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Secret Societies: Their Influence and Power from Antiquity to the Present Day
by Michael HowardAn overview of how esoteric brotherhoods have shaped history • Examines the secret chronology and clandestine causes of seminal world events • Shows how secret societies feed into one another, and how they have worked together For thousands of years secret societies--guardians of ancient esoteric wisdom--have exercised a strong and often crucial influence on the destiny of nations. Though largely ignored by orthodox historians, the Freemasons, Knights Templar, and Rosicrucians affected the course of the French and American Revolutions as well as the overthrow of the medieval feudal order. Inevitably, the true ideals and esoteric practices of these societies have, at times, been perverted by self-serving individuals. The Nazis and the Bolsheviks, British security forces, the founding fathers of America, and the Vatican have all justified their actions--for good or for ill--by claiming the mystic ideals of secret societies.Michael Howard explores these connections, tracing their effects in politics and statecraft from the time of ancient Egypt up to the present. He sheds light on the influence of secret societies on governments and in the lives of many well-known figures, including Frederick the Great, John Dee, Francis Bacon, Benjamin Franklin, Comte de Cagliostro, Helena Blavatsky, Rasputin, and Woodrow Wilson. He contends that the recent formation of the European Union was directed by an umbrella group of secret societies and reveals that though secret societies have been persecuted throughout history, they have survived and continue to operate powerfully in world affairs today.
Secret Societies: Inside the Freemasons, the Yakuza, Skull and Bones, and the World's Most Notorious Secret Organizations
by John Lawrence ReynoldsThey generate fear, suspicion, and--above all--fascination. Secret societies thrive among us, yet they remain shrouded in mystery. Their secrecy suggests, to many, sacrilege or crime, and their loyalties are often accused of undermining governments and tipping the scales of justice. The Freemasons, for example, hold more seats of power in the U.S. government than any other organization. No fewer than sixteen presidents have declared their Masonic affiliation, and there may have been more. Secret societies have infiltrated pop culture as well. Celebrity members of Kabbalah include Madonna, Demi Moore, and Elizabeth Taylor, among others.From the Mafia and the Yakuza to the Priory of Sion, Skull and Bones and the Templars, Reynolds offers an illuminating and entertaining exploration of the stories--confirmed and fabricated--that surround these societies, as well as provides detailed information on their origins, initiations, rituals, and secret signs. Dispelling myths and providing gripping revelations--such as a direct historical link between the Assassins of the Middle Ages and today's Al Qaeda--Secret Societies gives us a smart, surprising look at the best known and often least understood covert organizations.
Secret Societies in Detroit
by Bill LoomisSecret societies have operated in Detroit for most of the city's history. Many started for fun and companionship. Others had more serious ends in mind. The African American Mysteries: The Order of the Men of Oppression helped enslaved people escape the South for freedom in Canada. During the Civil War, so-called black lantern societies like the Knights of the Golden Circle and the Union League waged a covert war in Detroit and across the northern Midwest. In the last century, it wasn't uncommon for a sober suburbanite to catch the train to Detroit and don yellow silk pantaloons, a purple fez and embroidered vest to drink "Tarantula juice." Join Bill Loomis in this fascinating look into the secret world of these groups.
Secret Societies of America's Elite: From the Knights Templar to Skull and Bones
by Steven SoraAn expose of the dark and critical role secret societies play within the ruling families in America and their influence on American democracy, current events, and world history. • Reveals the enormous influence secret societies still have on contemporary American life. • Shows how the secret Masonic cells that smuggled in the democratic ideals inspiring the American Revolution also enabled the future elite of the new society to build huge fortunes. Elite and secret societies have always been a major force in the history of Western civilization. The alliances formed in secret societies such as the Knights Templar, the Knights of Christ, and the Freemasons transcended patriotism and religious beliefs and had a powerful influence on the establishment of the United States of America. While these secret associations of merchants, smugglers, occultists, gamblers, spies, and slavers succeeded in freeing the United States from foreign domination, the dark side is that the elite used their secret connections to further their own wealth and power. These secret cells did not hesitate to sponsor the assassination of a president and even attempted to break up the union on several occasions when it was deemed expedient. From the Sons of Liberty and the Essex Junto to the Ku Klux Klan, secret societies have played critical roles in building the fortunes of America's elite. Now Steven Sora reveals in alarming detail how secretive societies continue to wield power even today as organizations such as Yale's Skull & Bones unite America's modern ruling families as strongly as Masonic Lodges once connected the Astors, Livingstons, and Roosevelts. Their immense power and wealth allow this elite to control America to an even greater degree than the Templars once dominated Europe.
