90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death & Life

Written in straight-forward, simple style without a lot of "religionese," Don Piper has told the story of his devastating accident, his brief time in heaven and his return to a life full of pain and questions. I read it cover-to-cover in two hours and then loaned out my copy. I would recommend this book to just about anybody -- to those with questions about faith, questions about prayer, questions about life and death and pain which we all face to some extent.

His descriptions of heaven are human ones -- simple, not overly poetic or grandiose, just those of someone who experienced the indescribable and then tried to describe it. I loved the descriptions of the incredible heavenly music and I get the feeling that vast choirs and heightened senses await us there. And despite the incredible experience, Piper found it too personal, too private, and too intimate to share with anyone for over a year after his accident. I'm so glad he found the courage to do so.

I also love the honesty with which he describes his pain and depression and the inevitable questions that we must face when we have close encounters with the Almighty. The God we meet is often not the one we expected, and while we can't understand why God does what he does, we can no longer deny this God we don't understand. And while we hold these two things together, our lives are changed and grace is showered down amid the ruins of what we thought was important to us.

A simply-told story of the greatest mystery of all -- you HAVE to read this book!!

Don Piper died on January 18, 1989 while on his way home from a church conference. Although he does go in depth into his visit "home" to Heaven, his book really concentrates on his life after the accident. After experiencing a joyous reunion with deceased relatives he was wisked away to earth with no explanation. Don is a devout Christian and suffers greatly from his banishment in heaven and with the physical pain and recovery from his automobile accident. This is really a story of survival against all odds and it is extremely motivating. When we hear of such advertisity striking others we often wonder how they find the grit to survive and even thrive. By reading Don's story we find that survival is based on a mixture of hope, faith and sheer determination. Read this book, you won't be disappointed.

This is a moving story about a pastor who dies instantly in a car crash and goes to heaven. He is greeted by a welcoming committee of friends and loved ones who have already passed on into glory. The sights he sees, the things he hears, and the whole experience of being in heaven is more wonderful than anything he has ever experienced.

Just as he is about to pass through the pearly gates and walk onto a street of gold, a guy on earth is praying by his broken body, and at that moment, Don Piper is brought back to earth. For months, as he lies in a hospital bed wracked with pain, he wonders why God has not allowed him to stay in heaven, and why he must go through the agony of 105 days in the hospital and (eventually) a total of 34 surgeries.

But he eventually returns to be with his family, and God uses him to bless others with his story.

Some Bible scholars have suggested that the vision of the heavenly New Jerusalem in Revelation is figurative and that the pearly gates and the streets of gold and the enormous dimensions of the city are not to be taken literally, and therefore, Don's experience is discounted.

My response is that if the writer of Revelation is describing what he saw and heard, then it makes sense that Don's description would be similar. At any rate, it must have been an incredible comfort to know that life after death is going to be such a tremendous (and permanent) experience for the believer in Christ who passes on.

Some have been disappointed that the book focuses more on Don's recovery than it does about his experiences in heaven. But Don tells a tight story, and keeps the narrative of his life moving well. He doesn't stay in chronological order once he gets out of the hospital, but you still get the idea that he returned to his ministry and that he served at several different churches through the years.

This is a great book to give to people who want to know more about life after death or life after a near death.

A friend offered me this book and I was not especially interested - being somewhat skeptical of out-of-body "revelations."
Whether you accept the author's experiences or not, the real value in the book, for me, was his honesty about the depression, pain, and learning, life-changing experiences of recovery. The author's honesty about struggling with not wanting to be here, not wanting to be around people, etc... was stark and refreshing. Even better, his slow journey out of himself, supported by his family and church, is a testimony to the healing value of a community of faith. This book has more to offer than it would seem on first glance. If you have no interest in people who have had glimpses of heaven, you still might want to take a look at this book for what it says about devasting loss, injury, brokenness and recover.

I never buy these kinds of books. I have always viewed them as a type of preying on believers or , at best, a sleazy attempt to cash in on faith. This book was different. I read the title and synopsis and passed over it many times but something kept drawing me back to this book. I didn't know why at the time, but I had to buy this book.
I loved it from the very first page. It has a ring of truth. Most of the book is about what happened to Mr. Piper after his experience in heaven and during his long, painful recovery. I bought many copies and gave them to family and friends, urging them to read it as I believe it has the power to transform lives.
About a month after I 1st read this book my son was killed in Iraq. I now know that God was preparing me for what was to come and not be afraid but be joyful that my son is with Him in an indescribly beautiful place, in His presence. I have a peace of mind I NEVER would have known if I had not read this book. I will be forever grateful for this.