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Holy Blood, Holy Grail
by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, Henry Lincoln
by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, Henry Lincoln
**Kind of contains a spolier. Not really though... if you've ever heard of this book.**
Hmmm. So. Well then.
I'd heard about this book for a while. I don't really care if their hypotheses are true. I didn't really care going into it. So I'm not going to debate the if/then theological doctrinal stuff. It's moot for me.
I started out reading this book, open-minded, and ready to hear something completely different than all the other "Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and they had babies" books. Because, again, doctrinally, theologically, I don't care.
My biggest beef with the book is in the editing, footnotes, and structural set-up of the book. IF these men are such WONDERFUL researchers (and I'll take them on their word that they are-- again, I don't really care), they should know how to use footnotes, editing, and the structure of a book to make it at least ONE of these 3 things:
a) more educational. I still feel like I have no idea what a Visigoth is. I don't hold a degree in pre-medeival or Celtic or Gallic or Saxon history. Or whatever they are. I also don't live in Europe, where I might have some experience visiting all these monuments and places, and I haven't heard every single person's name. If I have to walk over to my wall of Encyclopedia Brittanica every time there's a name I don't know, you're not doing your job writing your non-fiction book. It got annoying and made me frustrated or less involved every time. I'd really like it if the footnotes explained how the authors found their information, instead of just citing some book I will never be able to find, that's in a library they can't access, a book they've never actually seen, or something written in archaic French. Which they've also never seen.
b) encouraging further research and reading. How about a suggestion for more reading when there's the opportunity to direct me toward a book with more information? Novel idea.
c) less repetitive. Come on. I know as an author of a book with more than 100 pages, you must, from time to time, repeat yourself. Have a freaking fantastic time with that. In fact, if I had a problem remembering what book I was reading, that would be immensely helpful. But I don't need to be told the same 10 "facts" 20 times. I also don't need a detailed explanation of every single person's relationship all down through every single family tree... unless it's relevant to the book. Don't get me wrong. Some of the family trees were very interesting, and may have even been relevant. But I found myself using this book and the family tree sections in place of Melatonin some nights. Zzzzzzzzz.
I'm glad I read it. I'm not sure that I would recommend it to anyone. I don't feel particularly more educated, partially because I think I'm used to reading books by people who know how to write, and write really well. I'm also used to reading books by people who have some sort of knowledge of the field they're writing about.
I think it's fine to claim that your "discovery" is a huge deal. Maybe, to some people, it's life-shattering, faith-altering, earth-moving. I am fortunately not one of those people. This claim, though, that their "discovery" was such a big deal, left me wondering why they couldn't make an argument for its importance NOW. If their hypotheses are true, and kingdoms have fallen and armies have slaughtered masses of souls, just to protect this secret, how is it BENEFICIAL to publish a book about this? If they were right, why weren't they killed after the book was published? Why is it that nothing has changed politically, in relation to this huge revelation? Basically, why doesn't anyone that matters (people they say would be directly affected) GIVE TWO S***S ABOUT IT?
***Don't tell me there was a huge uproar when it came out. I know. A "huge uproar" is, in the grand scheme of the universe, not a big deal. The Spanish Inquisition? Big Deal. "Huge uproar over a book"? Nope. That's like comparing-- bear with me here-- me getting detention in high school with the Columbine shootings. Not the same thing.
Maybe I'm done. I think I am. I wish I hadn't been bored out of my skull reading a book that I really wanted to like.
That is all.
Hmmm. So. Well then.
I'd heard about this book for a while. I don't really care if their hypotheses are true. I didn't really care going into it. So I'm not going to debate the if/then theological doctrinal stuff. It's moot for me.
I started out reading this book, open-minded, and ready to hear something completely different than all the other "Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and they had babies" books. Because, again, doctrinally, theologically, I don't care.
My biggest beef with the book is in the editing, footnotes, and structural set-up of the book. IF these men are such WONDERFUL researchers (and I'll take them on their word that they are-- again, I don't really care), they should know how to use footnotes, editing, and the structure of a book to make it at least ONE of these 3 things:
a) more educational. I still feel like I have no idea what a Visigoth is. I don't hold a degree in pre-medeival or Celtic or Gallic or Saxon history. Or whatever they are. I also don't live in Europe, where I might have some experience visiting all these monuments and places, and I haven't heard every single person's name. If I have to walk over to my wall of Encyclopedia Brittanica every time there's a name I don't know, you're not doing your job writing your non-fiction book. It got annoying and made me frustrated or less involved every time. I'd really like it if the footnotes explained how the authors found their information, instead of just citing some book I will never be able to find, that's in a library they can't access, a book they've never actually seen, or something written in archaic French. Which they've also never seen.