Secret Societies Reconsidered: Perspectives on the Social History of Early Modern South China and Southeast Asia
by David Ownby Mary F. Somers HeidhuesA discussion of the development of secret societies within China and among Chinese communities in colonial Southeast Asia in the late 18th and 19th centuries.
A Secret Society History of the Civil War
by Mark A. LauseThis unique history of the Civil War considers the impact of nineteenth-century American secret societies on the path to as well as the course of the war. Beginning with the European secret societies that laid the groundwork for freemasonry in the United States, Mark A. Lause analyzes how the Old World's traditions influenced various underground groups and movements in America, particularly George Lippard's Brotherhood of the Union, an American attempt to replicate the political secret societies that influenced the European Revolutions of 1848. Lause traces the Brotherhood's various manifestations, including the Knights of the Golden Circle (out of which developed the Ku Klux Klan), and the Confederate secret groups through which John Wilkes Booth and others attempted to undermine the Union. This book shows how, in the years leading up to the Civil War, these clandestine organizations exacerbated existing sectional tensions and may have played a part in key events such as John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, Lincoln's election, and the Southern secession process of 1860-1861.
The Secret Society of Moses: The Mosaic Bloodline and a Conspiracy Spanning Three Millennia
by Flavio BarbieroA radical reexamination of Western history that suggests the descendants of Moses were the architects of the rise of the Roman Church and the ancestors of European aristocracy • Answers the inexplicable disappearance of all mention of Moses’s descendants from the Bible • Reveals the key role played by Josephus Flavius in shaping early Christianity • Explains the connection of this secret priesthood to modern secret societies like the Freemasons After the book of Exodus, Moses’s two sons and numerous descendants all vanish from the Bible. Flavio Barbiero’s investigation of this strange absence and his study of the centuries-long power struggle between the priestly families fighting for control of the Temple of Jerusalem starts with the rebellion against Rome--and the emergence of Josephus Flavius, one of Moses’s descendants, on the world stage. In AD 70 when the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus Flavius and thousands of Jewish priests were exterminated, Josephus, now bearing his sponsor’s last name, followed Titus Flavius to Rome with at least 250 relatives and friends. Here they were made Roman citizens but then subsequently disappeared from recorded history. Barbiero’s careful study of early Christianity shows, however, that these surviving members of Moses’s high-priest lineage succeeded in taking control of the nascent Roman Church and masterminded its extraordinary success. Using a wide range of evidence drawn from fields as disparate as archaeology, heraldry, and genetics, Barbiero shows how these descendants of Moses used the cult of Mithras to eventually seize control of the secular Roman authority as well. He then follows, step by step, the spread of the members of this secret priestly elite into what was to become the aristocracy of medieval Europe and how their influence continues to be felt in modern secret societies like Freemasonry.
The Secret Symbols of the Dollar Bill: A Closer Look at the Hidden Magic and Meaning of the Money You Use Every Day
by David OvasonDo you know the true meaning of a dollar?Few people do. Now an expert on arcane symbolism uncovers the fascinating secret meanings behind the design of the money we use every day.In The Secret Symbols of the Dollar Bill, David Ovason explores the visual complexity and magic behind the world's most influential currency. Lively and readable, this extraordinary book invites you to take a dollar bill in hand and set off on a visual adventure. You will discover dazzling explanations of its secret contents -- from the symbols derived from the Great Seal to the extraordinary strands of numerology interwoven into its structure, to sur-prising hidden alignments.Once you discover the magic and mystery revealed in The Secret Symbols of the Dollar Bill, you will find that the dollar in your wallet is worth so much more than what you can buy with it.
The Secret Teachings of All Ages
by Manly P. HallWithin the pages of Manly Palmer Hall's celebrated 20th century tome, readers delight in discussions about ancient symbolism, rituals, and mythology. Often hailed as an encyclopedia for all things hidden, ancient, and arcane, The Secret Teachings of All Ages explores a vast array of topics, from secret societies and the Zodiac to Mystic Christianity and William Shakespeare's identity. Despite some of the outdated and controversial ideas it poses now in the 21st century, The Secret Teachings of All Ages continues to fascinate students of the cryptic and mysterious.
The Secret to Teen Power
by Paul HarringtonThe Secret is an international phenomenon that has inspired millions of people to live extraordinary lives. The Secret to Teen Power makes that knowledge accessible and relevant to today's teens. It explains the law of attraction in relation to teen issues such as friends and popularity, schoolwork, self-image, and relationships. It explains how teens can transform their own lives and live their dreams.
