The da vinci code by Dan Brown

Hi
I am only half way through the book, which is fiction. But it mentions tarot, is about iconology, and discusses many of the symbols common to tarot (at least rider-waite, which is all I am familar with right now), and other principals in tarot, like kabbalist anagrams.

It really helped me start to appreciate how much information about symbols a tarot person needs to hold in theri head!
What did people think about it... is it just fun fiction?

Tepia

I began a thread about this book in the History section. The book lays out most of the ideas which are to be found in books by historians like Margarete Starbird. There is actually a scene in the book, (don't know if you are there yet) where the characters assemble in the personal library of Mr. Teaping. In Teaping's library, our hero notices four books. These are the actual real life books in which all of the fascinating facts presented in the Da Vinci code, are spelled out. Three of these books are by Margaret Starbird. -- the one I read by her is called : The Woman with the Alabaster Jar.

What is fact and what is fiction = that is what everyone wants to know. Although we cannot prove that Mary Magdalene was the wife of jesus, and came to the south shore of france, that the merovingian kings are descended from the tribe of jesus, or any other of those fantastic things, we can however prove , that these are ideas which were held at least since the time of the templars, and they show up in the oral tradition.

The ideas remain important despite as part of our western mythology.

The Da Vinci Code is the most selling book here in Norway right now. People are really interested in mysteries. I've got it yesterday as a present, and can't wait to get started, specially because of the tarot symbology.

As a publisher, I am looking for books to translate into Norwegian. Do you have any recommendations? Not too similar the Da Vinci Code, but in the same category.

I'm not sure of the programing around the world, but the National Geographic Channel is going to be doing a show on the 19th called the Da Vinci Code and will be speaking with Dan Brown. I imagne that it will cover alot of the historical symbologys.

lunalafey said:

I'm not sure of the programing around the world, but the National Geographic Channel is going to be doing a show on the 19th called the Da Vinci Code and will be speaking with Dan Brown. I imagne that it will cover alot of the historical symbologys.

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Thanks Luna, I shall be checking my channel guide for local times to record it ( we watch a lot of like type programming in this house )
I keep looking at the DaVinci Code in the store but I am holding off because I have so many unread books in the house now. Time seems to be a factor in how much I get to read these days.

lunalafey said:

I'm not sure of the programing around the world, but the National Geographic Channel is going to be doing a show on the 19th called the Da Vinci Code and will be speaking with Dan Brown. I imagne that it will cover alot of the historical symbologys.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info luna i will be waiting to watch the show.

I just got the Illistrated version of The DaVinci Code for Christmas (big surprise to me).
I have only just begun to read it and so far I find it very interesting. The artwork pictured is stunning of course.

This book is on my to be read list. I can't wait to get to it, especially now that I know that tarot is mentioned in it.

I've read it, and the other one, angels and demons (or something)

They are ok, a good read, but the stuff, all the symbology, iconography etc is pretty much what youd expect.

And there are the really irritating things, like an expert on the priory of sion never seems to notice the name Saunier etc etc etc.

The ends a bit crap too.

Theyre good stories, good fun, but not really deep, not really accurate, and a bit corny, if you already know anything about the subjects.

I really enjoyed it. I'm reading The Woman with the Alabaster Jar at the moment, and really loving that too. I read probably two thirds of Holy Blood, Holy Grail, but didn't finish it. It was ok, but not as readable as these other two. I had it on loan from the library, twice, and figured if I couldn't finish it in that time I wasn't going to.

But I really like Margaret Starbirds book. I think I'd like to read more of hers afterwards too.