About the author
Allan Kellehear is a medical sociologist known for his research on death, dying, and end-of-life care, including his work developing the public health and "compassionate communities" approach to palliative care. His book Visitors at the End of Life: Finding Meaning and Purpose in Near-Death Phenomena (2020, Columbia University Press) examines deathbed visions, a phenomenon reported by roughly thirty percent of hospice patients in which the dying describe visitations by people who are not present, often deceased friends or family. Drawing on case material from hospice and palliative care settings across different cultures, Kellehear situates these visions within end-of-life care practice rather than treating them as evidence of an afterlife, and considers what they mean for patients, families, and caregivers. The book is aimed at readers in palliative care, hospice work, and death studies, as well as general readers interested in the experience of dying.
📖 Where to start with Allan Kellehear
💬 What our editors say about Allan Kellehear's books
“Kellehear offers a compelling, sociological perspective on deathbed visions that feels both rigorous and compassionate. By drawing on overlooked anthropological insights, he provides a robust alternative to reductive scientific…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Visitors at the End of Life: Finding Meaning and Purpose in Near-Death Phenomena
“Kellehear delivers a rigorous sociological analysis that successfully demystifies deathbed visions without stripping them of their spiritual weight. However, readers seeking definitive proof of an afterlife or those preferring…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Visitors at the End of Life: Finding Meaning and Purpose in Near-Death Phenomena
