Best Three Books on Animal Afterlife
In working on this blog, I’ve read a lot of books about animal afterlife. I’d like to highlight three of the best.
Animals and the Afterlife, by Kim Sheridan.
Animals and the Afterlife was clearly a labor of love. It spans about 400 pages and surveys a variety of areas of evidence. I’m grateful to Kim for doing all the work it entailed. Lo 15 years ago, it was the first book I ever read on animal afterlife. I knew my dog Boomer was getting older, and I was wrestling with questions of whether he would survive death or not. I found Kim’s book very helpful. Although some of the individual stories aren’t strong on their own, the cumulative weight of the evidence is persuasive.
Kim doesn’t just present evidence, though. She weaves in stories about her pet rats, which I found intriguing, and she shares a lot of reflections about the spiritual nature of animals and the role they play in our lives.
Kim seemed to be planning a sequel, but that was 20 years ago, so unless she is still working on it, I doubt that will materialize. We will have to make do with this. And that’s fine. Like all books, it has some shortcomings, but overall, it is still my favorite book on animal afterlife.
The Amazing Afterlife of Animals, by Karen Anderson.
Karen Anderson is a well-respected animal communicator. She covers a lot of ground in this book — her fascinating backstory, afterlife evidence from her readings, how to deal with the loss of a pet, and answers to various questions about animal afterlife.
It’s a relatively short book, about 150 pages; she cuts to the chase fairly quickly. It’s an easy read. I’ve communicated a little with Karen online, and I’ve listened to many of her interviews. She’s a good person, and her voice comes through clearly here.
I think the book is worth reading for anyone interested in animal afterlife, but it would be especially good for someone who is dealing with the loss of a pet or anticipates that coming soon.
The Soul of Your Pet, by Scott Smith.
The Soul of Your Pet is subtitled “Evidence for the survival of animals after death,” and that’s exactly what it is – a collection of evidence for animal afterlife.
Scott Smith is a journalist, and he takes an old-fashioned journalistic approach here — keeping himself out of it, not editorializing much. He comments and analyzes occasionally, but mostly he just presents stories and accounts, one after another. Although I typically find that structure boring, he keeps things moving (the book is only 120 pages), so it never feels like a slog. In particular, Scott does a good job of highlighting the more evidential accounts (e.g., after-death communications which convey information the person had no way of knowing).
I first read The Soul of Your Pet 15 years ago. I found its evidence very persuasive. If you are specifically interested in evidence for animal afterlife, there is probably no better book to read (except mine, of course).
Honorable Mention
This book probably doesn’t belong on the list, because it’s not about animal afterlife specifically, but I have to mention it anyway: Kinship with All Life, by J. Allen Boone.
Kinship with All Life is a wonderful and beautifully written book. It is about the dignity of animals and how to connect with them. It is about the personal and spiritual qualities of animals. J. Allen Boone is a good writer, so it’s a pleasure to read.
The book, which was written in 1952, is a classic in the field. It is small but packs a powerful punch. It has been years since I read it, but I still remember some of its stories (e.g., Freddy the Fly). I think anyone who loves animals would enjoy it.