What happens to us after we die? Chris Nielsen had no idea, until an unexpected accident cut his life short, separating him from his beloved wife, Annie.
Now Chris must discover the true nature of life after death. But even heaven is not complete without Annie, and the divided soul mates will do anything to reach each other across the boundaries between life and death. When tragedy threatens to divide them forever, Chris risks his very soul to save Annie from an eternity of despair.
Based on a wealth of research into the subject of life after death, this powerful story of the boundaries of existence and the love that transcends them was the basis for the Oscar-winning film starring Robin Williams.
Download and start listening now!
"The descriptions of Summerland ("heaven") bored me enough that I took a few weeks to read this. And Richard Matheson should have left off the introductory note. No one likes a self-righteous author. However, I'm so glad I finished! LOVED the last half. Perfectly entertaining, couldn't put it down."
— Gretchen (4 out of 5 stars)
“What Dreams May Come is a living, breathing masterpiece..Narrator Robertson Dean and the production team bring the story to life. Dean’s perfect voice reveals the fear and wonder of a man as he discovers what lies after death…The stillness behind Dean’s voice—without a single, stray sound—adds to the solemnity and beauty of the work. Never has silence sounded so good. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile“Whether, after reading this novel, one believes in life after death is of course a matter of opinion. At least you’ll entertain the possibility that, even though we may not live forever, true love can be eternal.”
— Amazon.com" I really liked it when I read it. It makes some interesting observations about life and death but at it's core it's a love novel and people generally really like it or really dislike it and find it boring. "
— Goran, 2/17/2014" Brilliant book a must for anyone especially those with an interest in spirituality and the after life "
— Lisa, 2/12/2014" again, the movies are good, but never do justice to the book! "
— Rhiannon, 1/31/2014" I felt the story was very lame and not all that well written. The part that I did like, however, is the idea that heaven is different for each person...that whatever made you the happiest on Earth, is what your individual heaven is and you're with the people (and pets) you love. "
— Karen, 1/30/2014" This wasn't a bad story, but it just wasn't the story for me. I have never cried so much reading a book in my entire life. I literally had tears pouring down my cheeks, and then I got a headache because that's what happens when I cry. I don't doubt that Matheson is a great writer, and despite the low rating I'm giving this book, I plan on reading more of his work in the future. I just hope I enjoy his other stories better. "
— J.S., 1/30/2014" Wonderful. I couldn't put it down. "
— Michele, 1/25/2014" Very good. Slow start but still loved it "
— Larry, 1/7/2014" More interesting for its concept -- an exploration of life after death -- than for its execution, unfortunately. "
— David, 12/23/2013" I saw this movie a long time ago but I don't really remember anything about it. So, I decided to read the book. I was impressed! I got through the book very quickly and I really liked the version of afterlife that Matheson created. "
— Kayla, 12/20/2013" I loved this book, and definatly read this before you see the movie. The book is much better. I can really relate to this. The images the author creates are amazing...what is reality??? "
— Carrie, 6/28/2012" I was really excited about reading this book, about halfway through I lost interest. The book was really heavy, with fact after fact posted..it was hard to actually find a storyline. I think I'll just stick to the movie. "
— Carey, 5/9/2012Richard Matheson (1926–2013) was born in New Jersey and started living and working in California in 1951. In addition to novels in the mystery, science fiction, horror, fantasy, and western fields, he wrote many film and television scripts, including “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” from The Twilight Zone. He also wrote episodes of Have Gun, Will Travel, Night Gallery, and Star Trek. Several of his novels and stories have been made into movies, including The Shrinking Man, I Am Legend, and What Dreams May Come (starring Robin Williams). Over the course of his career he won the World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Bram Stoker Award for Life Achievement, the Hugo Award, the Edgar Allan Poe Award, the Golden Spur Award, and the Writer’s Guild Award.
Robertson Dean has played leading roles on and off Broadway and at dozens of regional theaters throughout the country. He has a BA from Tufts University and an MFA from Yale. His audiobook narration has garnered ten AudioFile Earphones Awards. He now lives in Los Angeles, where he works in film and television in addition to narrating.