want to hug you-/ and say/ We love you/ You made happy faces/ and bright eyes/ You live on/ immortal in the memories/ of recordings/ Your gift never dies -- We still love you.
I loved the depth and power of the story, found it purely captivating and laced with profound truth. My heart wrenched in agony and the pain of empathy, of love for another soul so close. I still hurt, probably will for a while, a good hurt, a love hurt. Matheson writes a reflection of a beautiful soul with an enormous heart, and a genius.
Chris, the main character meets his dog in heaven. Circumstances have separated me for some time from my family and dog. You see, my dog is super emotional and attaches and gets depressed if I'm not around. He's a needy baby, and it hurts knowing he hurts. Sounds strange if you've never had a dog. I pray he'll be with us forever in heaven, like Chris's dog in the story. I wrote another poem about Rascal but maybe another time? I imagine him running in endless fields and seeing me for the first time up there. He freaks out if you leave for ten minutes. I can't imagine what that will be like after waiting years.
Matheson emphasizes the power of thoughts. They can make life heaven or hell. I wonder if sometimes people struggle mentally when they don't realize they don't have to, that they can choose to think differently and step out of their personal hell. When we try to help nobody can reach them. Only self-sacrificial love can heal them, as the book shows.
He also goes over sowing and reaping, a powerful concept, and a true. People say, Karma's a B****" I think s more accurate way to say it may be, "Karma's a B**** to the B****, and s Pal to the Pal.
The climax brings Chris to a decision. Against all odds he strives to convince his wife she can step out of her personal hell. The way he does it sets an example to those, perhaps, who may try to save a marriage dying. GRATITUDE. Made me grateful for my Angel and made me see I need to tell her. Love, true love suffers for the other, is willing to do anything, die on a cross, face derision and hatred, open up to blasts from bullets, whatever. Many leaders of religions have set an example. The story sets pace for the love story of life, and those privileged to experience it while the embers burn for a time.
This story, one of the best, most beloved, wonderful. Don't miss out. Don't, as I nearly did, miss the beauty of the sun and lake and mountains over a single rock blocking the view. Move to a better seat. See another perspective. You'll see the scenery isn't all so different from this angle.
About my dog, Rascal, a.k.a. Wascally Wabbit
When he leaves/ this place/ let him run free/ on grass/ in endless fields/ and a sun/ of gentle warmth/ under rainbow skies./ Be free/ little Baby/ With all your/ new friends/ forever./ My last breath will come/ and I'll stand/ in that field/ and you'll see me/ and I'll see you/ We will play/ We will run/ We will laugh/ again -/ forever:/ I'll never leave again-/ and you'll lie/ on soft grass/ under a pale white/ moon of perfection/ and your peace/ lasts forever./ Let us run-/ let the fields fly by-/ Let us laugh and/ open our hearts-/ and learn to fly/ and explore all/ the worlds/ and infinite space/ and infinite time/ time/ less. Never separated/ again-/ by loneliness/ and hurt/ rejection,/ pain/ will be lost/ forever/ under the deluge/ of eternal bliss. And it's me/ and you/ and all we love.
What ensues is a weak plot/love story that serves only for Matheson to show how much he thinks he knows on the subject of death and the afterlife. I am not so much concerned about the use of plot as a vehicle for informing, but when the author uses almost 100 pages of almost nonstop TALKING in order to spell out everything he's researched about Heaven, it makes me bored and uninterested. I was better able to feel involved in his writings when the character began moving through the layers of Hell, because in this part of the story things were actually happening WHILE giving the author a chance to explain. Lesson learned: action is a better means of communication to the reader than straight dialogue.
I don't have a problem reading a book like this and suspending my own beliefs and knowledge in order to enjoy a fictional story based on the author's thoughts and insights, but I do have a problem when the author is pompous enough to think his limited methods of research have made him some sort of enlightened priest, and isn't creative enough to drive a story along during almost half of the book. What's worse is that, at the very end of the book, the film producer responsible for adapting this book for the big screen has inserted a letter that praises Matheson as some sort of prophet (for lack of a better word). Please.
The meat of the love story itself didn't really do anything for me, but this could be personal preference. At one point near the end there are literally pages and pages of lovey-dovey flashbacks that I ended up skipping to get back to the pending events of the story during its climax.
