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Post by xalexfromblackx on May 1, 2004 17:33:59 GMT -5
ok so i know you guys have a place for book posts but ima be a kewl rebellious teen and post here..(...)
ok so i read the book really quick! its almost as infectious as those damned Harry Potters
ok so i read it and i got a real hard on for Sophie.. hmmm...
anyone read it?
...
peace```
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Post by Yaw on May 1, 2004 17:35:06 GMT -5
You do realize this just gets the post flung, right? *fling*
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Post by AuntieSocial on May 3, 2004 14:10:14 GMT -5
Since this thread was opened ... I will say that this is one of those books that is on my to-read list. A friend of mine read it and said that it was a very interesting account of Catholicism ... wrapped up in fiction.
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Post by Yaw on May 3, 2004 15:11:31 GMT -5
Haven't read Da Vinci Code, but there's people on another board complaining about the storyline being too clunky. A really GOOD book that incorporates the Templars and conspiracy theories is Umberto Eco's "Foucault's Pendulum", though. He really plays around a lot with history and conspiracy theories in a very satisfying way -- you'll definitely be thinking about the book and how he pulled it off for a long time.
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Post by AuntieSocial on May 3, 2004 18:32:55 GMT -5
Oh, that sounds interesting too ...
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Kaiouss Khalizad
Maverick's Chew Toy
Anthropic Coincidences: What a coincidence!
Posts: 38
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Post by Kaiouss Khalizad on May 13, 2004 9:16:52 GMT -5
Yeah, there is some truth to some things the Da Vinci Code is saying, but most of it's fiction. Just don't jump to conclusions and do alot of research. I think I'll read that book, Foucaults Pendulum. Foucault is so awesome, but I think his take on society is a bit outdated. Maybe his prison stuff is still valid, but that makes sense because that's what he spent his time doing.
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Dugald
Broken-in Plebe
Posts: 72
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Post by Dugald on May 14, 2004 10:40:28 GMT -5
I'm about 2/3 of the way through The Da Vinci Code right now, and have been doing some research online to corroborate or refute the "facts" behind the novel. I thought some well-researched members of this board might be able to help sort the truth from the fiction. I realize it's a novel, a work of fiction, but there is certainly some compelling background that Dan Brown claims is based on real research. It's one of those stories that makes me say "I realize it's fiction, but it's not a stretch to believe that it's close to the mark."
I'm actually a little surprised you (collectively) haven't read it yet. And though I'm not yet finished with it, I'm finding it to be quite an enjoyable read, not "clunky" at all. I'd recommend it!
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Kaiouss Khalizad
Maverick's Chew Toy
Anthropic Coincidences: What a coincidence!
Posts: 38
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Post by Kaiouss Khalizad on May 16, 2004 4:10:05 GMT -5
Ok. separating fact from fiction... riiiiight... Well, first flip to the beginning where he proclaims two facts. Ok, you're done.
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Dugald
Broken-in Plebe
Posts: 72
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Post by Dugald on May 16, 2004 13:14:25 GMT -5
... first flip to the beginning where he proclaims two facts. Ok, you're done. Dan Brown asserts three facts at the beginning of the book: 1) The Priory of Sion exists (a secret society founded in 1099 to protect the secrets exposed in this novel). 2) The sect of Opus Dei exists (a deeply devout Vatican prelature with controversial practices). 3) All artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals described in the novel are accurate. My point is that these are assertions of the author, and could easily be part of the fiction. So I've been looking for independent information to corroborate his claims. An assertion of fact by the source you're trying to validate is not credible. But there are plenty of independent sources out there to review. His novel is a work of fiction, in that the characters who tell the story are made up. But what I'm interested in is how much of the history that the characters deliver is credible. For instance, the novel claims that the fourth century Roman emperor Constantine invented the doctrine of the divinity of Christ for political reasons. As an Atheist, this seems quite plausible to me. But is this part of the novel's fiction, or is this part of what Dan Brown claims is historically accurate? The novel describes the compilation of the Bible as a process whereby tens of Gospels were selected from among hundreds, with the purposeful intention of promoting Constantine's agenda. Other sources corroborate that there are many (18-24) books mentioned in the Bible but which do not appear in the Bible, indicating they've been removed ( www.bibleufo.com/anomlostbooks1.htm). There's a lot in this novel that is plausible, believable, even compelling. But the same can be said of Anne Rice novels! I'm just curious what research other members of this board have done that supports or refutes the underlying premise of The Da Vinci Code. But I guess until some more of y'all read it (c'mon AuntieSocial, you've got a great foundation for this discussion!), I'll keep researching it on my own!
