Cracking the Da Vinci Code: The Unauthorized Guide to the Facts Behind Dan Brown's Bestselling Novel (Paperback)

~ Simon Cox (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The millions of readers who loved The Da Vinci Code have been looking for the truth behind the fiction: here it is.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown took America by storm when it was published in 2003, hitting number 1 on the New York Times bestseller list in its first week of sale. It has since been translated into more than 40 languages and 5.5 million copies are now in print. Columbia Pictures is bringing out the film of the book in 2005, and Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind) is directing, with Russell Crowe and Kate Beckinsale set to play the leads.

Yet despite the novel’s enormous success, till now fans have had to rely on the fierce debates raging on the Internet to discover the truth behind the fiction. Cracking the Da Vinci Code is the first book to cut through the confusion and disclose the real facts that underpin the plot.

With this A to Z guide at hand, readers can separate fact from fiction, examine fully annotated reproductions of the paintings featured in the novel, get background information on the key characters, and discover the amazing true story.

About the Author

Simon Cox is the editor-in-chief of Phenomena Magazine, a US-based newsstand magazine with a circulation of 60,000 copies bi-monthly. He also works as a researcher for some of the biggest names in the alternative-history field, including Robert Bauval and Graham Hancock. Simon is currently making a TV documentary based on The Da Vinci Code, set to be shown on cable networks in Spring 2004. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (May 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402718373
• ISBN-13: 978-1402718373
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #377,670 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Of the Code Crackers, June 26, 2004

By A Customer

After reading The Da Vinci Code I certainly had some questions. Brown makes a compelling argument, he sure doesn't describe the church that I went to Sunday School at. Can the things he incorporates into his story really be true? His 'facts' 'feel' correct to me. But before I went out spouting his facts as the 'gospel truth' I thought I should read some commentaries on Brown's book. There's a lot of them. The theme of The Da Vinci Code is so sensitive that readers come down hard on either side, love it..hate it, and that's the way most of the commentaries are. I found several that were written by theologians clearly writing to protect their turf. The same with the alternative history writers. Both were so deeply into their beliefs, they couldn't tell you background facts with out soaking them in politics. But dear sensitive reader...look no further! Simon Cox is your Joe Friday("Just the facts,mamam").Cox's book is composed of short essays of the obscure names, places, things that a regular reader might be unfimilar with. So if you want to know if there really is disembodied hand holding a knife in 'The last Supper' or if Opus Dei is a real thing you can read a page or two about it,have your curiousity slackened and not have to wade thru religio/politicio b.s. And the price is right!

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Facts And Fiction Behind The Da Vinci Code, July 25, 2004

By	Donald J Wydeven (Menasha, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an excellent book detailing the background to the details and information utilized in The Da Vinci Code (unlike the pathetic attacks on Dan Brown by the author of Breaking The Da Vinci Code and similar books). Cox does a good job researching the historical context of Dan Brown's book. He brings out interesting information concerning the names, places and things utilized by Dan Brown in his provocative novel. For those interested in delving further into this information, Cox lists recommended readings in the bibliography. This book is a must for anyone wondering about the mix of facts and fiction in The Da Vinci Code.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Dictionary of The Da Vinci Code, August 20, 2005

By	William Bramley "Author of Jesus Goes to Holl... - See all my reviews

This is a good little reference work for people who have been exposed for the first time to the Bloodline/Grail theories found in The Da Vinci Code. Cox gives each item its own dictionary-style entry with a factual description that is anywhere from a half page in length to three pages. As Cox writes, "This book is designed in such a way as to give the reader of The Da Vinci Code a primer on many of the factual elements in the book." I found the color photos especially helpful so that I could see for myself what is being talked about. This book has been faulted for Cox's unabashed support of The Da Vinci Code, but clearly that is what inspired him to put this volume together.