Passings Death, Dying, and Unexplained Phenomena

From dream research and global belief systems to extraordinary occurrences such as near death and out-of-body experiences, this fascinating study delves into every aspect of death. Taking a scientific and anthropological approach, this examination focuses on how other cultures deal with death, how diverse kinds of death are treated differently, and how belief systems set the tone for grieving. In addition to the use of science and anthropology, this analysis includes the author's own personal experiences as well as other stories that illustrate the striking realities of passing. Beginning with the many losses that occurred during the author's childhood, this recollection moves into an up-close-and-personal look at the tragic three-and-a-half year period during which she lost her daughter, father, husband, grandmother, and mother. By combining personalized accounts with the scientific and the uncanny, this intriguing overview offers up a comprehensive investigation into the end of life, exploring individual beliefs and encouraging a better understanding of how the human species copes with death and dying.

Carole A. Travis-Henikoff is a businesswoman, a rancher, and an independent scholar specializing in the study of human origins. She is the author of Dinner with a Cannibal and Star Food Revisited. She lives in Chicago and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Dr. Garniss H. Curtis is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geology & Geophysics at the University of California, Berkeley and Founder of the Berkeley Geochronology Center. A colleague of the late Louis Leakey, in 1961 he determined the age (1.85 my) of the famous Zinjanthropus fossil which rocked the anthropological world. Over the next few decades Dr. Curtis has made many additional contributions to the chronology of human evolution. He lives in Berkeley, California.