The Secret History of the World
by Jonathan Black
published
September 6th 2007
by Quercus
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binding
Hardcover, 400 pages
isbn
1847241670
(isbn13: 9781847241672)
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 34)
Read in January, 2008
recommended to Timothy by:
Found it on a tablerecommends it for: People who like to read almanacs
This is a serious book by an Oxonian and 20-year publisher. It was written from scraps of odd books picked up by the author (British). Publisher's Weekly says of the author's work that: "(Mark) Booth's history incorporates so many disparate philosophies...His universe is full of bizarre theories, entertaing primarily for their weirdness."
I am reading Chapter 17 about "The Age of Islam." It doesn't suggest much wierdness unless we classify the fact that Mohammed asked th...more
I am reading Chapter 17 about "The Age of Islam." It doesn't suggest much wierdness unless we classify the fact that Mohammed asked th...more
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Read in May, 2008
recommends it for:
anyone who likes to read crap.
By gum, do I love a good conspiracy theory. I simply devoured all of those stories surrounding the Illuminati and the Knights Templar and Christ's ostensible lineage when Dan Brown went a step beyond the scholars a few years back and broke them out into mainstream thought. Thus, I picked up Mark Booth's book, The Secret History of the World, thinking, "Zounds! More conspiracy theories!" Unfortunately, I finished the book thinking, "Whatever, man."
There are two main...more
There are two main...more
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recommends it for:
Anyone interested in esoteric matters
Well, what a romp. I can only add what I put into a Blog Posting on this one ... " [it:] could be read as a cynical attempt to capture interest in the occult, as an occult attempt to re-introduce the 'Hidden Masters' to the wider public, as a 'sinister' ideological project to undermine the Enlightenment, as playfulness, as an attempt to rehabilitate imagination and subjectivity as equal to rational thought, as an experiment in creating a 'grand narrative' for the esoteric or as genuine atte...more
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This one is pretty far out there. It tries to identify a number of important people throughout history as "initiates" in the great secrets of the universe. These secrets are purported to be connections with the spiritual world, and all are apparently based upon ancient religious beliefs and philosophical concepts. If you spend a lot of time watching things about the Freemasons, UFOs and the Templars on the History Channel, you might find this interesting.
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Seems as if the author was trying to squeeze three books into one. An overview of estoteric (secret) groups since the BEGINNING of history (quite a task when it's not cohesive or well organized) . . . trying to meld mythology or archetypal models with notable esoteric societies and their leaders . . a disappointment. His bibliography and notes on his biblio. were more informative & interesting.
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Citing the authors own words, you really do have to be in "an altered state of consciousness" to put up with the book till the end!!!
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