The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke
by Andrew LawlerA sweeping account of America's oldest unsolved mystery, the people racing to unearth its answer, and the sobering truths--about race, gender, and immigration--exposed by the Lost Colony of Roanoke In 1587, 115 men, women, and children arrived at Roanoke Island on the coast of North Carolina. Chartered by Queen Elizabeth I, their colony was to establish England's first foothold in the New World. But when the colony's leader, John White, returned to Roanoke from a resupply mission, his settlers were nowhere to be found. They left behind only a single clue--a "secret token" carved into a tree. Neither White nor any other European laid eyes on the colonists again.What happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke? For four hundred years, that question has consumed historians and amateur sleuths, leading only to dead ends and hoaxes. But after a chance encounter with a British archaeologist, journalist Andrew Lawler discovered that solid answers to the mystery were within reach. He set out to unravel the enigma of the lost settlers, accompanying competing researchers, each hoping to be the first to solve its riddle. In the course of his journey, Lawler encounters a host of characters obsessed with the colonists and their fate, and he determines why the Lost Colony continues to haunt our national consciousness.Thrilling and absorbing, The Secret Token offers a new understanding not just of the first English settlement in the New World but of how its disappearance continues to define--and divide--America.
Secret Trades, Porous Borders: Smuggling and States along a Southeast Asian Frontier, 1865-1915
by Eric TagliacozzoOver the course of the half century from 1865 to 1915, the British and Dutch delineated colonial spheres, in the process creating new frontiers. This book analyzes the development of these frontiers in Insular Southeast Asia as well as the accompanying smuggling activities of the opium traders, currency runners, and human traffickers who pierced such newly drawn borders with growing success. The book presents a history of the evolution of this 3000-km frontier, and then inquires into the smuggling of contraband: who smuggled and why, what routes were favored, and how effectively the British and Dutch were able to enforce their economic, moral, and political will. Examining the history of states and smugglers playing off one another within a hidden but powerful economy of forbidden cargoes, the book also offers new insights into the modern political economies of Southeast Asia.
Secret Valley
by Jackson GregorySecret Valley, first published in 1939, is a classic old west novel of action, adventure and romance by Jackson Gregory (1882-1943), author of more than 40 western and detective novels. From the dust-jacket: Ross Haveril was the last of a clan of hard-fighting, quick-tempered men. Now, after years of prospecting in South America, he was returning to his home in Secret Valley. But Haveril didn’t reckon on the changes that time brings. This was the West of lawless days, and things happened suddenly and without warning. That’s why he didn’t have much time to think when he faced his bitterest enemy, Tom Storm, in command of the valley. First he had to save his home and avenge Bob Roberts, who had died helping him. Then there was a gambler’s beautiful daughter who was certainly worth fighting for, if anything is. Only Jackson Gregory could spin a yarn as lyric and breathless as Secret Valley. It’s a lively tale of romance, of whirling action and flying bullets, written with an intimate knowledge of the West and its people.
The Secret World of Doing Nothing
by Billy Ehn Orvar LofgrenIn this insightful and path breaking reflection on "doing nothing," Billy Ehn and Orvar Loufgren take us on a fascinating tour of what is happening when to all appearances absolutely nothing is happening.
The Secret World of Doing Nothing
by Billy Ehn Orvar LöfgrenIn this insightful and pathbreaking reflection on "doing nothing," Billy Ehn and Orvar Löfgren take us on a fascinating tour of what is happening when, to all appearances, absolutely nothing is happening. Sifting through a wide range of examples drawn from literature, published ethnographies, and firsthand research, they probe the unobserved moments in our daily lives—waiting for a bus, daydreaming by the window, performing a routine task—and illuminate these "empty" times as full of significance. Creative, insightful, and profound, The Secret World of Doing Nothing leads us to rethink the ordinary and find meaning in today’s hypermodern reality.
Secrets and Silence: Uncovering the Legacy of the Cleveland Child Sexual Abuse Case
by Beatrix CampbellThe child sexual abuse scandal in the English county of Cleveland in the 1980s was a defining moment but not the scandal we were led to believe it was. Acclaimed journalist Beatrix Campbell has uncovered government documents that show how medical evidence of childhood rape identified by pioneering paediatricians was deemed credible but ‘dangerous’ – it was more important to save money than save children. This book reveals how this secret has framed policy making and public opinion and the consequences it has had for children, professionals, justice and the state. The deaths of ‘national treasures’ Sir Jimmy Savile and Sir Cyril Smith led to a torrent of evidence of childhood suffering, the discovery of widespread sexual exploitation and institutional abuse across the world – all in plain sight. The Cleveland children have remained in the shadows. Now, for the first time, a Cleveland child delves into her records and shares her story.