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Post by slavsoul on Sept 17, 2004 15:48:04 GMT -5
THANKS mucho, Yaw, for recommending "Foucault's Pendulum."
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Post by Theodore Doxford on Sept 25, 2004 15:06:02 GMT -5
There is a TV documentry about this on the BBC this week so I'll have a peep at it.
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Post by Superhappyjen on Nov 13, 2004 18:40:05 GMT -5
DaVinci Code is a sequel. I recommend reading Angels and Demons first.
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Sandy
Maverick's Chew Toy
Posts: 37
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Post by Sandy on Feb 12, 2005 9:41:54 GMT -5
I read The Davinci Code first and then went out and bought Angels and Demons. Both books are incredibly well written and intriguing in concept.
My daughter and I ran off the 2 weeks before Christmas of this year and took a cruise to Mexico to get some sun. She lives in D.C. and needed to feel the sun on her face.
We are addicted readers and set up our books and bodies on the rear deck of this massive ship and we counted over 2 dozen books by Dan Browne being read by the other cruisers.
These are a "must read" for anyone who enjoys reading.
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Sylvain
Maverick's Chew Toy
Un sceptique
Posts: 3
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Post by Sylvain on May 21, 2005 10:24:23 GMT -5
I was disappointed, if you've loved it then read his other stuff as it's more of the same. I'm not saying that it's bad, I don't feel I wasted my money on it but it's certainly not as good as some people say it is.
The basis for the story is fascinating, it was the inspiration for a much better work of fiction: Gabriel Knight III,Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned. It's a computer game though, not a book.
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Post by landlady on Jul 11, 2005 11:24:45 GMT -5
ok this is old posts from mostly 2004 but i will add my thoughts. i enjoyed the book. yes its fiction..but alot of the ideas seem to have been noted by other authors--i too was reminded of the umberto eco books as i read alot of it. the twist of the marriage and lineage of jesus was amusing to me--it took a while for the religious leaders to pounce on this! one fictional part was the assertation the founding fathers of usa intentionally created the design templates of us currency to reflect "in god we trust" etc....this phrase was actually only added to currency here following our civil war according to a us treasury dept site i once located--started with the now-long-gone 1/2 cent piece, and not until in the early 1950's was the transition to show phrase on all currency completed. it is true numerous "founding fathers" and people of historical importance in usa were nonreligious freethinkers--HURRAY! i saw an interview on the book months ago--maybe 20/20/dateline/60 minutes?? i was very disappointed in how it was presented. for one thing the anchor laughingly asks some catholic priest? in regard to opus dei--"so there are no albino killers lurking in some secret organization within the catholic church? of course the priest laughs abd says there are not.....i found this question and its response evasive and a great way to side-step the truths about the organization which is well documented public information (if a tenth of what i have read on internet is true i find the book descriptions fairly accurate considering it is part of an entertaining fictional novel..) there were other segments of the interview where a response of yes or no was given but not discussed as i would have liked--i wondered what was edited out to make it pro-religion... i would also have liked them to touch on whether they find documentation of jesus from sources other than religious, other religious figures who supposedly performed all the same miracles that eventually jesus is noted for, the lack of reference to jesus christ and christisanity in the dead sea scrolls, whey there is no support other than emergance of cross symbols found in archealogical digs, etc. i have been under the impression for years that constantine saw the power of leadership by way of religios control was politically beneficial and that is why he turned to christianity but i cant name a specific source for what i read to convince me. i do know he was the child of an affair between a barmaid and a married upper-level military or government official and his father was a presence in his life--the father held the unaccepted belief the gods as worshiped were actually all facets of one true god. i also have thought the bible, when printing became possible, was written by a group of maybe a dozen or so men assigned by the pope to choose which passages each felt sent the "right" message and promoted what the group deemed core christian values, and the submissions were reviewed & "corrections" of interpretations made as needed.. in a small local christian church--church of christ- i used to attend this was taught in bible study with the reason being there were too many potential biblical accounts to be able to include in one book, but i have also read of it elsewhere and again i dont remember the sources; also at the same time martin luther was arranging his version to be printed in german and there were battles of wills between him and the catholic church on how to change the wordings to allow the congregations to be able to relate to the stories--learned this from a lutheran site showing luthers life works. the bbc interview is on net, but i didnt see it when it aired. one of my favorite books is The Source by James A Michener...an interesting and believable-to-me fictional novel using alot of fact-based archeological dig info and history since recordings have been kept, offers possible reason for humanity seeking a higher power to placate and worship. thats enough of my rambling thought of the moment!!
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