'[Ehrman's] is a vast learning worn wonderfully lightly and he is an engaging but expert guide around how religious ideas were formed and shaped our world.' * The Times * 'Many redoubtable volumes have been written about all this, but Ehrman, who already has more than two-dozen books on early Christianity under his belt, merrily blows the dust off the subject.' * The Economist * 'This elegant history explores the evolution of the concept of the afterlife in Western thought... Well-trod subjects are presented with engaging clarity, and more contentious theories are laid out carefully.' * The New Yorker * 'Ehrman, as always, writes in a very accessible way, and gives the reader plenty to think about.' * Irish Independent * 'An impressively readable, clear and wide-ranging study.' -- Spectator 'A number of religions and philosophies give detailed accounts of post-mortem existence; in this learned and highly readable book, Bart Ehrman offers a tour of the whole field... There are many nuances possible here; Ehrman presents them all with great clarity and massive scholarship.' * TLS *