Caroline 's Reviews > Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives
Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives
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Caroline 's review
bookshelves: short-stories, he-wrote-it, philosophical, speculative-fiction, this-gets-real
Jul 07, 2011
bookshelves: short-stories, he-wrote-it, philosophical, speculative-fiction, this-gets-real
***NO SPOILERS***
An enjoyable set of inventive "what if?" vignettes, Sum is Eagleman's envisionings of various versions of the afterlife. All are impressively unique, and some really stretch the mind. Be sure to open this book while fully alert. Eagleman's background as a neuroscientist is, at times, on full display in these pages as some of his ideas veer into the complex and obscure with talk of quarks and atoms. Readers not inclined toward the scientific may find these boring. Fortunately, the collection contains plenty of vignettes that will appeal more to the everyday reader, and those really make it a joy to read.
An enjoyable set of inventive "what if?" vignettes, Sum is Eagleman's envisionings of various versions of the afterlife. All are impressively unique, and some really stretch the mind. Be sure to open this book while fully alert. Eagleman's background as a neuroscientist is, at times, on full display in these pages as some of his ideas veer into the complex and obscure with talk of quarks and atoms. Readers not inclined toward the scientific may find these boring. Fortunately, the collection contains plenty of vignettes that will appeal more to the everyday reader, and those really make it a joy to read.
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Quotes Caroline Liked
![David Eagleman](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/authors/1238026723i/2883386._UX200_CR0,33,200,200_.jpg)
“There are three deaths. The first is when the body ceases to function. The second is when the body is consigned to the grave. The third is that moment, sometime in the future, when your name is spoken for the last time.”
― Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives
― Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives
Reading Progress
July 7, 2011
– Shelved
February 8, 2012
–
Started Reading
February 16, 2012
–
Finished Reading
November 10, 2014
– Shelved as:
short-stories
May 17, 2016
– Shelved as:
he-wrote-it
August 27, 2023
– Shelved as:
philosophical
August 27, 2023
– Shelved as:
speculative-fiction
August 27, 2023
– Shelved as:
this-gets-real
Comments Showing 1-16 of 16 (16 new)
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Ellis
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rated it 4 stars
Jul 28, 2013 10:55AM
![Ellis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1374415848p1/10165983.jpg)
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![Caroline](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1698332963p1/3236194.jpg)
![Ellis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1374415848p1/10165983.jpg)
![Caroline](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1698332963p1/3236194.jpg)
![Ellis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1374415848p1/10165983.jpg)
![Caroline](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1698332963p1/3236194.jpg)
Same here!
![Daniel Chaikin](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1534027159p1/18695911.jpg)
![Caroline](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1698332963p1/3236194.jpg)
This definitely is different from Incognito. For what it's worth, despite being about the afterlife, Sum is not at all religious.
Daniel wrote: "Wondering if you just reviewed it, or if a 2012 review just popped up on my feed."
I thoroughly revised the review I'd written in 2012.
![Caroline](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1698332963p1/3236194.jpg)
It's a great one. I'm so glad I found it.
![Debbie W.](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1594390250p1/41918078.jpg)
![Caroline](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1698332963p1/3236194.jpg)
I forgot that quote, Debbie. It really is fantastic. You now have a taste of what this book is like. Eagleman is very smart.
![Debbie W.](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1594390250p1/41918078.jpg)
I forgot that quote, Debbie. It really is fantastic. You now have a taste o..."
I don't know if I'd be able to wrap my brain around all his scientific talk, but it does sound fascinating.
![Caroline](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1698332963p1/3236194.jpg)
![Debbie W.](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1594390250p1/41918078.jpg)
Thanks for the recommendation, Caroline! I checked it out, along with your review (along with some other GR friends' reviews) and added it!