Allen Lane acquires 'paradigm-shifting' book from journalist Alex Blasdel in a six figure pre-empt

Allen Lane has acquired a "paradigm-shifting" book from science journalist Alex Blasdel in a "significant" six figure pre-empt. Laura Stickney, Publishing Director at Penguin Press, has bought UK and Commonwealth rights to After Life, in a significant six figure pre-empt, from Matthew Marland at RCW on behalf of Adam Eaglin at The Cheney Agency. Allen Lane in the UK will publish the book in hardback in January 2027. The book is described as "a paradigm-shifting scientific and philosophical look into the frontiers of death, to shed light on what it means to live, die and be human".

US & Canadian rights were sold to Amanda Cook at Crown in a major deal, at auction. Rights have also sold in Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Taiwan.

The book follows the aftermath of the groundbreaking discoveries made through Patient One, who was taken off life support in 2014. She became one of the "most extraordinary scientific subjects in recent memory", and what happened in her brain after her death challenged decades of conventional wisdom. It led to a groundswell of new scientific research upending some fundamental ideas about the nature of death.

After Life will be narrative and character-driven, and uses philosophy and history "to help readers make sense of these findings and apply them to how they think about their own lives".