Bride of the Book God

This book does exactly what it says on the cover; offers a high level and balanced overview of secret societies throughout history. Barrett’s thesis is clearly set out at the beginning – the history of these societies = the history of esoteric religion = the history of magic, and he proceeds to take us through the the roots of secret societies before looking at several in detail.

It’s almost inevitable, because of the level of interest and the number of books written about them, that he concentrates on Freemasonry and the Knights Templar. He doesn’t shy away from the rumours and controversies, but tries to identify what is factual from what is supposition and leaves the reader to make up their own mind. Once of my favourite quotes: cynics would say that [Freemasons] are a handful of late-middle aged, upper-middle class men who like dressing up in gloriously patterned costumes” rather than grand conspirators.

He comes to the conclusion that we may never know the truth about organisations like the Knights Templar, and that there is more likely to be a spiritual rather than direct line between the old and modern societies. I found this very persuasive; I’ve never been a great believer in conspiracy theories, especially ones that are supposed to have lasted undiscovered for centuries, but I can see how some of their ideas would be picked up and developed by later followers.

By the way, he has a very informative discussion on Tarot, which is a particular interest of mine, and I was fascinated by just how many of these societies use Tarot packs as teaching aids.

If you are at all interested in this subject I think you will find this book a good starting point for further exploration.

This is my second read for the Non-Fiction Five Challenge.

This turned out to be a completely different book from the one I expected. I thought I was going to read a fairly straightforward historical description about the Empress Constance returning to Sicily to reclaim her father’s kingdom; instead I got a mixture of history and travel book, which jumped back and forwards not only between Constance and the present day followers in her footsteps, but also within Constance’s own story. And although it took me longer to read than I intended, I really enjoyed it.

I normally dislike non-fiction books or films about historical subjects that are inaccurate or play about with history for dramatic effect, but for some reason didn’t mind the fact that the author of Travels With A Medieval Queen has created some imaginary relationships for her protagonist because so little is known about her real companions and she couldn’t bear to have Constance unaccompanied through her journey. So there is an imaginary Arab servant, and imaginary female doctor, and an invented romance with a real poet, Frederick von Hausen.

The story of Constance is fascinating; her marriage to the cold and ruthless Henry VI, son of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, her years of infertility and her astonishing first pregnancy at the age of 41, which led her, according to many sources, to deal with suggestions of trickery by giving birth in public. In a tent in the town square. In December.

And against the background of Constance’s own story are the author and her friend retracing as far as they can Constance’s journey from Germany to Sicily.

There are lots of wonderful nuggets of information supplied in passing. I didn’t know that there were so many women doctors during the 12th century, effectively de-legitimised when medicine became “professional” and therefore male. I didn’t know that in the early middle ages red actually meant coloured in general and could cover anything from yellow to purple.

Also, it’s always a good sign when I read bits of a book out to the Book God, and I did a fair bit of that with this one. And it made me want to find out more about the period, and especially Constance’s son Frederick, destined to become Holy Roman Emperor. Delightful. And my first read for the Non-Fiction Five challenge.