An alternate title for this book might have been, "The Fulfillment of a Hollow Man". Ivan's story is a tale of the importance of having a rich inner life to give purpose and comfort to an otherwise meaningless, fleeting outer existence. Inner contentment is the death knell of death. Death is transformed into light and in that light there is joy. Whether or not that joy persists, it was worth taking the ride because it was with you all the way riding shotgun!