Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #240509 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

From the Publisher
There is no more comprehensive and definitive guide to The Da Vinci Code than Secrets of the Code: The Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries Behind The Da Vinci Code. Dan Brown’s bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code, has captivated the imagination of millions of readers. Its provocative story and rich historical background has spurred wide interest in the author’s source materials and has aroused controversies, both public and private, all over America. Readers are fascinated by the questions raised in The Da Vinci Code. Was Jesus actually married to Mary Magdalene? Was she one of his disciples and did she write her own gospel? Did they have a child together? Did some geniuses of art and science, people like Leonardo Da Vinci and Isaac Newton, belong to secret societies that had the most compelling insider information in history, and did Leonardo convey some of these ideas in The Last Supper and other paintings?

What is fact? What is fiction?

Dan Burstein’s Secrets of the Code: The Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries Behind The Da Vinci Code sorts out fact, informed speculation, and fiction, by presenting the views of the experts—archeologists, theologians, art historians, philosophers and scientists—many of whose works Brown himself relied upon in developing his intriguing tale. Secrets of the Code: The Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries Behind The Da Vinci Code is the definitive guide to the novel and provides the curious reader with an authoritative sweeping tour, guided by renowned experts, through the many provocative ideas raised in the bestselling novel.

With excerpts from many original works, all-new material, and interviews with prominent scholars, exploring the themes underlying the Dan Brown novel, Secrets of the Code: The Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries Behind The Da Vinci Code will satisfy your curiosity, engage your imagination, and provide you with insights to better understand the historical and religious issues of the novel.

CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDE

DIANE APOSTOLOS-CAPPADONA MICHAEL BAIGENT ESTHER DE BOER DAVID DOWNIE BETSY EBLE BART EHRMAN TIMOTHY FREKE PETER GANDY DEIRDRE GOOD SUSAN HASKINS KATHERINE L. JANSEN KAREN KING RICHARD LEIGH HENRY LINCOLN JAMES MARTIN, S.J. RICHARD MCBRIEN LAURA MILLER SHERWIN B. NULAND ELAINE PAGELS LYNN PICKNETT CLIVE PRINCE JAMES ROBINSON SIMON SINGH MARGARET STARBIRD DAVID VAN BIEMA KENNETH WOODWARD

From the Author
"My goal in writing Secrets was to explore all the major mysteries of history--from religious history to art history--suggested by the plot of The Da Vinci Code. I assume there are a lot of other readers out there like myself who want to know what is fact and what is fiction in The Da Vinci Code. Secrets will give everyone the tools to be able to develop their own ideas in response to many of the provocative questions the novel touches on."

About the Author
Dan Burstein is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author of six books on subjects ranging from China and Japan to the digital technology revolution. He is currently developing books on the future of the Internet, blogs and blogging, and nanotechnology. He is founder of Millennium Technology Ventures, a New York-based venture capital firm that invests in innovative companies. Burstein has often written about the mysteries and complexities of the future. This is his first book that focuses on mysteries and complexities of the past.

Customer Reviews

Liked it more than Da Vinci
Much of what I wanted to say has been covered by a couple of detailed reviews prior to mine. In fact, I must say that I liked this book more than the The Da Vinci Code because I didn't have to deal with the fictional plot at all. I am happy to see that a previous reviewer has provided a "recommended reading list" on Gnosticism. Besides all the other books on Gnosticism, I would strongly suggest reading The Rozabal Line. Even though this is more like reading a Da Vinci novel, the fiction is layered with historical and religious material that sheds a great deal of light on the early influences on the Gnostics. While Secrets of the Code will help you understand the types of Gnostic material that is out there, Rozabal gets to the heart of the Eastern traditions and spirituality that possibly influenced much of these Gnostic traditions.

Answering Questions or Creating More?
Like many readers, I was fascinated with the historical background surrounding Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code," but like many readers was left with a lot of questions once I finished the book. Dan Burstein's "Secrets of the Code: The Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries Behind the Da Vinci Code" is a great compilation of experts writing on a variety of topics all related to the book, "The Da Vinci Code." The individuals included are experts in their chosen fields, from archaeology to religion. The arguments in the book cover a wide range of opinion on any given topic and do not always agree with each other. Indeed, this is the strength of the book. Where many others have written books seeking to present findings about "The Da Vinci Code" from a particular slant, Burstein simply presents it all, and allows readers to make up their own minds.

"Secrets of the Code" addresses a wide range of questions related to the book, including some of the following: Who was Mary Magdalene? How did the early Christians view their religion (including Jesus)? What role do codes and numbers play in "The Da Vinci Code"? What is Dan Brown's background, and how did that contribute to the story? And, of course, there are many many more topics too numerous to list.

"Secrets of the Code" also includes a great reference list with details about other books on topics of interest, such as the Knights Templar. Burstein has also included some insider information on Dan Brown's next book, which is said to feature early US history, Washington, DC, and masonic rituals. I learned so much from this book...and I highly recommend it as a jumping off point for even more reading for those who were intrigued by "The Da Vinci Code"!

Searcher of the Truth
I was highly interested in Dan Burstein's expose of Brown's Da Vinci Code for the first half of the 626 page book but after that he wandered off into every other book or play with the same plot that is out there and goes into Brown's life and schooling etc. If you want a bio of Dan Brown, then the 2nd half is great but I found it rather boring and not telling anything about the controversial "secrets". That is done well enough in the first 200 pages --giving both pros and cons of the various themes brought on in Brown's book.
One thing that irked me was how he continuously gives Brown so much credit for being the "first" to bring all the Mary Magdalene/Jesus/Templar hidden knowledge to light. This was not new territory to those who have been studying the underground, hidden religion for years. Another book, The Secret Order, which was every bit as informative and entertaining as Brown's book was published 2 months before and covered the same story and subject matter. If you want a very good enlightening and uplifting book then I suggest you read The Secret Order.