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Post by maximus on Sept 28, 2009 21:40:45 GMT
My bride could still care less My wife could be less interested. She don't read much, anyway.
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vtmason
Member
Running Dog Lackey
Posts: 251
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Post by vtmason on Sept 29, 2009 0:20:00 GMT
My bride could still care less My wife could be less interested. She don't read much, anyway. Karen reads, but her time is so precious that every second counts for her
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Harmony
Member
The Craft ; 1241 & 1386 & 1706 (Hon) (SC). OSM - Polnoon Castle Conclave. HRA - Rockmount & Camphi
Posts: 337
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Post by Harmony on Sept 29, 2009 8:37:20 GMT
Sorry - I thought that this is the worst of his books to date, and the last 20 /30 pages were frankly tedious.
I know it is a subject we are all interested in, but I didn't recognise Masonry in it at all.
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Post by waynecowley on Sept 29, 2009 12:31:44 GMT
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Post by maximus on Sept 29, 2009 12:47:59 GMT
It's just a novel. The good thing is that it reflects well on Freemasonry, instead of making us the bad guys. Let's face it, a thriller about whar really goes on wouldn't be too thirilling.
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Post by maximus on Sept 29, 2009 12:54:47 GMT
My wife could be less interested. She don't read much, anyway. Karen reads, but her time is so precious that every second counts for her I wish I could get mine interested in esoteric subjects. I have an extensive library she could take advantage of and we could have some interesting conversations. It's mostly her Church of Christ upbringing that scares her away. We used to have arguments about my books and ritual implements, but she eventually got over that (she threatened once to throw all my books in the yard - I have a book entitled Satan, which is an examination of the evolution of the concept of the Adversary to today's fundamentalist bogyman - it freaked her out. The bogyman concept stuck with her from Church).
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Post by maat on Sept 30, 2009 0:27:28 GMT
Having been attacked once by something I couldn't see, I would say that your wife is not being silly. Scared the socks off me - and as you know I don't scare easy.
Maat
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Post by generatics on Oct 1, 2009 6:55:23 GMT
working through the long audio version over the past week on the train. i'm gonna stray from the pack here and give it two thumbs "meh" so far. just not feeling it. though i didn't go in with high expectations. didn't care for his previous stuff either. i'm a grump.
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Post by lauderdale on Oct 1, 2009 10:05:24 GMT
Only part way through it so far and it is heavy going like wading through knee deep mud.
It is the typical Dan Brown race to get to the the treasure before the bad guy no doubt a car chase or similar wll feature somewhere, and there is a heroine in peril.
As to the Masonic aspect , so far so good. we are shown favourably and what has been mentioned is reasonably accurate, although as can be expected relates in some cases to USA Freemasonry more than to that of Mainstream UK. Some UGLE Masons may be puzzled by a few of the references, for example the Chamber of Reflection. We have this in LDH but I do not think it is used in UGLE's Freemasonry.
I will contunue to trudge through The Lost Symbol to the end but I cannot say that it comes into the "Gripping read!" or "I could not put it down!" category of novel. At least it is better than his "Digital Fortress" which I left only partly read on the aircraft having bought it to read on the flight.
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Post by maximus on Oct 1, 2009 13:06:17 GMT
Only part way through it so far and it is heavy going like wading through knee deep mud. Doesn't quite have the "zip" that DVC had. Still, good escapist reading, just to get away from the real world for a bit. Never read Digital Fortress, doesn't seem to be one I would care for either. Overly technical novels are a yawn.