I don't regret having read it, as there were other parts that were interesting to read ("purgatory" and, as mentioned above, Chris's journey through Hell), but I would tell anyone who was curious to take it with a large grain of salt. The ending is a cop-out, and as I closed the cover for the last time I couldn't help but say to myself, "Really? That's it?"
...more
This is the novel that the movie of the same name is based upon, starring Robin Williams. In the introduction, Matheson explains that the only fiction in this story are the characters and their relationships. The rest came from intensive research on the subject. The end product
makes so much sense
This is the novel that the movie of the same name is based upon, starring Robin Williams. In the introduction, Matheson explains that the only fiction in this story are the characters and their relationships. The rest came from intensive research on the subject. The end product
makes so much sense and seems entirely believable.
The story is about a man's journey beyond death to rejoin his wife. It's the ultimate love story, but beyond that the meaning of life, yes, The Meaning of Life is revealed here. Now, I'm hesitant to admit that this novel has changed my life, or absolutely convinced me of
life after death, but it has inspired much hope. It really makes sense, and I challenge anyone to read it and not be affected by it.
Now, in the introduction of What Dreams May Come, Matheson states that the only fictional elements about it are the characters. When I read this statement, I already knew that this book is about a man who dies and tries to reunite with his wife, as well as that it provides a detailed depiction of afterlife. So, it's easy to imagine that my rationalistic defenses were immediately activated. Matheson then clarifies that his sources were tons of books concerning near-death experiences and theories about the afterlife, so I naturally made the rationalization that these are such subjective factors, they can hardly be called non-fiction. That allowed me to enjoy this brilliant book as it is. A magnificent love story.
After having read four of his books (including this one), I have come to love Matheson's way of telling his stories. There's something unique and addictive about it. In What Dreams May Come, he weaves a tale which includes everlasting love along with psychological terrors including life and death. As for the latter, he paints a picture where afterlife is what we make it. The Ultimate Judgement is performed by the person alone and whether they end up in Heaven or Hell and what kind it will be, is decided by themselves after they have seen their lives pass before their eyes and made an account of what kind of life they led. So those who feel guilty about what they've done in life, they end up experiencing their personal Hell which is in fact a projection of their inner psyche. The rest enter Summerland, which is a non-Christian version of Heaven.
****MINOR SPOILER**** I was particularly amazed by the part where the protagonist meets his wife in her personal Hell after having committed suicide and finds her stuck in a twisted version of their home, tormented by her guilts and refusing to believe that he is her husband and that she doesn't have to stay there if only she wills it enough.****END OF SPOILER****
I don't know about afterlife, but this is certainly something very true in real life. I mean, for people to punish themselves making their close environment a projection of their dark psychology, keeping themselves stuck in all that's bad and wrong in order to avoid the truth which is that they can change everything. And of course this has serious repercussions to everyone who cares for them and love them. So powerful this part!
All that aside, the bottom line is that this is a love story about a man who will do everything in order to be with his wife. In life as well as in death. I read in another review about the final "thank-you" speech being sexist and offensive and I can't help but feel sorry about everyone who read it and felt this way. Most probably, these people never felt real love, shut inside their pittiful, insecure, rotting shells they call their bodies. Blind to everything but a few words, it's no wonder they can only feel offended instead of having the self-respect to be touched by such powerful notions. Sorry about that, I just had to get it out of my system.
I've said before that it takes some balls to write good romance. The kind of balls that is not an exclusive priviledge of men. Great book, recommended to anyone willing to know/remember what romance really is.
...more
I feel as if Richard Matheson is a brilliant writer that not enough people give credit to. He wrote I Am Legend, The Shrinking Man (often known as The Incredible Shrinking Man), Nightmare at 20,000 Feet for The Twilight Zone, Button, Button (which was adapted into the film The Box), and there was also this particular novel that touches upon death. While this book was published and released in 1978, many know about the film adaptation from 20 years later starring Robin Williams as Chris
4.5 starsI feel as if Richard Matheson is a brilliant writer that not enough people give credit to. He wrote I Am Legend, The Shrinking Man (often known as The Incredible Shrinking Man), Nightmare at 20,000 Feet for The Twilight Zone, Button, Button (which was adapted into the film The Box), and there was also this particular novel that touches upon death. While this book was published and released in 1978, many know about the film adaptation from 20 years later starring Robin Williams as Chris Nielsen. This book certainly holds with it a great deal of merit and serves as a testament to what life is like after death. The bibliography demonstrates the great deal of research that Matheson put into this topic before writing this book and I give him all of the credit in the world for putting something so amazing together with that research.
