Journey from this World to the Next

MP3 Audio CD. Henry Fielding found himself in extremely poor health, and his inspiration for writing A Journey from This World to the Next came precisely as a result of his illness, and his goal of traveling to Lisbon in the hopes of improving his health in a better climate. The book itself, however, is far from being the cry of a dying man; instead, it presents a grand, unique and remarkably entertaining satire that seems full of life, while touching upon some deep, intriguing subjects.

A Journey from This World to the Next is essentially the recounting of a travel tale. It shows the death of the novel's hero, who then joins other departed souls on a phantom coach journey towards the gates of Heaven and Hell. What ensues is a fascinating journey through the underworld, with a number of bizarre and interesting characters present to liven up the story, as well as some famous figures of history, such as Alexander the Great, Shakespeare, Homer and Oliver Cromwell.

The book is a more unique take on life after death, but what it represents even more is Fielding's views on modern society, politics and history. Through a very droll and playful, but also extremely powerful narrative, Fielding ingeniously manages to present the follies of aspirations that people throughout history have had toward political greatness, or becoming remembered as historical personalities.

Fielding's refreshing and well-plotted approach and style makes this outstanding work all the more genuine and timeless. Despite having been written more than 250 years ago, it is still capable of captivating the imagination of younger readers. Also, A Journey from This World to the Next is an important philosophical statement about life, death and the purpose of life, that many modern thinkers find to be quite insightful as well.

If you want some light reading, laced with just the right dose of intellectual challenge,Fielding's Journey may be just what you need to finish your day with.