Some readers may recognize the title of this book from the Led Zeppelin song based on a Blind Willie Johnson blues classic. Others will note that the author, Sebastian Junger, has written such unforgettable works as THE PERFECT STORM and WAR. However, none of this will prepare you for the deeply emotional journey that Junger is about to take you on in his memoir, IN MY TIME OF DYING.

There have been countless books dedicated to the subject of death or near-death experiences, such as John Gunther’s DEATH BE NOT PROUD. However, you rarely get to experience the subject of one’s own mortality through the eyes of an author who previously had no faith and was raised to handle such matters in an extremely scientific, forensic way.

"The afterlife portion of the book is special and is surprisingly introduced via a deathbed visitation that Junger receives from his father.... IN MY TIME OF DYING is so well put together and both uplifting and eye-opening."

For Junger, who had survived many life-threatening occurrences throughout his career as a war reporter, nothing will prepare him for the unexpected blow he receives during the summer of 2020. While enjoying some time with his wife and two children, Junger is overcome with severe abdominal pain. He attempts to walk it off on his own but requires the assistance of his wife as he loses control of his legs and his eyesight. She calls an ambulance, and all are horrified at how active the EMTs are with him, indicating that this is no minor medical issue.

While recounting this ordeal, Junger takes the time to philosophize about the nature of life and death. He states that dying is the most ordinary thing you will ever do but also the most radical. What I found most unnerving and chilling while reading about his near-death experience is when he comes upon the fishermen of the ill-fated Andrea Gail from THE PERFECT STORM. They are sitting in a circle on a beach when he approaches them and they announce to him, “We’ve been expecting you.”

Junger shares how he was raised, particularly by his brilliant engineer father, in a manner that included no religious belief of any sort and was far too rational. With that being passed on to him, it was not easy for him to admit to thoughts of an afterlife until he was faced with his own mortality. The stomach issue was indeed major, and several surgeries were required to save him after he lost nearly 40 percent of his blood. Having this happen during the pandemic really brought to light the spectacular job that the medical staff did in saving his life. It also has turned him into a regular blood donor.

The afterlife portion of the book is special and is surprisingly introduced via a deathbed visitation that Junger receives from his father. He cites many works that deal with this subject, including an examination of Schrödinger's cat. Part of that famous experiment concluded that there was a point where the cat existed in a state somewhere between or simultaneously alive and dead. By surviving, Junger became that much more existential. He speaks about how humans live by patterns, meaning that if something lives, something else must die. It's a thought that brought him to tears with the mere power of this depth of understanding.

IN MY TIME OF DYING is so well put together and both uplifting and eye-opening. While I am sorry that Junger (or anyone for that matter) would have to suffer like this, at least it happened to someone with the ability to share and examine the entire process from start to finish and give us all something to be thankful for about life.