Customer Reviews

America's Secret Establishment: An Introduction to the Order of Skull & Bones

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Sutton's book is a thorough academic treatment of America's most powerful and most mysterious secret society--the Order of Skull & Bones at Yale University. The book is very scientific in form--Sutton states hypotheses and then sets out to prove them with facts, some of drawn from secret membership lists, but most of them publicly available. Using this method, Sutton is "going to argue and present detailed precise evidence (including names, dates, and places) that the only reasonable explanation for recent history in the US is that there exists a conspiracy to use political power for ends which are inconsistent with the Constitution." Sutton's stance is that an order founded in 1832 has set out to conspire to control US policy for their own means, in an illegal, secret, conspiratorial manner.

Sutton reveals some fascinating information about the Order, such as the fact that 77% of all members are in law, education, business, finance, and industry, which are the key fields for control of society. The Church accounts for 2% of members. "Notably the areas of society least represented are those with the least ability to influence the structural direction of society. They may give dept and richness to society, but are not essential to its control and direction." Examples of such occupations include engineering, the arts, architecture, and agriculture.

Sutton's text is an exhaustive look at the membership rosters of the Skull & Bones. He goes above and beyond to tie members to US political events and the generations of influential members. Sutton does not delve into the scandalous secret rituals and the top-secret selection process for members; readers are referred to a sensationalist 1970's GQ magazine expose for such details.

The book concludes with a year-by-year membership roster, which was previously unheard of due to the oath members take to deny membership in the society at all costs. Sutton's text also includes a comprehensive index, as well as numerous visual aids in the form of hierarchical charts, a reprint of rare materials on the order, (limited) secret publications and logos, government memorandums, and more.

Sutton gets 5 stars for the resulting academic work, for his research, for his thorough methodology. As an armchair reader, this book is less than stellar, but then again, Sutton didn't set out to write a sensationalist Hollywood-style novel.

Antony Sutton in writing "America's Secret Establishment" two decades ago set in motion the analytical wherewithal for tracing its activities beyond his death. Sutton may be dead, but the important questions he raised about Skull and Bones and this secret society's impact on U.S. and world political and economic policies become more paramount with each passing year.

The 2004 presidential election was the first in history to pit two members of Yale University's super secretive Skull and Bones society against each other. In this case the word "against" may well prove to be a figure of speech. To quote the legendary British author Lewis Carroll, the 2004 race may well be proven historically to be, despite its feints and dodges in an effort to attain legitimacy, "a battle between Tweedledum and Tweedledee."

Some scrutinizing individuals, mindful of Sutton's work in this and other works indicating that often the left theoretically represented by the Democrats and the right theoretically represented by the Republicans are merely two wings of the same bird, representing the same establishment while going through the motions of seemingly democratic competition. These individuals were scoffed at in the same manner as those who were skeptical of the Warren Commission Report following its release, being denounced as "conspiracy buffs." The mainstream media denounces those who continue to pursue evidence of cheating in the 2004 presidential election in Ohio, Florida, New Mexico and elsewhere as "spreadsheet conspiracy theorists."

While belittling skeptics who wondered if democracy might well be seriously jeopardized by two Skull and Bones candidates vying for the presidency, it is insightful to note what occurred when Bush, seeking a four year extension after his highly controversial "victory" four years earlier against Al Gore by a one vote margin in the U.S. Supreme Court, was asked about Skull and Bones. "I can't say anything about that," Bush responded with a nervous expression in contrast to his widely reputed swaggering manner.

Sutton acknowledges that he had inside sources providing his information on Skull and Bones. An established element is that members are sworn to secrecy. The question should be asked: Does the vow of secrecy presumably taken by both Bush and Kerry supersede any implied covenant with the American people to operate on its behalf as part of what is labeled a democratic nation? Do Skull and Bones pledges of secrecy apply to the "new democracy" Bush and his neoconservative operatives led by Dick Cheney purport to be building in Iraq and throughout the Middle East?

Sutton's conclusions dovetail with those of other courageous authors seeking to pierce the Skull and Bones veil of secrecy. As Sutton notes, prospective pledges are contacted in their junior years and, if accepted, belong to the organization only one year at Yale as seniors.

