What Dreams May Come in the book are derived from my wide range of reading." One of Matheson's influences was Harold W. Percival, an adherent of Theosophy, a belief system with a strong Eastern and Hindu influence. The story also shares the same theme of the ancient Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice, in which the gifted musician makes a challenging journey to Hell to retrieve his wife. One character quotes from the writings of 18th century Christian mystic Emanuel Swedenborg. Matheson bases his descriptions of the death experience itself on studies by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and Raymond Moody. When reading these accounts, Matheson found that
Orpheus S. Woodward Orpheus S. Woodward Orpheus Saeger Woodward (May 1, 1835–June 26, 1919) was a Union Army officer during American Civil War. Woodward was born in Harbor Creek, Pennsylvania, May 1, 1835. He was a farmer and hardware merchant before the Civil War. He started his Civil War service as a private in the Erie Pennsylvania Infantry. On September 13, 1861, he was appointed captain of the 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. Woodward was wounded at Battle of Malvern Hill. He was promoted to colonel of the 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment on March 28, 1864. He served in the Antietam Campaign and fought