This novel begins with Chris Nielsen's death in the world that we are familiar. He is killed in a car crash and dies shortly thereafter. Chris leaves behind his wife, Ann, his four children, Louise, Richard, Marie, and Ian, and a German Shepherd named Ginger. He also leaves behind his brother, Robert, to whom he is telling this story. Sharing specifics regarding what happens in the afterlife would give plenty of details away to his journey, but what I can say is that Chris' greatest desire is to be with his wife, Ann. He loves Ann so much that even a place like Heaven cannot be enjoyed if he is not with her and he would be willing to do anything and go anywhere just to be with her. What I can also say is that every religion is viewed upon on equal grounds and I think that the way the afterlife is represented is brilliant and thought-provoking in how I can certainly guarantee that one will be thinking about this novel beyond the text and how it can ignite really deep discussions.
This book did an excellent job stirring up the discussion of death and what happens beyond it and while one may be looking for answers within this text, what this book does is present some really interesting thoughts, but yet you are left thinking even more beyond the text. I think that after reading this, I can certainly say that I have walked away with greater ideas in what it means to live a good and decent life. The way that they address some instances, such as the workaholic looking for monetary gain and the holy roller that wants attention for their connection with God, is quite clever. Why it is 4.5 stars instead of a solid 5 stars, though, is in these slight inconsistencies where there is no need for some things, but for others, which in a way does get resolved. I also thought that while the final part of the book was understandable, it felt like a bit of a letdown that also took a different path from the way things went. Then again, we have no idea what is bound to happen in the afterlife. All we know in our familiar world is that death is inevitable. People are born and people die everyday in greater numbers than we can imagine. The same can be said about any and every living being (human, dog, fish, plant, etc.).
I would say that this novel has elements of all forms of speculative fiction, but the speculative fiction label seems most accurate. What Dreams May Come has elements that some may argue as being fantastical, while others may see elements of horror or science fiction. I think that this is an impactful text that does everything that it needs to do, including how it makes its way deep under your skin. Matheson's works are known to do this and he is a master, if not THE master, at doing so.
You can find the Literary Gladiators discussion for this book (containing spoilers) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsXN7...
...more
I was entrance by this book.
A great book.....
Matheson at is best!!!!
Powerful written, with insight and guts.....
I recommend it to everyone who feels eternity in his heart!!!!
Dean:)
I will talk about the movie first because I liked it more and because it had more of a profound effect on me. This does go against one of my Goodreads rules, don't bring movie opinions to a book party. I have decided it has to be done though because the movie is where my heart is and talking about it shows how much the book disappointed me.
MOVIE
The movie goes down in my memory books as one of my top fav movie experiences. The first time I saw it was right at the beginning of a new relationship with a guy who (for the first time in a long time) genuinely liked and respected me. He had seen the movie before and thought it would be something I would enjoy. I don't think he was prepared for the snot and tear covered blubbering mess I ended up being for most of the movie. It told a story of a man who went to hell and back for the woman he loved, and the bitter and jaded part of me couldn't handle the idea that there could be a love as strong as the one portrayed in the movie. I will never in my life forget the visual beauty of the paintings come to life and just how amazing Robin Williams was as the lead.
BOOK
I expect there to be quite a few differences when a book goes from the page to the screen. The characters we have bonded with aren't always as we picture them in our heads and the story must be condensed to fit into the usual movie time constraints. The differences between the two in this case were so drastic that it felt like a completely different story throughout the first part of the book. I had to write down the character names and take notes to help keep things straight which is something I hate doing. After I got over the initial shock of how different things were I did start to get more into the book, but it was nothing like how I felt with the movie. I did not cry even once while reading it which is unbelievable to me considering how much I sobbed during the movie.
