Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Teaser Tuesdays...To spark your bookish interest!- 2016.4

Holy Blood, Holy Grail- by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, Henry Lincoln (History) "Shocking international bestseller!" 



"In 1653 an important Merovingian tomb was found in the Ardennes- the tomb of King Childeric I.
The tomb contained arms, treasure, and regalia such as one would expect to find in a royal tomb. It also contained items less characteristic of kingship than of magic, sorcery, and divination- a severed horse's head, for instance, a bull's head made of gold, and a crystal ball (pg 237)."

Merovingian- a dynasty that ruled ancient Gaul (France) in the 5th Century
Ardennes- a hilly region containing dense forests that extends to Germany but is mainly in France, Belgium and Luxembourg.



This book received a lot of negative attention when it first came out in 1982. It put forth the theory (that some perceived as blasphemous) that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and they had children whose descendants eventually became the Merovingian rulers of France. It talks about secret societies, Knights Templar, and the Holy Grail. The subject was dramatized in two later novels (The Woman with the Alabaster Jar by Margaret Starbird, 1993, and The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown, 2003.) This theme has been investigated on the BBC, The Discovery Channel, 60 Minutes, etc. Some say it is only pseudo-history but it makes for interesting reading. History buffs, open minded persons interested in religious themes, lovers of conspiracy theories, and those with a fondness for mystery should enjoy it.

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