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To Heaven and Back My Review

by Kathy Warth

June 5, 2012

The journey to Chile took Dr. Mary Neal, her husband Bill and others to the Fuy river, all experienced kayakers, all excited to accept the challenges that await them. Escallating over the waterfall Mary's boat became lodged with an abandoned boat and with the force of the raging waters she was taken and trapped under water. It was a miracle of sorts that the author, after the tramatic experience of being held under water in 1999 for so long of a time, was able to lead a fairly normal life despite the tragic happenings that continue to plague her family.

Books such as these seem to fuel the curiosity that others (myself included) have of the unknown and the desire to know how others experiences have led them to (or strengthened) their faiths.

I do think on a positive note that her overcoming the adversities in her life and getting her story out there could be a source of hope for others who are fighting with similar tragedies in theirs. Her strength is evident as a result of what she and her family has been through. This book is more an autobiography of her and her families life. The pictures in the book added a nice touch to their story.

I feel on a negative note that it did not challenge my faith as much as I had anticipated. Her near death experience covered only a very, very minute part of the whole book so I believe the title to be deceiving, makes the reader think that the book is more about her near death experience. I was sceptical about a few parts ie for example: what children remember before birth and how the world changes their thinking.

All in all I did enjoy getting to know about her family life as I am someone who does not read many autobiographies. Not sure I would recommend this book to others but maybe for ones looking for a good autobiography but not for ones looking for a near death experience. I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.