Books can be a soothing distraction against the tragic realities of life. The fictitious applicant chose the disastrous second wave of COVID-19 in Delhi as the backdrop for the narrative.
She mentions, SUM: 40 Tales from the Afterlives - David Eagleman’s creative exploration of the question – “What happens after we die?” as the book that helped her distract from the tragic event.
Sprinkled with humor, scientific eccentricities and possibilities from myths, and the twist endings of M. Night Shyamalan movies, SUM takes us through short narratives on the events that could happen after we die.
Sample Columbia Favorite Book, Movie or Song Essay - SUM: 40 Tales from the Afterlives (David Eagleman)(248 Words)
Despite all precautions, my parents and I were infected during the 2nd wave of covid-19. With immediate medication, we avoided the risks of hospitalization for the first two days. The next night, my oxygen saturation dipped below 87. After a 3-hour search, my brother found an emergency bed with ventilator support. I was lucky to be back home in a week. My mother was recovering, but my father was still bedridden. The morning of 6th May 2021, he began hallucinating and said, “a lot of people have come to take me.” We drove from one hospital to another, begging for a bed. Hospitals were overwhelmed. At 6:40 pm, he looked into my eyes, smiled, and then left us all.
The next week felt like an eternity, with my father’s last moment playing in a loop. I couldn’t sleep. My cousin posted the hard copy of the book – SUM: 40 Tales from the Afterlives and suggested that I read it.
I laughed ...