I go back and forth on the rating for this one. The movie is above and beyond five stars but the book hits around the three-star mark. I think it would have been a four had I not seen the movie first so ranking it in the nothing in between (how I like to think of the three-star rating) really isn't fair to it. So...compromise.
Four stars to a book that led to one of the most amazing movies ever.
...more
Whether you choose to view this remarkable manuscript as a work of non-fiction or the latter, two things can be said. Richard Matheson is either a literary GENIOUS or this is the book EVERYONE has been waiting to read,yet may not know it.
A remarkable book which was meant for me to read. It has reinstated my faith in the afterlife, helped in understanding of certain elements of what I believe to be involved with the process of the afterlife, as well as incorporate Amazing,Inspiring,Life changing.
Whether you choose to view this remarkable manuscript as a work of non-fiction or the latter, two things can be said. Richard Matheson is either a literary GENIOUS or this is the book EVERYONE has been waiting to read,yet may not know it.
A remarkable book which was meant for me to read. It has reinstated my faith in the afterlife, helped in understanding of certain elements of what I believe to be involved with the process of the afterlife, as well as incorporated so many religious philosophies such as christianity,buddism,reincarnation and karma- all into the one beautiful manifestation of entering into life after death.
It also has inspired me to research this book more so and look into certain faith based reading.
Amazing.
A billion Stars :)
What most find memorable and touching about the story, which is the story of the way people who love each other strongly cope with lif
What was most fascinating to me was how well researched (though it's fiction) the book was. People who are familiar with "new age" and scientific discoveries on research into the afterlife from different perspectives won't fail to recognize many influences into this story. In addition, Matheson adds a bibliography of all the books he read before writing this work.What most find memorable and touching about the story, which is the story of the way people who love each other strongly cope with life after death, what I found more clever was the way that Matheson wove so many theories on the afterlife together to paint a harmonious picture of what life after death could be for one person as he adjusts to what has become of his spirit after his death.
While this book should appeal very much to the romantic at heart, I also see the appeal to anyone interested in a fiction based on a depth of research into the afterlife phenomenon and also it should appeal to anyone who has questioned what the possibilities are in the afterlife. Matheson did well to cover just about every notion that has been presented in written works up until the publication of this novel.
Also, for lovers of this movie, this book should not disappoint as I found it even more beautiful and vivid and more conclusive. The movie made some changes that enhanced the story, though I think that Matheson's original telling of it had some elements (such as the power of prayer) that would have made the movie better if it had also been included in the movie. While there were many differences between the book and the movie, I do believe that anyone who appreciated the movie would appreciate the book equally, if not more.
...more
I don't want to really give anything away, as I think the differences also make each piece an individual masterpiece and I wouldn't want to rob anyone of the discoveries in either. I do recommend this book, especially to fans of Matheson's other work. If you have read I Am Legend, you know how twisted Matheson's imagination can be. Now if you take that to the afterlife and let it run wild, you will end up with something very close to What Dreams May Come.
...more
The heaven in this book made my skin crawl, it felt almost like a dream of eugenics: a world where only perfect and enlightened people live, while people with mental illnesses (like Annie's depression) are thrown out into hell and people with physical deformities are seen as unenlightened. And Matheson claims that his depiction of heaven is the correct, that his depiction of the afterlife is "true." I've really liked some of Matheson's other books, but this one to me is very problematic.
...more
I read it for the first time when I was ten or eleven, I can't remember specifically, and it was miles over my head at that time. Which is why I am so glad I came back to it now, when my mind can better compreh
This is a book that has been on my shelf since, well, I got my first bookshelf at age 8. It was one of the many hand-me-downs my mother bestowed to me to get my collection started. For this reason, I may be slightly biased, but I am and will always remain adamant in my love for this book.I read it for the first time when I was ten or eleven, I can't remember specifically, and it was miles over my head at that time. Which is why I am so glad I came back to it now, when my mind can better comprehend the complexities described within its pages. It opened my mind completely to new ideas about life after death; I have also determined to gather and read the entire contents of the bibliography Matheson provided that includes all of his research used to provide the details within the novel.
