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Talking With Angel: About Illness, Death, And Survival
Evelyn Elsaesser Valarino and Kenneth Ring
ISBN: 978-0-863154-92-8 2005 205 pages Floris Books
Susannne Becker
Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, The University of South Australia, Adelaide SA
Evelyn Elsaesser-Valarino is a coordinator for the Scientific and Medical Network at the University of Geneva and has more than 20 years' experience studying and publishing about the phenomena of near-death experiences. Although not in the sphere of a traditional academic text, Talking with Angel endeavours to share the context of a near-death experience and provides an experiential rollercoaster as the reader becomes the central character in the book.
Talking with Angel is a story about a young girl who is diagnosed with Leukaemia. Conversation with her doll (Angel) enables her to understand more about herself and her illness. The reader never learns the girl's name or exact age although her response to her diagnosis, her parents, friends and hospital staff offer some clues - only to leave the reader guessing again as the patient moves through yet another stage of her illness. Her name and age are not important, however, as it is through this sense of anonymity that the reader is able more powerfully to embrace the empathy that this narrative engenders.
Talking with Angel explores the concept of death and dying and in so doing explores the concept of life. Through the young girl's discussion with Angel, we are led on a journey that explores the concept of God in a spiritual rather than religious form. I found that the first few discussions with Angel detracted from the book, but I still wanted to finish it. A long passage from a fellow patient who had a near-death experience was also difficult to take on board though it was only through this that I was able eventually to connect with the young girl. It was at this stage that she became my daughter, my mother, my friend, my patient and me. Reflection on completion of the book enabled me fully to appreciate the journey taken by the reader and to acknowledge the clearer insight and spiritual awakening it provoked.
Talking with Angel is written for everyone, as is stated by Kenneth Ring in the foreword:
We are all death-bound, and we are all clinging to life; we are all in the same condition and we all will undergo the same fate. (p.15)
This book is for anyone with questions about the fairness of who lives and who dies, or about life after death. It is also for health professionals wishing to engender hope in people who are faced with death. This book will provide valuable insight and wisdom long after it is put back on the shelf.
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