Secrets from the Greek Kitchen
by David E. SuttonSecrets from the Greek Kitchen explores how cooking skills, practices, and knowledge on the island of Kalymnos are reinforced or transformed by contemporary events. Based on more than twenty years of research and the author's videos of everyday cooking techniques, this rich ethnography treats the kitchen as an environment in which people pursue tasks, display expertise, and confront culturally defined risks. Kalymnian islanders, both women and men, use food as a way of evoking personal and collective memory, creating an elaborate discourse on ingredients, tastes, and recipes. Author David E. Sutton focuses on micropractices in the kitchen, such as the cutting of onions, the use of a can opener, and the rolling of phyllo dough, along with cultural changes, such as the rise of televised cooking shows, to reveal new perspectives on the anthropology of everyday living.
Secrets Of Angels And Demons
by Dan Burstein Arne de KeijzerThe first book to help you understand the mysteries and secret histories within the plot of Dan Brown's bestselling ANGELS AND DEMONS.SECRETS OF ANGELS AND DEMONS provides the curious reader with concise, authoritative explorations of the major themes that help propel the plot of Dan Brown's new bestseller, ANGELS AND DEMONS. Taking the same detailed approach as SECRETS OF THE CODE, Burstein and de Keijzer examine the provocative issues raised in the novel: the existence and scope of the Illuminati and their relationship to other 'secret societies'; the ongoing, centuries-old debate between science and religion; the history and practices of the Vatican and pagan symbolism and its place within the Church. They also explore the world of Bernini, master artist of the Baroque era, and the secret meanings behind his symbolism; what really happened in the trial of Galileo; and the real state-of-the-art of anti-matter technology. This book will delight and engage everyone who finished ANGELS AND DEMONS thinking, 'I need to know more about this book'.
The Secrets of Astrology
by DKDiscover the hidden meaning of stars in this first introduction to astrology for children.Secrets of Astrology tells you all you want to know about astrology, from the meaning of zodiac signs, to how to read a birth chart. Simple, readable text clearly explains the origins of astrology, the role of the planets, and the significance of the 12 Houses.Young astrologers are guided through all of the different zodiac signs, and can learn more about themselves in the process. Bold, colorful illustrations bring key concepts to life, and make this the perfect addition to your bookshelf. This book is the perfect gift for budding astrologers, or those who love the night sky.
The Secrets of Freemasonry: Revealing the suppressed tradition
by Dr Robert LomasMany people are curious about the existence of secret societies which claim to hold arcane religious or esoteric knowledge and pass it down through the generations via selected adepts. Classic Masonic writers including William Preston, Robert Gould, JSM Ward, AE Waite and WL Wilmshurst have written about secret traditions connected to the Temple of Sion. Each has different ideas about how mystical knowledge came into Freemasonry. Some say that the Charter of Larmenius reveals an underground line of Knight Templar Grand Masters who survived down to the nineteenth century. All agree there is a Secret Lodge or House of Adepts who continue to teach "true" knowledge of the ancient mysteries and that The Craft transmits beliefs linked to the Earls of Rosslyn, the Knights Templar, and Lodge Mother Kilwinning. Masonic expert Robert Lomas has collected together this thread of belief from old Masonic writers and rewritten it in modern English to make the ideas accessible to modern readers.
The Secrets of Freemasonry: Revealing The Suppressed Tradition
by Robert LomasMany people are curious about the existence of secret societies which claim to hold arcane religious or esoteric knowledge and pass it down through the generations via selected adepts. Classic Masonic writers including William Preston, Robert Gould, JSM Ward, AE Waite and WL Wilmshurst have written about secret traditions connected to the Temple of Sion. Each has different ideas about how mystical knowledge came into Freemasonry. Some say that the Charter of Larmenius reveals an underground line of Knight Templar Grand Masters who survived down to the nineteenth century. All agree there is a Secret Lodge or House of Adepts who continue to teach "true" knowledge of the ancient mysteries and that The Craft transmits beliefs linked to the Earls of Rosslyn, the Knights Templar, and Lodge Mother Kilwinning. Masonic expert Robert Lomas has collected together this thread of belief from old Masonic writers and rewritten it in modern English to make the ideas accessible to modern readers.
