Secret Societies : Inside the Freemasons, the Yakuza, Skull and Bones, and the World's Most Notorious Secret Organizations

Does a sinister cabal actually control international affairs? Were William Shakespeare and Abraham Lincoln secretly involved with a group founded to discover and preserve the principles of alchemy? Has an ancient mystical religion really been reduced to a length of red string that sells for a dollar an inch? Secret societies surround us, yet they often remain a mystery. Their secrecy suggests sacrilege and crime, and their loyalties stand accused of undermining the worldÕs governments. They generate fear, suspicion, and

They generate fear, suspicion and above all fascination. Secret Societies gives us a smart, surprising look at the best known and often least understood covert organizations.

They 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.

Does a sinister cabal actually control international affairs? Were William Shakespeare and Abraham Lincoln secretly involved with a group founded to discover and preserve the principles of alchemy? Has an ancient mystical religion really been reduced to a length of red string that sells for a dollar an inch? Secret societies surround us, yet they often remain a mystery. Their secrecy suggests sacrilege and crime, and their loyalties stand accused of undermining the world's governments. They generate fear, suspicion, and-above all-fascination. From the parched wadis of the Middle East to the crowded boutiques of Beverly Hills, award-winning author John Lawrence Reynolds peels away centuries of speculation and paranoia and shines a brilliant light on organizations that have been shrouded in secrecy for ages, from the Templars and the Mafia to the Priory of Sion and Skull & Bones. He offers a smart and surprising behind-the-scenes exploration of the tales-confirmed and fabricated-that surround the best known and often least understood secret societies A comprehensive, behind-the-scenes look at the world's most notorious secret societies, including their origins and histories, initiations and rituals, secret signs and members. Offering an illuminating and entertaining exploration of the stories-confirmed and fabricated-that surround these societies, Reynolds dispels myths and provides gripping revelations. No fewer than sixteen presidents have declared their affiliation to the Freemasons; Madonna, Demi Moore, and Elizabeth Taylor are just a few celebrity members of Kabbalah; and there is a direct historical link between the Assassins of the Middle Ages and today's Al Qaeda. Based on extensive research that emphasizes fact over speculation, Reynold's gives a smart, surprising look at the best known and often least understood covert organizations