Jacksonville Public Library

Secret societies, inside the freemasons, the Yakuza, Skull and Bones, and the world's most notorious secret organizations, John Lawrence Reynolds

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-312) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Secret societies

bibliography

711051656

John Lawrence Reynolds

inside the freemasons, the Yakuza, Skull and Bones, and the world's most notorious secret organizations

A comprehensive, behind-the-scenes look at the world's most notorious secret societies, including their origins and histories, initiations and rituals, secret signs and members. Offering an illuminating and entertaining exploration of the stories-confirmed and fabricated-that surround these societies, Reynolds dispels myths and provides gripping revelations. No fewer than sixteen presidents have declared their affiliation to the Freemasons; Madonna, Demi Moore, and Elizabeth Taylor are just a few celebrity members of Kabbalah; and there is a direct historical link between the Assassins of the Middle Ages and today's Al Qaeda. Based on extensive research that emphasizes fact over speculation, Reynold's gives a smart, surprising look at the best known and often least understood covert organizations

Introduction : fools, fears and fanatics -- The Assassins ; nothing is true, everything is permitted -- Templars, illuminati and Freemasons : the secret seat of power -- Priory of Sion : keepers of the Holy Grail -- Druids and gnostics : knowledge and the eternal soul -- Kabbalah : origins of the apocalypse -- Rosicrucians : the pursuit of esoteric wisdom -- Triads : cultural criminals -- The Mafia and Cosa Nostra : wise guys and businessmen -- Yakuza : traditions and amputations -- Wicca : the great goddess and the horned god -- Skull & Bones : America's secret establishment -- Secret societies in popular culture : an endless fascination -- Critics, alarmists and conspiracy theorists : when does paranoia make sense? -- Afterword : of demons and baloney