The Secrets of Happily Married Men: Eight Ways to Win Your Wife's Heart Forever
by Scott Haltzman Theresa Foy DigeronimoA professor of psychiatry and human behavior offers up a positive, humorous marriage guide for husbands that plays to their strengths. Dr. Scott Haltzman, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University, has devised a proven method for improving relationships, based on a man&’s special and unique skills, strengths, powers—as a responsible and motivated worker, manager, leader, problem-solver, partner, husband, and father. Men are different, Dr. Haltzman says. They don&’t approach relationships with the same skills and techniques that women do—and viva la difference. In The Secrets of Happily Married Men, Dr. Haltzman presents eight proven techniques that he developed from his research and through the confidential correspondence to his highly successful website, including: · Make Your Marriage Your Job · Know Your Wife · Be Home Now · Expect Conflict and Deal with It · Learn to Listen · Aim to Please · Understand the Truth About Sex · Celebrate Your Love Written in a humorous and entertaining style, the book provides specific analysis, guidelines, and techniques that are based on male biology, neuroscience, brain differences, and unique developmental stages from youth to seniority. In addition, The Secrets of Happily Married Men contains compelling true stories, anecdotes, and confessions written by and for men (and the women who love them). Praise for The Secrets of Happily Married Men&“Lively and entertaining, this broad guidebook provides Haltzman's insights illuminated by anecdotes from his online discussion forum for married men.&” —Psychology Today&“Haltzman . . . launches his eight strategies with remarkable vigor. More important, they are extraordinarily well fleshed out and convincingly supported with useful &“to do&” lists and a multitude of examples. They will no doubt prove helpful to many men struggling to build a happy marriage.&” —Publishers Weekly
Secrets of The Lost Symbol: The Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries Behind The Da Vinci Code Sequel
by Daniel Burstein Arne de Keijzer“If anyone can divine the contents of The Lost Symbol, it’s Dan Burstein.” —New York magazineWith Secrets of the Lost Symbol, co-authors Dan Burstein and Arne de Keijzer delve into the real history, science, and hidden meanings behind Dan Brown’s latest blockbuster novel, The Lost Symbol. As they have done previously with their extraordinary New York Times bestsellers Secrets of the Code and Secrets of Angels & Demons, Burstein and de Keijzer explore the themes, conspiracies, mythologies, codes, encrypted signs, and alternate histories—from the birth of Knights Templar to the present day—popularized by the acclaimed creator of The Da Vinci Code, giving them fresh and fascinating relevance while separating truth from fantasy.
The Secrets of Masonic Washington: A Guidebook to Signs, Symbols, and Ceremonies at the Origin of America's Capital
by James WassermanA fully illustrated guide to the Masonic origins and present-day Masonic sites of Washington, D.C.• Provides a walking tour of the Masonic sites and symbols of the city• Explores the critical role of Freemasonry in the founding of the United States• By the author of The Templars and AssassinsIn this guide to the Masonic underpinnings of America’s capital, James Wasserman reveals the esoteric symbols and the spiritual and visionary ideas that lie hidden in the buildings, monuments, and physical layout of Washington, D.C. His walking tour of these Masonic sites includes both the expected and unexpected--from the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol Building to the Federal Reserve complex, National Academy of Sciences, and the Library of Congress. Each location includes descriptions, interpretations, and explanations of the Masonic symbols and ritualistic meanings hidden within its structure, all illustrated with contemporary color and historic black-and-white photographs. Wasserman explains the purpose behind putting these symbols and Masonic designs into the capital and how all these monuments fit into the spiritual vision held by the founding fathers. He reveals the prominent role that Freemasonry played in the 18th-century Enlightenment movement and shows how in the New World of America, free of monarchy and aristocracy, the ideas of the Enlightenment were able to flourish. This illustrated guidebook to the Masonic secrets of Washington, D.C., provides valuable insights on the founding of America. It will be welcomed by students of esoteric art and symbolism, admirers of American history, and devotees of Dan Brown novels and National Treasure movies.
The Secrets of Rosslyn
by Roddy MartineThe centuries-old secrets of the famous Scottish chapel are decoded in this revealing history—&“a fascinating read&” (Scotland Magazine). Overlooking the village of Roslin just seven miles from the center of Edinburgh, Rosslyn Chapel is one of the world's most fascinating historic sites. Since its construction in the mid fifteenth century it has cast a mesmerizing spell over all who have visited it, exuding an aura of profound mystery. Centuries later it continues to confound and intrigue, inspiring stories of The Knights Templar and the Holy Grail, Masonic orders and esoteric symbols. These in turn have made Rosslyn chapel an icon of popular culture, featured in bestselling novels such as The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail and Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. In The Secrets of Rosslyn, Roddy Martine sifts through the conjectures and conspiracy theories to prove that the truth is no less amazing than fiction.