Contrasting Skull and Bones with other fraternal organizations, Sutton points out the important distinction of obtaining pledges for only the final critical year at Yale, whereas fraternities are known for seeking pledges as freshmen. Sutton's point is well taken, that the reason for concentrating on seniors is the focus on their lives beyond Yale. As John Huston, playing a corrupt corporate magnate who controls Los Angeles in the 1974 film "Chinatown" replies in response to a question from private detective Jake Gittes, played by Jack Nicholson, as to why he is so power hungry when he is able to buy anything he could ever reasonably want: "The future, Mr. Gittes, the future!"

The future appears to have been well taken care of by the coalescing of Skull and Bones members. Sutton explains that the organization follows the dialectical line of reasoning of German philosopher Hegel, in which 1) thesis and 2) antithesis are ultimately integrated into 3) synthesis. He points out that this is what makes otherwise contradictory behavior explainable, such as major Wall Street brokerage firms such as Brown Brothers-Harriman, where George W. Bush's grandfather Prescott worked alongside famous Democratic Party name Averell Harriman as needed funds were supplied to both Hitler's Third Reich and Stalin's Soviet Union.

Follow Sutton's line of reasoning and fill in the blanks. It makes the seemingly politically incomprehensible emerge as highly plausible and chillingly prescient.

Antony Sutton, rogue historian, has done a nice job examining the history, motives, and methods of the Skull & Bones Order. The Hegelian dialectic is seen as a chief method of their manipulation of society, and the presence of Skull members G.W. Bush & John Kerry on opposite sides of the 2004 election campaign would seem to support this contention. Sutton was apparently supplied with documentation of Order membership and some other aspects of Skull & Bones history. Some of his ideas are speculative, though it is clear that Sutton looks for the most logical explanation, no matter how unpleasant or politically incorrect that conclusion may be. Sutton died in the year this latest (2002) edition was published, and he has left a legacy of books that document the presence of establishment elite conspiratorial activity. This is an excellent book for those seeking a meaningful understanding of history and current events.

I was struck by the above phrase used recently by Dubya(whose father and grandfather apparently were Bonesmen) and its use by the author as the objective of the Order for a New World Order. I had read two of Sutton's Wall Street books, and the linking of the figures involved in them with the Skull and Bones was quite scary.
The supplementary material from the 1870's explaining the Yale senior societies and some of the critiques of the Bones was also fascinating.
Basically, the thesis of the book is that there is a secret society(Skull and Bones) motivated by Hegelian philosophy(state is supreme, and change is generated by conflict) that has infiltrated the elite control groups(CFR, Bilderberg, finance, law, politics) that has brought us to the sorry state of affairs today. An interesting thesis, not really proven, but with enough supporting evidence that points in the right direction of the truth than the media and historians give.
One interesting point, I did a search on the Bones of 1985, and the names I could find did confirm that they graduated from Yale in 1985. Two of them were the SOLE representatives for the '85 reunion class, and one of them is a big wig at Goldman Sachs. Coincidence? Buy the book and make up your own mind.

This well researched and masterfully written work exposes the nature and purpose of the Order of Skull & Bones along with the names of every member inducted into this evil order from 1833 through 1985; including Kellogg, Bush, Goodyear, Murchison, Kerry, Ford and many other well known politicians, bankers, oil men, industrialists and major news personalities. The list of names is absolutely astonishing! This is definitely not a harmless college fraternity. Members remain active for life-not just their senior year. The CIA recruits agents and operatives from this order. Others appear in the revolving door between Washington and corporate America. This is but one among many secret societies determined to force upon mankind the New World Order that madmen like Adolf Hitler, the Rockefellers, and George H.W. Bush have raved about for centuries. George W. Bush has admitted that during, "My senior year, I joined Skull & Bones, a secret society, so secret I can't say anything more." If it has to be secret, it can't be good.

