Secrets of Angels & Demons: The Unauthorized Guide To The Bestselling Novel (Hardcover)

~ Dan Burstein (Editor), Arne de Keijzer (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Set against the backdrop of beautiful Baroque Rome, Secrets of Angels & Demons takes you inside the Vatican to see how the process of conclave and papal selection really works – and who may be elected the next time white smoke is seen at the Vatican.

Readers will explore the world of Bernini, master artist of the Baroque era, and the secret meanings behind his symbolism…What really happened in the trial of Galileo…The impact of the Illuminati, the Freemasons, and other secret societies on European and American history…The real state if the art antimatter technology…The centuries-old debate between science and religion.

Building on the model they created for Secrets of the Code: The Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries Behind The Da Vinci Code, editors Dan Burstein and Arne de Keijzer now take readers on an extended tour of the thought-provoking ideas infusing Dab Brown’s thriller, Angels and Demons.

Millions of readers want to separate fact from fiction in these books. The "Secrets" series teases apart the real and the imagined within the historical labyrinth of conspiracies, cover-ups, messages encoded in famous artworks, secrets societies, and mystical knowledge.

Secrets of Angels & Demons: The Unauthorized Guide to the Bestselling Novel is must reading for anyone fascinated with Dan Brown’s historical mysteries—Angels Demons and The Da Vinci Code.

Here are world-class historians, theologians, philosophers, scientists, art historians, technologists, symbologists, occultists, linguists, and writers and thinkers of all types discussing and debating the issues triggered by Dan Brown’s murder mystery. Burstein and de Keijzer have drawn together this authoritative group of experts to penetrate and explore Angels & Demons, and to begin an exciting, engaging conversation for and with the millions who have read this book.

From the Publisher

From the team that brought you the New York Times bestselling SECRETS OF THE CODE: The Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries Behind The Da Vinci Code, comes the first literary companion to Dan Brown’s bestselling novel, Angels & Demons.   SECRETS OF ANGELS & DEMONS provides the curious reader with concise, authoritative explorations of the major themes that help propel the plot of Angels & Demons. Featuring extracts, interviews, and specially commissioned commentary by world-renowned scholars, SECRETS OF ANGELS & DEMONS presents a wealth of information on the vast range of subjects covered in the novel.   Taking the same comprehensive, detailed approach as SECRETS OF THE CODE, SECRETS OF ANGELS & DEMONS delves into and deconstructs the provocative issues raised in the novel – the existence and scope of the Illuminati and their relationship to other ‘Secret Societies’ (the Priory of Sion, the Freemasons, Opus Dei, etc.), the ongoing debate between Science and Religion, the history and practices of the Vatican, pagan symbolism and its place within the Church.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: CDS Books (December 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593151403
• ISBN-13: 978-1593151409
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #621,262 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unlocking the Secrets, January 21, 2005

By	Brian Weiss (Pasadena, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The "secret" of bestselling author Dan Brown's books is his unmarked transitions from fact to fiction, a slight-of-word move that makes for a good read but often leaves you asking "Is that true?" Unless you know a LOT more about religion, ritual, symbolism, and other arcane areas than I do, this companion volume is essential. At the very least, it will keep you from losing a dinner party bet over what was and wasn't true in "Angels & Demons."

"Secrets of Angels & Demons" redraws the missing line between fact and fiction through essays by many experts on the themes, events, controversies, rituals and symbols that are major plot points in "Angels & Demons." The author/editors of "Secrets" managed to find not just experts, but experts who could communicate well to the rest of us--well enough that their essays draw you in and make you want to know more. You leave each essay knowing what was true, what was made up, and what is simply as-yet unknown or in dispute.

As with any collection of materials by many authors, the materials vary in depth, style, and readability, but the range is from good to great. In many ways, this book is as good or better a read than "Angels & Demons", to which it is an essential companion.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Needs better proofreading, February 11, 2005

By	Jloos "JL" (VA) - See all my reviews

The book's style is clear so you do not have to be a Scholar of history (which I am not) to understand the material presented. I believe that most readers will enjoy the opportunity to learn more about topics covered in the novel. However, it is disturbing that only sixteen pages into the book there are two obvious mistakes that leave one questioning the accuracy of the book and facts discussed. They have the conclave system beginning dated to July 7, 1724 then state that the first conclave election occurred in 1276. They state that the first Pope to use two names (Albino Luciani) did so in 1978 by selecting John Paul, but then say there is a John Paul XXII several pages later. These most likely are typos but still troubling all the same considering the book's genre (i.e. it is not a romance novel). I don't know if any of the book's twelve editors assisted with proofreading but the next printed edition needs a tighter review of the text.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good background for Angels & Demons, September 18, 2005

By	Adi Adler (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The success of Dan Brown's books isn't all based on his talent for writing - a lot of it has to do with his claim that the "facts" (historical, artistic, scientific, etc.) are actual facts.

This book tests the various "facts" Dan Brown has written in Angels & Demons - in all relevant fields (Art, science, theology, etc), by inteviewing different experts in various aspects of these fields.

While this isn't as fulfilling or as thorough as doing the research yourself - it does give nice background for people who don't have the time, inclenation, or resources to do the research themslves in very "down to earth" language.