There have been at least nineteen distinct translations or revisions of translations of Swedenborg's Heaven and Hell in English since 1777. In the astonishing book, recognized by many as his greatest work, Emanuel Swedenborg reveals a most comprehensive description of life hereafter - based on his actual experiences in the spiritual realm.

We are introduced to the concepts of a highly organized heavenly life, universal speech, our entry into the next world, sacred and profane love, the world of spirits, and many other matters which enhance our understanding of life both here and hereafter.

The claims of Heaven and Hell have stirred controversy for more than two centuries, yet the author's credentials indisputably belong to one of the most brilliant and original thinkers of the Age of Reason. Here is a 5000 word excerpt from Swedenborg's classic vision, a valuable insight into the occult philosopher who was so egerly embraced by the Spiritualist movement of the late nineteenth century.

Colin Wilson says this in his Introduction to Heaven & Hell: "Heaven & Hell is the best introduction to Swedenborg because it has the quality of a compressed image of all his theological works. His writings amount to fifty or so heavy volumes, and their range is immense - from a study of the human brain to a study of the Pentateuch that is longer than the Old Testament itself. The books represent a spiritual journey through an unmapped continent; their are vast forests, underground rivers, burning mountains. Emerson was right to classify Swedenborg with Plato, Shakespeare, Goethe. He is not ultimately unknowable; but a complete understanding would cost years of effort. A book like this can at least offer a glimpse of the unmapped continent; but it can give no idea of its size.