Mr. Sutton is one of few true heroes, willing to make the sacrifices he has to put this information forth. I have always thought it important that people don't believe what they read or hear without checking for themeselves. Don't believe what I say, Mr. Sutton says, OR what CNN or the New York Times says. Check it out for yourself, use your brain and your God-given abilities of critical thinking and research, and make your own decisions. As Mr. Sutton reports (and I am confidant any person of sound mind who's willing to check his work will agree), we as a country and a world are in dire straits today. We just don't know it because we are "too busy living our lives" and we explicitly trust the system which gives us what is "supposed to be" the important news of the day (example: Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston just got married!!). This book is in my top 3, and I have read MANY. it is NOT "easy reading". What it is, is thorough, painstaking research which deserves paying CAREFUL attention to. If you're "lucky" and the conclusions in the book don't affect you in your lifetime, it will affect your children and their children. I don't call that lucky, I call that irresponsible. We all have a collective responsibility to our children (and theirs), even if these children are unborn today. P.S. - The wealth of information in this book and the associated consequences that follow is ALREADY affecting us as a people, in the year 2000. If you disagree, then I urge you to do two things: First, read this book, then study the legislation bill that was PASSED / SIGNED INTO LAW in 1994 titled "Goals 2000". IT'S THE NEW SOCIAL EDUCATION AGENDA which takes control of your children's lives, education, and freedom away from you.

Reading this book, the first thing I thought was "Wow, if George Bush Jr. gets elected, our next president could be from the Brotherhood of Death, also known as the Skulls". George Bush Sr. and his father were both Skulls, which most likely means GB Jr. is one as well. Inside the book there are numerous lists, some with addresses, of who belongs in this society, how it is run and how it influences the government and the way we live... an eye-opening journey into politics... very different, and quite a bit more in-depth than the movie.

This is the best primer book on the internationist conspiracy. It details how the communists could not have operated let alone been successful for all those years without western aid. It shows how communism was built on the backs of the North American taxpayers through aid to the Soviet Union. It also shows how the same planners helped Hitler rise to power. An excellent proof of how the conspiracy uses opposing camps(ie. fascist/communist) to divide and conquer using the Hegelian dialectic. This book is about the real Skull and Bones fraternity and with much more to offer than the stupid movie called Skulls. Don't read this book if your intellect isn't so advanced that you thought you were getting the truth in the Hollywood production! Neglect to read this book at your peril. The author is non biased and simply presents the facts in an informative manner.

Ever wonder how a bankrupt country with 5000% inflation could build the world's premier military in 'secret' and then conquer half the globe? Ever wonder why the Roosevelt/Truman administrations built the Industry (illegally under Lend Lease) of history's most vicious despot calling him friend then SURPRISE he's NOW suddenly not our friend but still sit back let them have most of Central Europe? So this Police State can't build a car or telephone that works to save it's life but it paces Western military technological development for 50 years? It's almost as if a group of people promote conflicts in order to profit from the conflicts then use the same conflicts as an excuse to curtail the rights everyone worldwide in order to profit yet more.

The author like myself wanted to believe the government sponsored history but was always haunted by a voice in the back of his head saying, 'This doesn't add up ... this is too convenient'. Well be haunted no longer - lift your viel.

This is not a book that reads like a novel. By the author's clear warnings it is a collection of memoranda - a collection of study. It is heavily sourced - footnotes and quotes litter the pages. Most of the information is public but has just not been advertised and/or compared to other public pieces of information to form a coherent modus operandi. Conclusions are drawn by the author that are not supported by the evidence of a smoking gun. The subject is afterall a secretive network so there are no memos reading, "Dear American People: Joe, Bill and I are currently working together to defraud your treasury and enslave your children, sincerely yours Bob."

Yes, part of it is circumstantial evidence. But when the same group of people are linked to every suspicious event in world history since just before the US Civil War perhaps you should investigate them! After all aren't most criminal cases decided by circumstantial evidence? Jury's use their own common sense to connect the dots and come to a verdict.

Common sense!

America's Secret Establishment is worth reading. It reveals the true motives of policy makers in areas of economics, war, peace, and virtually every aspect of our lives. This book will provide the reader with a historical look at the institutions and persons responsible for major problems experienced today in America as well as other countries where their presence was identified. This book is not about a college fraternity, truthfully the fraternity is just one of many masks it wears.