tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post3852825808615351897..comments2024-03-28T19:36:39.783-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: Near death with Gary Braver's "Tunnel Vision"Jungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-59560984499883714682011-06-22T08:56:35.675-04:002011-06-22T08:56:35.675-04:00Hi, Michael,
I’m impressed you know about her wor...Hi, Michael,<br /><br />I’m impressed you know about her work.<br /><br />Yes, Susan Blackmore’s 1991 article in Skeptic got me going by providing me with much material to draw from as well as a mindset that informed some of the positions in Tunnel Vision. Her writing is lucid without being didactic; logical without being dismissive of NDEs as just biology. Overall, she has high appreciation of the wonders of the brain and the mind and what they are each capable of. Thanks for your good question.Gary Bravernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-16152069744249755012011-06-21T15:21:39.086-04:002011-06-21T15:21:39.086-04:00Gary, did you by chance read up on the research of...Gary, did you by chance read up on the research of Susan Blackmore when you worked on the book?Michael A. Bursteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04701222644205600836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-56078813452756116412011-06-21T15:18:16.171-04:002011-06-21T15:18:16.171-04:00Hi, Ruth,
Thanks, you’re more than kind. And look...Hi, Ruth,<br />Thanks, you’re more than kind. And looking forward to our panel. But I must say that after doing all the research on the book, I now have more questions than answers.Gary Bravernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-66444907841331113462011-06-21T15:15:33.985-04:002011-06-21T15:15:33.985-04:00Hi, Deb,
Brain chemicals or something else, if th...Hi, Deb,<br />Brain chemicals or something else, if that conversation was nurturing and consoling for you, it makes no difference. And hope you enjoy the book. There are some conversations across the divide in it you may find interesting.Gary Bravernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-8093777647730725442011-06-21T15:07:04.748-04:002011-06-21T15:07:04.748-04:00Hi, Rhys,
To be honest, I bought PASSAGES when I f...Hi, Rhys,<br />To be honest, I bought PASSAGES when I first started outlining this one and had to stop out of fear of becoming too influenced by it. She is such a good writer; and now that Tunnel Vision is done, I’m going to read it. Thanks for the reminder.Gary Bravernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-27918570832858385272011-06-21T14:34:55.123-04:002011-06-21T14:34:55.123-04:00Gary, this is a fantastic topic for all us baby bo...Gary, this is a fantastic topic for all us baby boomers out here. I too love reading about it especially since my father and sister both had NDE. I can tell right now that there will be many questions for you when I moderate your panel at Crime Bake! And you know I love all your books!Ruth McCartyhttp://www.ruthmmccarty.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-25338984788269046582011-06-21T14:12:42.102-04:002011-06-21T14:12:42.102-04:00Gary, this is so fascinating. And what a great pr...Gary, this is so fascinating. And what a great premise for a novel. I'm not particularly religious in the orthodox sense, but I'm a biologist by education, and I've always thought that the world--and humans in particular--was too wondrous to be entirely random.<br /><br />Can't wait to read your book!<br /><br />Oh, and I did, by the way, have a "conversation" with my grandmother on the morning of her funeral. It was one of the most lucid experiences I've ever had, and is still fresh after almost thirty years. Brain chemicals? Hmmm.Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01658027347346424733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-60978867017519114762011-06-21T12:36:40.264-04:002011-06-21T12:36:40.264-04:00Gary, a book that made a tremendous impression on ...Gary, a book that made a tremendous impression on me was Connie Willis's Passage. Have you read it? So many thoughtful layers on this subject.<br /><br />I'm so looking forward to reading yours. And I love the concept of the Godlobe. Wow.Rhys Bowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06663634889908752121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-50602383873864787972011-06-21T10:14:56.210-04:002011-06-21T10:14:56.210-04:00Hi, Pauline,