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vtmason
Member
Running Dog Lackey
Posts: 251
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Post by vtmason on Oct 1, 2009 19:17:46 GMT
Only part way through it so far and it is heavy going like wading through knee deep mud. It is the typical Dan Brown race to get to the the treasure before the bad guy no doubt a car chase or similar wll feature somewhere, and there is a heroine in peril. As to the Masonic aspect , so far so good. we are shown favourably and what has been mentioned is reasonably accurate, although as can be expected relates in some cases to USA Freemasonry more than to that of Mainstream UK. Some UGLE Masons may be puzzled by a few of the references, for example the Chamber of Reflection. We have this in LDH but I do not think it is used in UGLE's Freemasonry. I will contunue to trudge through The Lost Symbol to the end but I cannot say that it comes into the " Gripping read!" or "I could not put it down!" category of novel. At least it is better than his "Digital Fortress" which I left only partly read on the aircraft having bought it to read on the flight. I see several references to more of a Scottish rite flavor of the degrees of Masonry. Almost more South American than North American
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Post by theplumbtruth on Oct 6, 2009 17:02:40 GMT
I can't agree more with what a number of people here have posted as far as this novel being an all-American formulaic story. It's what sells books and I find no fault with Dan Brown for being successful at it. It's written for the general masses but ultimately IMO, I hope it inspires people to take a good hard look at Masonry and inquire into it. We talk about the declining memberships and how to attract new brethren to join. Dan Browns book may not be the perfect method but it may find those who have a genuine desire to seek and find what we may be able to offer.
The book for me was a simple, fun and escapist piece of fiction. After all, how many more works of non-fiction can we read expanding on theories such as did Jesus marry Mary Magdalene? is there buried Templar treasure on Oak Island? Did Pierre Plantard lie? and my recent favorite - what will you be doing on Dec 21, 2012?
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Post by lauderdale on Oct 7, 2009 8:14:54 GMT
Well, at last I have finsihed reading it. NOT an easy read, it didn't have me gripping the edge of my chair, it was not in the "I couldn't put it down" category of book and yes it had the stereotypical car chase only slowed down a bit compared to DVC and Langdon gets saved by a deus ex machina which may be scientifically possible but which I doubt is anywhere near that state of development.
Enough about the novel. As to the Masonic content. There was nothing I found derogatory to Freemasonry nor offensive to me as a Mason. Any Master Mason should recognise a symbol which features greatly in the story and to a Rose Croix member such as myself (18th Degree in the A&ASR), there was much that struck a chord. Those Brethren not au fait with Freemasonry outside of UGLE might be slightly confused by some of the terminology used in this book but just remember that some things are done in a different manner or have others names outwith the jurisidiction of Gt Queen Street.
IMO, "The Lost Symbol" has done no harm to Freemasonry, and may indeed encourage some to knock at the West Gate of our Temples.
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Post by mrmason on Oct 7, 2009 16:41:13 GMT
My wife has read it so I might pick it up after I've read my latest copy of "Oor Wullie" and "The Broons"
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Post by lauderdale on Oct 7, 2009 17:59:28 GMT
The Broons might be more entertaining than Dan Brown.
Now here's an idea. Why not a story using the characters in The Broons going to a Lodge Meeting. Let's say it's Hen Broon's Initiation and of course Granpaw Broon is a Grand Officer, Paw Broon is RWM, and Joe is a Deacon etc. Maw Broon and the two adult Girls, Daphne and Maggie go off to a OES Meeting leaving Horace to look after the twins and the bairn.
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Post by mrmason on Oct 10, 2009 18:21:39 GMT
A good idea Steve, I was also under the impression that "Oor Wullie" was GM of the " Illustrious Order "o" the Bucket" ??
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Post by lauderdale on Oct 10, 2009 18:44:49 GMT
Now that would be an Initiation to see! Mind you, there are The Squaremen and The Corks, not to mention The Shriners, so perhaps not so OTT after all?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2010 3:07:50 GMT
The movie for the book is set for 2012, I haven't had chance to read it but will try to get around to it.
I was wondering if the book sparked peoples interest in freemasonry?
It's been sometime since the book came out and wanted to know if the book was still attracting people.
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Post by Leo on Aug 4, 2010 6:01:03 GMT
It might have sparked interest but I haven't come across too many people saying it is the reason they joined the Craft. In any event, I personally feel this book failed to grab people's interest in the way TDC did.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2010 11:42:21 GMT
I know that the book is not a good enough reason to join. I just thought it would spark interest in people, to investigate what Freemasonry is. I mean for a moment I felt that the book was getting a lot of the media's attention that people would look into it.
Whats TDC?
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