A Retrospect in Death

On the other side of the Great Divide, the narrator, who remains nameless throughout, encounters his higher self-the part of him that is immortal and is connected to the creator-and learns (much to his chagrin) that he must return to the lifecycle. But first he must be "debriefed" by his higher self, and so they set about discussing the man's previous life-in reverse chronological order: knowing the end but retracing the journey, searching for the breadcrumbs left along the way. Do those closest to us know us better than we know ourselves; or do they, as we often insist, know jack? Consider that only in death can you really know, and understand, who and why you are-or were. And then ask yourself: At that point, is it too late? Does it even matter? - "J. Conrad Guest's A Retrospective In Death is a languid, oddly compelling tale, evoking an era with a wealth of intricate detail, creating a memorable yet achingly ordinary man, and searching for meaning and purpose in it all." -Sheila Deeth, author of Divide by Zero and Amazon Top 1,000 Reviewer