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Sum: Tales from the Afterlives

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Sum: Tales from the Afterlives

By: David Eagleman
Narrated by: Gillian Anderson, Emily Blunt, Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker, David Eagleman, Noel Fielding, Stephen Fry
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About this listen

In this astounding book, David Eagleman entertains 40 fictional possibilities of life beyond death. With wit and humanity he asks the key questions about existence, hope, technology and love.

These stories are full of big ideas and bold imagination.This audiobook assembles a stellar cast of readers who bring the scenarios of SUM brilliantly alive: Gillian Anderson, Emily Blunt, Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker, Jack Davenport, Lisa Dwan, David Eagleman, Noel Fielding, Kerry Fox, Stephen Fry, Clarke Peters, Lemn Sissay and Harriet Walter.

©2009 David Eagleman (P)2010 Canongate Audiobooks Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

Critic Reviews

"You will not read a more dazzling book this year." (Stephen Fry)
"SUM has the unaccountable, jaw-dropping quality of genius." ( Observer)
"This delightful, thought-provoking little collection...will haunt the reader long after the last page has been turned." (Alexander McCall Smith)
"Elegant, surreal and philosophically questioning, each story from neuroscientist Eagleman offers an inventive, thought-provoking blend of science and romance." ( Metro)
"SUM is terrific . . .The inventiveness, the clarity and wit of the prose and the calm air of moral understanding that pervades this book add up to something completely original." (Philip Pullman)
"Read SUM and be amazed." ( Time)
"Witty, bright, sharp, and unexpected - as surprising a book as I've read for years. Every story is a new Heaven." (Brian Eno)
'Welcome to the audiobook intiative of the year. Brian Eno staged a community-centric version of this cult hit for the Brighton Festival - but audio is best for capturing Eagleman's frank but sympathetic bedside manner'. ( Time Out)
All stars
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The most interesting and funny compendium of philosophical ideas about the afterlife. Great food for wondering minds.

Fables about afterlife

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Was aware of this novel and had always intended to read it but it had drifted from my radar until Jenji Kohan mentioned it while being interviewed by Kim Hill (Radio New Zealand) recently.

Kohan, the writer producer of Orange is the New Black, has it under development for a TV series.

Anyways...... David Eagleman is a celebrity neuroscientist. This could be construed as a putdown, it's not. He is a first rate speculative thinker and scientist.

As for Sum.........taken literally, as I took it for the first two stories, I was thinking mediocre. I had made the same mistake so many christians do when approaching the bible. Sum is to be taken as a metaphor and is filled with myriad and wonderful philosophical musings about human nature, like that other aforementioned book.

Mostly provocative, beautifully composed and from my perspective, worthwhile. Fans of speculative science fiction will probably appreciate, literal biblical christians won't.

Has Its Moments.

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Like little audio versions of Black Mirror (but about the afterlife). very well written and imaginative ideas, narrated by some quite brilliant voices. I only wish it was longer (as in I could listen to these all day, this audiobook is had many chapters and is good value).

I could listen to these again and again

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Where does Sum: Tales from the Afterlives rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This was an enjoyable book to get you thinking. Touches on many different thoughts and ideas. Felt it was a little long though.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

Well read. Easy to follow.

Unusual but interesting

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