Secrets of the Code
by Dan Burstein
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Author's interpretation of the Da Vince Code, that has been listed on the New York Times Bestsellers list for over 52 weeks.Tags
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Very interesting read from a different perspective than Dan Brown. As with all fictional stories based on a specific conspiracy theory, using the reality of history, historical events, and/or physical locations, landmarks that exist, you will eventually need to take a bit of poetic license to keep the underlining plot believable.
It's obvious the author focused on these less viable connections. Though, overall Brown's research created a remarkable story. One not to be so easily discarded after a single book of critque.
It's obvious the author focused on these less viable connections. Though, overall Brown's research created a remarkable story. One not to be so easily discarded after a single book of critque.
I'd half hoped for a book featuring relevant historical background on some of the assertions made in The DaVinci Code, and I was encouraged by Burstein's introduction, as it sounded like this was what he was trying to achieve in writing Secrets of the Code. But it seems Burstein may not have had the requisite training or motivation to carry off such a moderately ambitious project, as his research seems to have consisted mainly of reading everything he could lay hands on about the subject without regard to whether it was written by crackpots or scholars, and his authorship seems to have consisted mainly of compiling excerpts "exploring" different "perspectives" about the possible historical basis of the persona of Mary Magdalene, et al., show more with minimal added conceptual synthesis or analysis (which is, I feel, a problem in itself, though I cannot review text which doesn't exist).
It's hard to lay blame on Burstein himself for the many strange, erroneous claims made by the authors he included (such as the statement by Lynn Picknett that the name of ancient Egypt, KMT, was a reference to the racial phenotype of its people rather than the fertility of its land), but he cannot be completely blameless as it's mainly due to his freewheeling standards for vetting sources that the historical connection of his text is tenuous at best. show less
It's hard to lay blame on Burstein himself for the many strange, erroneous claims made by the authors he included (such as the statement by Lynn Picknett that the name of ancient Egypt, KMT, was a reference to the racial phenotype of its people rather than the fertility of its land), but he cannot be completely blameless as it's mainly due to his freewheeling standards for vetting sources that the historical connection of his text is tenuous at best. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaways.
While an intersting read that might provoke some thought, it is not up to the standards set by Holy Blood Holy Grail.
A bit dry, but interesting read. Unlike Holy Blood, it tends to be a bit more negative and debunking of the mytholgys presented here.
Gives a neutral perspective on the mystery and conspiracy in the Da vinci code.
Purchased on the 4th of July at Borders Book, Tucson. [abt/2006@Borders,Tucson]
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Secrets of the Code
- Original title
- Secrets of the Code
- Original publication date
- 2004
- People/Characters*
- Maria Magdalena; Jezus Christus; Leonardo da Vinci
- Important places
- Nag Hammadi, Qena, Egypt; Rosslyn Chapel, Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland, UK; Florence, Tuscany, Italy
- Epigraph*
- De mysteriën achter De Da Vinci code ontsluierd
- Dedication
- For Julie, who represents the spirit of the sacred feminine in my life every day D.B.
- First words
- Like many of you, I came across The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown in the summer of 2003.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Silas, in addition to being anear homonym for the cilice discipline belt he wears, kills silently an is named for the biblical character who also escaped from prison during an earthquake.
- Blurbers
- Ford, Marcia; Zimmerman, Frederick; Spehner, Norbert; Egan, Anthony; Curtis, Allan Paul; Bullock, Steven C. (show all 8); Fielding, Barbara; Harrison, Mark
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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