But I digress; my own personal attachment to this book is probably not enough validation to encourage you to read it. So let me say, this novel contains a work of literature unparalleled in both plot and theme. Matheson reshapes the entire definition of the phrase "love story"; I daresay he creates a story to contest even Shakespeare's famed star-crossed lovers, for, not only is Chris unable to live without Ann, he is discontent even in HEAVEN without her.
I could go on endlessly about my love for this book, but I'll try not to make this review too painfully long. So let me end by saying that I think this is a book that everyone should read at least once, because it could just change your life as it changed mine.
...more
What happens after we die is a question people wonder about. The afterlife is debated about between the numerous religions in the world. This was Matheson's look at what that afterlife is like and how we affect what it will be. His running mantra throughout is that it is all in the mind...what we think, whether dead or alive, makes a difference to our lives and our deaths.
But, this was also a love story...It was a swee
Life on earth is only a panorama of vivid observations which seem real to you.What happens after we die is a question people wonder about. The afterlife is debated about between the numerous religions in the world. This was Matheson's look at what that afterlife is like and how we affect what it will be. His running mantra throughout is that it is all in the mind...what we think, whether dead or alive, makes a difference to our lives and our deaths.
But, this was also a love story...It was a sweet love story happening on the planes of perceived heavens and hells. It was the first love story I have read in a long time that didn't make me roll my eyes.
This book was one part information about ideas of the afterlife, one part love story and one part cautionary tale about how you think and behave in the world.
...more
That's actually easy to answer. After losing my Dad I thought reading, in detail, about a man dying in a hospital, leaving his devastated family behind, and slowly moving into the afterlife would be difficult for me process.
To be clear, losing my Dad absolutely devastated me. The circumstances surrounding his death prevented me from grieving for the better part of a year. We didn't even get to celebrate his life and have his funeral for 10 months
Why did I put off reading this book for so long?That's actually easy to answer. After losing my Dad I thought reading, in detail, about a man dying in a hospital, leaving his devastated family behind, and slowly moving into the afterlife would be difficult for me process.
To be clear, losing my Dad absolutely devastated me. The circumstances surrounding his death prevented me from grieving for the better part of a year. We didn't even get to celebrate his life and have his funeral for 10 months after he passed. In one month it will be two years since he passed and though things are better, I am still scared and broken in many ways.
Back to What Dreams May Come....
Of course I've seen the movie. Of course it made me sob and hug my husband a little tighter. But after Robin Williams died (the same age as my dad, not 5 months later) I found myself unable to watch the film version. I was really terrified of the feels that this story would undoubtably trigger.
And then damn if it wasn't on TV when I had nothing else to do... so I watched it again and it didn't hurt. In fact, it was so inspiring - all over again - that I finally bit the bullet and bought the book.
I should have read it a year ago. I should have probably read it around the 3rd or 4th month of losing my Dad. As someone terrified of death, hyper-aware of the mortality of myself and loved ones, and with nearly no religious association or formal belief system, this book was exactly what I needed.
There was no hiding from the similarities between my Dad's death and Chris's in What Dreams May Come. The suddenness, the hospital room, the regrets... it was so easy to visualize my Dad as Chris. And Chris's family as me. I had so many instances of 'feeling' my dad in the room with me... of knowing he was wishing he could comfort me... of total and complete confidence that I WILL see him again... and somehow believing he's in a better place, but that he didn't move on until a few weeks after his death, that he was still around for the worst of my grief.
To read about that in a first-person POV was not the nightmare I feared but extremely cathartic and beautiful.
I know this is fiction but if you've ever lost someone who means the entire world to you... if you don't have a religion that has defined the afterlife for you... if you need hope and reassurance that there's more... read What Dreams May Come.
I feared reading this book the way Chris describes humanity's fear of death. If Richard Matheson was even 0.1% right about the after life, then I believe everything is going to be okay.
I could have wrapped the entire last four chapters in highlights but here are some quotes I loved:
For, in truth, it is not courageous to die. True courage is involved in being born voluntarily... Trauma isn't caused by death but by life. One can die without knowing it.
Life is the state of consciousness which perceives energy as matter. Death is the state of consciousness which no longer perceives it as such. Life on earth is only a panorama of vivid observations which seem real to you.
Why should afterlife seem less real?
Do you fear to sleep at night? Of course not. Because you know that you will wake again.