b) encouraging further research and reading. How about a suggestion for more reading when there's the opportunity to direct me toward a book with more information? Novel idea.
c) less repetitive. Come on. I know as an author of a book with more than 100 pages, you must, from time to time, repeat yourself. Have a freaking fantastic time with that. In fact, if I had a problem remembering what book I was reading, that would be immensely helpful. But I don't need to be told the same 10 "facts" 20 times. I also don't need a detailed explanation of every single person's relationship all down through every single family tree... unless it's relevant to the book. Don't get me wrong. Some of the family trees were very interesting, and may have even been relevant. But I found myself using this book and the family tree sections in place of Melatonin some nights. Zzzzzzzzz.
I'm glad I read it. I'm not sure that I would recommend it to anyone. I don't feel particularly more educated, partially because I think I'm used to reading books by people who know how to write, and write really well. I'm also used to reading books by people who have some sort of knowledge of the field they're writing about.
I think it's fine to claim that your "discovery" is a huge deal. Maybe, to some people, it's life-shattering, faith-altering, earth-moving. I am fortunately not one of those people. This claim, though, that their "discovery" was such a big deal, left me wondering why they couldn't make an argument for its importance NOW. If their hypotheses are true, and kingdoms have fallen and armies have slaughtered masses of souls, just to protect this secret, how is it BENEFICIAL to publish a book about this? If they were right, why weren't they killed after the book was published? Why is it that nothing has changed politically, in relation to this huge revelation? Basically, why doesn't anyone that matters (people they say would be directly affected) GIVE TWO S***S ABOUT IT?
***Don't tell me there was a huge uproar when it came out. I know. A "huge uproar" is, in the grand scheme of the universe, not a big deal. The Spanish Inquisition? Big Deal. "Huge uproar over a book"? Nope. That's like comparing-- bear with me here-- me getting detention in high school with the Columbine shootings. Not the same thing.
Maybe I'm done. I think I am. I wish I hadn't been bored out of my skull reading a book that I really wanted to like.
That is all.
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Reading Progress
| 02/01/2012 | page 19 |
|
4.0% | |
| 03/29/2012 | page 434 |
|
88.0% | "Will this book EVER end???" |
Comments (showing 1-9 of 9) (9 new)
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J. J.
(new)
Feb 02, 2012 12:16pm
Ahh, yes. The guys who sued Dan Brown, author of the Da Vinci Code. The judge ruled in Brown's favor and inserted his own code in the printed judgment! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Sm...
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So... I'm enjoying all the history. It's fun. I wish they hadn't made so many statements based purely on conjecture. To their credit, they tell you when they're just guessing something and then guessing something else based on their previous guess. I want to get done reading it because I feel like I haven't taken this long to read something since my whole "let's get through the Bible in one year" project. Also, I'm bummed that I found out that Pierre Plantard created the hoax of the Priory documents. I don't really care, as far as historical evidence goes, but I wish I'd found out it was a hoax -after- reading it.
Hehe. At least you can read it with a more informative, critical eye. **MOVIE SPOILER...**That's kind of the way I felt about The Fourth Kind (movie) - except I did find out AFTER seeing it.
Well at first I started counting how many times they used the word "perhaps" & then I just gave up. And what is the MOST annoying is that, in the places where I would most like a footnote or explanation, there is none. And then for the things I don't give a crap about, there's an endnote telling me where to verify it. Good for them, but not everyone comes into reading these things with a prior knowledge of all things Visigoth, or vassals, or whatever. I have a passing knowledge of these kinds of things & would have appreciated more attention to those kinds of explanations, instead of repetitive musings... oh well. I'll be finished soon. ;) Then I'll write a review. Hope it's not too scathing, since I've spent so much time on reading this one.
Well, I've reviewed it now :) I can't say it's the most thought-out or coherent review I've ever written. That being said, it's probably enough to do the book justice anyway ;)
I appreciate the fervor. Still not sure why you're glad you read it, though - for the historical experience? This is what I read years back instead: Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code: A Historian Reveals What We Really Know about Jesus, Mary Magdalene & Constantine
J. J. wrote: "I appreciate the fervor. Still not sure why you're glad you read it, though - for the historical experience? This is what I read years back instead: [book:Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code: A ..."I guess what I meant by the "glad I read it" is that I had it on my to-do list & I got it marked off.
