Under the Tree

Rating:
Summary: over the moon for "Under the Tree"
Review:
I have just finished reading "Under the Tree" by Greg Stone and was so touched by its simple story regarding a complex issue. I think that everyone is curious about life after death, and this story gives the reader a wide open ticket to explore it from all angles.
I loved how the chapters switched back and forth from the hospital to heaven. This creative choice made it so interesting to follow and really helped keep the flow swift and strong.
There are so many great moments between characters. In the middle of the book one of the characters helps the main character Ray realize that "he has forgotten who he is and that it is his thoughts that create the world he lives in" This among many more enlightning epiphnies are sprinkled throughout the book to help lift the main character and the reader to ideas that inspire your mind and spirit.
I highly recommend this book, "Under the Tree" to anyone who is looking for a story that will empower and enlighten.

Rating:
Summary: A spiritual fairy tale.
Review: I loved this book. I have read a lot of spiritual books and this was a spiritual book with a fairy tale spin. It really inspired hope and reminded me of the divine. Buy this book!

Rating:
Summary: A Fascinating Journey
Review: I've always been a fatalist. I believed one cannot change their destiny. I believed that death means just that - the end of the road. But this book has opened my eyes to other interpretations of death and consciousness.

I started reading Stone's book simply for the mystery involved - what will happen to Ray Carte? I experienced much more than a mystery - I experienced a journey.

Usually I read for escapism. Yet this book challenged me. It introduced alternate beliefs about life after death and spirituality, while entertaining me with a great story. And that is really hard to do.

Rating:
Summary: An engaging read
Review: Stone's little book is an especially engaging read because of the thoughtfulness he has given exploring what happens to our consciousness when our body gives out. While I thought I would rip through this small book in no time - having had a near death experience myself that led to establishment of a Buddhist practice as does Stone's main character - I constantly found myself putting down the text to contemplate a passage, or just marvel at how right he'd gotten elements of my own experience.

He weaves qualities of Alice in Wonderland into his own text to delightful effect. Stone and his publisher also have done an especially effective job of integrating Under the Tree with a Web site that is especially informative.

Rating:
Summary: An edifying tale of self-knowledge
Review: Under the Tree is a fun story that tracks the steps taken towards enlightment in a near-death experience. Easy to read and very clear, it tells how Ray Carte's encounter with Alice in a new dimension affects his past and his future. (Gotta love the names!)
Stone's explanation of the nature of life/afterlife is clear and well-delineated. The book is serious, but it leaves the reader feeling hopeful and eager to live life to its fullest.