Think of death the same way. As a sleep from which, inevitably, you will awaken.
True life is a process of becoming. Death is a stage in this progression. Life is not followed by un-life. There is only a single continuity of being.
I can say that I loved the movie based on this book, and am grateful (grudgingly) to the author for taking on a fascinating topic. It gives others a place from which to start discussions, internal searches, and perhaps further study into the various themes presented. Honestly though - those could come from simply watching the movie, which I think is the better use of time.
...more
I revisited it now (almost 20 years later) in audiobook form. It didn't have quite the same effect, perhaps because I already "bought in" to the concept. However, this will always be a 5-star book for me given its impact on my young, impressionable self.
I first read this book in my early twenties, and it was very influential at that stage of my life. It dramatically shaped my concept of the afterlife and made me reconsider some doctrines that had been ingrained in me.I revisited it now (almost 20 years later) in audiobook form. It didn't have quite the same effect, perhaps because I already "bought in" to the concept. However, this will always be a 5-star book for me given its impact on my young, impressionable self.
...more
This isn't the case with Matheson's What Dreams May Come. The novel is Matheson's attempt to look at what happens to us after death and while it's interesting, I never felt like it necessarily connected with me in the same way that other Matheson novels and short stories have.
Driving home, Chris Nielsen is killed in a car accident. Aft
Many of Richard Matheson's short stories and novels take a supernatural premise and make it relatable through the use of the characters and their reactions to it.This isn't the case with Matheson's What Dreams May Come. The novel is Matheson's attempt to look at what happens to us after death and while it's interesting, I never felt like it necessarily connected with me in the same way that other Matheson novels and short stories have.
Driving home, Chris Nielsen is killed in a car accident. After his spirit lingers in our world for a bit, Chris transcends to the next level of being. While he's content there, he misses his wife Anne and longs for the day she'll join him on the other side. But when Ann can't take the pain of missing Chris, she commits suicide, condemning her to a purgatory of sorts from which her spirit can't or won't escape. Chris decides he needs to rescue Ann and undertakes a journey to the underworld to bring her back.
There are early passages in this novel that work very well, from Chris' initial frustration about not being able to interact with his family and friends while "stuck" on this plane of existence. And while Matheson attempts to set up the romance and deep love that Chris and Ann share, it never quite becomes as transcendent as the novel requires. Chris' grand gesture to potentially throw away his eternal existence to "save" Ann should feel more monumental than it does.
I found myself growing frustrated with the novel at points because, as I said before, Matheson has given us stories focusing on "love that transcends the bounds of time and space" before in Somewhere in Time. And yet as unbelievable as the premise is that a man could will himself back in time to be with the woman he loves, I found it far more easy to suspend my disbelief for that premise than I did for the premise here. Part of it is that I was a bit more invested in the characters in Somewhere in Time (aka Bid Time Return) than I was in What Dreams May Come.
But even "lesser" Matheson is still enjoyable Matheson. And while I didn't love this novel as much as some of his other works, there are still some good nuggets buried in here.
...more
The movie edited out the preachy factor. It breathed emotion and life into a brilliant idea. Thus, the four stars—for the brilliant idea. We watched the movie again, right after I finished the book. I think we have to thank Annabella Sciorra and the cinematographer for a movie that everyone and anyone who's ever lost someone they dearly loved should watch.
A little more of my experience reading the book...
http://heidigwrites.blogspot.com/2013...
This is one of those books that only provides a very loose basis for the movie. If you pick this book up expecting Robin Williams quips, you'll be sorely disappointed. What Dreams May Come is really more about the author delving into his thoughts about the afterlife. I had a hard time reading more than a few pages at once because my mind would start to churn with thoughts about life after death and it would be impossible to concentrate on the book. But it is an excellent book. Just not one 1/1/03
This is one of those books that only provides a very loose basis for the movie. If you pick this book up expecting Robin Williams quips, you'll be sorely disappointed. What Dreams May Come is really more about the author delving into his thoughts about the afterlife. I had a hard time reading more than a few pages at once because my mind would start to churn with thoughts about life after death and it would be impossible to concentrate on the book. But it is an excellent book. Just not one for easy, pleasure reading.
