Opening with a melodramatic scene in which Nelson, known for his pioneering role in the cryonics movement, shrugs off his wife's admonition to leave things be ('it's time to face my demons,' he says), co-author Bly's introduction sets the tone for a ponderous attempt by Nelson to set the record straight. The guilt that hangs over Nelson for the rest ... Read moreof the book is due to a lawsuit, and the news stories that accompanied it at the end of Nelson's run as the President of the Cryonics Society of California (CSC), a nonprofit whose goal was to educate as well as freeze customers in the hopes of bringing them back to life when a cure could one day be found for their ailments. When Nelson first became obsessed with the cryonics, he was elated to find a like-minded group eager to make the concept a reality. Collaborations with scientists followed, culminating in the freezing of Dr. James Bedford, whose body was briefly stored in a garage until it was moved to a mortuary. The CSC began accepting other customers, many of whom were likely not aware of the almost comedic methods of transporting bodies in Nelson's pickup, frantic runs for dry ice to keep the bodies frozen, leaking capsules, and other malfunctions. Readers whose only knowledge of cryonics involves Walt Disney will appreciate the scientific logic and Nelson's overview of the procedures involved.
Publishers Weekly
"The conquest of outer space and the conquest of mortality. Bob Nelson's odyssey is a quintessential American story––a story about frontiers, exploration, and dreams. Part inventor, part futurist, part entrepreneur, Bob Nelson set out to show that death––even if it could not be defied––could be challenged. A story of unexpected, unintended, and remarkable consequences. A rich morality tale. But ultimately, a story about how the seemingly far-fetched ideas of the past can become a vision of the future." —Errol Morris, film director Show Less