The Masonic Myth: Unlocking the Truth About the Symbols, the Secret Rites, and the History of Freemasonry
This is hardly the first book about the history and inner workings of Freemasonry. It is, however, one of a small number of books written (mostly without an agenda) by a practicing Mason. It’s no big secret that Freemasonry has a reputation as a powerful secret society and that various conspiracy theorists have linked Masonry to everything from the Knights Templar to Jack the Ripper. (Dan Brown uses Masonry in his new novel, The Lost Symbol.) Kinney explores the many rumors and theories surrounding Masonry, separating myth from history, fact from fiction. Think of his book as a sort of dual history, of Masonry itself and of the concurrent condemnation and fear of Masons; as such, it should appeal to readers searching for an evenhanded look at the organization. There are no jaw-dropping revelations in here—for example, Kinney doesn’t accuse the Masons of being behind the Ripper murders, as Stephen Knight did in Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution (1976) and The Brotherhood (1984)—but that doesn’t keep the book from being fascinating reading. --David Pitt