Update 2/26/15:
I didn't find myself as completely overwhelmed with thoughts spawned by this book as I did 12 years ago. It did still make me stop and think, but I was touched more deeply by the love story of Chris and Ann. I liked that the ideas of the afterlife shown by Matheson leave room for all walks of life and all denominations of faith. This book is definitely one worth reading again. I think there's something here for everyone.
The cover of the book proclaims "After life there is more...The end is just the beginning", a sentiment I firmly believe. But I was sorely disappointed in this book. I found it depressing and irritating. However, I remembered I didn't like the beginning of that other novel of Matheson's, which I ended up rea
I really liked Somewhere in Time (originally published under another title) by Matheson, so despite disliking the video of this movie, I was looking forward to reading it. I was disappointed.The cover of the book proclaims "After life there is more...The end is just the beginning", a sentiment I firmly believe. But I was sorely disappointed in this book. I found it depressing and irritating. However, I remembered I didn't like the beginning of that other novel of Matheson's, which I ended up really liking, so kept plugging along.
Nah...didn't work for me.
Maybe it's because I've had my own "near death" experience...maybe it's because I'm an optimist. Maybe it's because I read the Narnia books and fell in love with them before I found a more traditional outlet for my faith.
...moreHis first short story, "Born of Man and Woman," appeared in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1950. The tale of a monstrous child chained in its parents' cellar, it was told in the first person as the creature's diary (in poignantly non-idiomatic English) and immediately made Matheson famous. Between 1950 and 1971, Matheson produced dozens of stories, frequently blending elements of the science fiction, horror and fantasy genres.
Several of his stories, like "Third from the Sun" (1950), "Deadline" (1959) and "Button, Button" (1970) are simple sketches with twist endings; others, like "Trespass" (1953), "Being" (1954) and "Mute" (1962) explore their characters' dilemmas over twenty or thirty pages. Some tales, such as "The Funeral" (1955) and "The Doll that Does Everything" (1954) incorporate zany satirical humour at the expense of genre clichés, and are written in an hysterically overblown prose very different from Matheson's usual pared-down style. Others, like "The Test" (1954) and "Steel" (1956), portray the moral and physical struggles of ordinary people, rather than the then nearly ubiquitous scientists and superheroes, in situations which are at once futuristic and everyday. Still others, such as "Mad House" (1953), "The Curious Child" (1954) and perhaps most famously, "Duel" (1971) are tales of paranoia, in which the everyday environment of the present day becomes inexplicably alien or threatening.
He wrote a number of episodes for the American TV series The Twilight Zone, including "Steel," mentioned above and the famous "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"; adapted the works of Edgar Allan Poe for Roger Corman and Dennis Wheatley's The Devil Rides Out for Hammer Films; and scripted Steven Spielberg's first feature, the TV movie Duel, from his own short story. He also contributed a number of scripts to the Warner Brothers western series "The Lawman" between 1958 and 1962. In 1973, Matheson earned an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for his teleplay for The Night Stalker, one of two TV movies written by Matheson that preceded the series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Matheson also wrote the screenplay for Fanatic (US title: Die! Die! My Darling!) starring Talullah Bankhead and Stefanie Powers.
Novels include The Shrinking Man (filmed as The Incredible Shrinking Man, again from Matheson's own screenplay), and a science fiction vampire novel, I Am Legend, which has been filmed three times under the titles The Omega Man and The Last Man on Earth and once under the original title. Other Matheson novels turned into notable films include What Dreams May Come, Stir of Echoes, Bid Time Return (as Somewhere in Time), and Hell House (as The Legend of Hell House) and the aforementioned Duel, the last three adapted and scripted by Matheson himself. Three of his short stories were filmed together as Trilogy of Terror, including "Prey" with its famous Zuni warrior doll.
In 1960, Matheson published The Beardless Warriors, a nonfantastic, autobiographical novel about teenage American soldiers in World War II.
He died at his home on June 23, 2013, at the age of 87
http://us.macmillan.com/author/richar...
...moreRelated Articles
Welcome back. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account.
Robin Williams Speech What Dreams May Come
Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33555.What_Dreams_May_Come
0 Response to "Robin Williams Speech What Dreams May Come"
Post a Comment