That experience you had about death n...Hi, Pauline,<br />That experience you had about death no longer being frightening is one of the overwhelming characteristics reported by NDE victims. People report that they “know” they’re dead and don’t want to come back into life. One woman wrote in one book I researched that the spirit of her dead mother urged her to go back to life, to be with those she still loved and who needed her. Very touching. And talk about a conflict! In Tunnel Vision, I tried to fall in the middle—natural or supernatural. I would be suffering my own tunnel vision to do otherwise. Hope you like where it finally falls. Thanks.Gary Bravernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15250788930111795992011-06-21T10:09:54.210-04:002011-06-21T10:09:54.210-04:00Hi, Hallie,
I’m sure it was gratifying to her, th...Hi, Hallie,<br /><br />I’m sure it was gratifying to her, though creepy for the rest of us. Not to make light of your friend, but I once chatted with a dead older brother, but I think that had to do with what I was drinking at the time. I’m an only child.Gary Bravernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-19109453444200921052011-06-21T10:06:48.370-04:002011-06-21T10:06:48.370-04:00Wow, Pauline - that sounds amazing.Wow, Pauline - that sounds amazing.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-70275728760677696382011-06-21T10:04:21.879-04:002011-06-21T10:04:21.879-04:00Hi, Jan,
Sad story about losing a brother so young...Hi, Jan,<br />Sad story about losing a brother so young. But I know exactly what you mean. My interest in NDE claims was more hopeful than intellectual. Whatever the truth, it confirms my belief that the human mind is the most wondrous creation in the universe—so much so, I hope it goes on.Gary Bravernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-87252683644908639042011-06-21T10:01:03.294-04:002011-06-21T10:01:03.294-04:00Hi, Roberta,
Some people maintain that the brain, ...Hi, Roberta,<br />Some people maintain that the brain, like a muscle, needs stimulation to keep active. However I’m not sure about this rarely configured node in the parietal lobe. In “normal” “non-spiritual” people that sector of the brain is the same area where visions are created—of dead relatives, the Virgin Mary, and space aliens. And stimulation of that area creates a lot more. However, not sure one would like that area “developed.” I can barely cope with reality some times, let alone Martians and Granny.Gary Braverhttp://www.garybraver.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-58573856313651378152011-06-21T09:34:29.959-04:002011-06-21T09:34:29.959-04:00Is the experience biological or mystical? I wonder...Is the experience biological or mystical? I wonder what I'd find out in your book. I experienced a NDE when I was sixteen. I was in rebellion and rejecitng religion. I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and acceptance, and it did change the way I looked at life and death. Death was no longer frightening.Pauline Alldredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00847008019331163905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-24812514784761765962011-06-21T09:32:08.858-04:002011-06-21T09:32:08.858-04:00Yeah, it's hard to dispute when so many peopl...Yeah, it's hard to dispute when so many people report the same thing..and very comforting, I can say here in the privacy of JRW, to think so.<br /><br />Did anyone say--yeah, I had a near-death experience, and it was TERRIBLE?<br /><br />I love it, Gary, that you're taking something so timeless and making it contemporary.Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-30078040409456715962011-06-21T08:52:20.387-04:002011-06-21T08:52:20.387-04:00I have a dear friend who literally saw and talked ...I have a dear friend who literally saw and talked to her brother after he died. It was very comforting for her -- very scary for those of us hearing about it. I ended up reading all about NDE then, too.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-68973543210539524432011-06-21T08:35:54.976-04:002011-06-21T08:35:54.976-04:00What a great idea for a book Gary! After my broth...What a great idea for a book Gary! After my brother passed away, when I was 21, I read every single book on Near Death Experience -- it was fairly new then. Until I realized I was actually trying to prove there was an afterlife and you can't really prove these kinds of things.<br /><br />But I still think its a fascinating experience, no matter what the explanation;<br /><br />Congrats!!Jan Broganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11323983086318138814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-22301380043016782622011-06-21T07:59:48.878-04:002011-06-21T07:59:48.878-04:00Wow Gary, this sounds like a fascinating book! Lov...Wow Gary, this sounds like a fascinating book! Love the Godlobe! Do you have a sense that that part of the brain can be developed? Because folks do report conversion experiences later in life, right?<br /><br />and what side of the debate does your character fall on?Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.com