Book Review: ‘Answers About the Afterlife’ by Bob Olson

A friend recently told me about her experience seeing a reputable psychic. This psychic asked her if her mother had recently passed (she had — a week earlier), asked if she was going to Florida soon (she had just purchased a ticket for the memorial), and gave her spot-on details about the boyfriend with whom she had just broken up. Amazing!

I had the same “oh wow” reaction when I read the new book by former skeptic and AfterlifeTV.com host Bob Olson, called Answers About the Afterlife: A Private Investigator’s 15-Year Research Unlocks the Mysteries of Life after Death (Building Bridges Press, 2014). Olson became intrigued with life’s big unknowns after his father died, when he felt an unmistakable presence near him. He decided to use the skills and techniques he’d mastered as a private investigator to find out whether the spirit of his father was real or just his imagination.

Today he’s considered one of our leading experts on the afterlife who’s become nationally known for his workshops, webinars, and media contributions based on 15 years of research, in-depth interviews, and old-fashioned detective work.

The book answers 200 of the most frequently asked questions about death and dying, the afterlife, spirits, psychics, reincarnation, near-death experiences, and much more.

What I like is Olson’s matter-of-fact way of presenting evidence for a “life” or existence beyond the one we’re in right now. He doesn’t try to convince the reader; he just offers anecdotes, research findings, and first-person accounts that he’s thoughtfully and objectively pieced together into the clearest-possible explanation. Throughout, Olson shares resources where readers can find out more about a certain topic of interest.

From years as a media personality and investigator in this area, Olson really understands and targets the kinds of questions people wonder about. For example:

* How does my spouse in spirit feel about me getting married again?

* Can my loved one in spirit hear me with I talk or pray to him/her?

* How can I tell if a psychic medium is real or a fake?

* Will I get to be with my beloved pet again?

* What evidence is there for reincarnation and past lives?

* Is there a hell, where murderers or nonbelievers go after they die?

This is not a book that supports any one religion, although there is a spiritual element to it. In fact, Olson has a wonderfully reasonable explanation for who or what “God” is, and this foundational concept fits well with the answers he poses about life after death and the spirit world.

He says that finding satisfactory answers to the big questions in life open us up to the possibility of more love and compassion for oneself and others, less fear of death and misfortune, and a new sense of inner peace and purpose. I’ll buy that. However, even if you remain a skeptic after reading this book, there’s no disputing that it’s a very fun topic to explore and ponder.