Conspiracy Theories and Secret Societies For Dummies

by Hodapp, Christopher; Von Kannon, Alice

• ISBN13: 9780470184080
• ISBN10: 0470184086
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-03-31
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Entering the world of conspiracy theories and secret societies is like stepping into a distant, parallel universe where the laws of physics have completely changed: black means white, up is down, and if you want to understand what's really going on, you need a good reference book. That's where Conspiracy Theories & Secret Societies For Dummies comes in.Whether you're a skeptic or a true believer, this fascinating guide, packed with the latest information, walks you through some of the most infamous conspiracy theories such as Area 51 and the assassination of JFK and introduces you to such mysterious organizations as the Freemasons, the Ninjas, the Mafia, and Rosicrucians. This behind-the-curtain guide helps you separate fact from fiction and helps you the global impact of these mysterious events and groups on our modern world. Discover how to: Test a conspiracy theory Spot a sinister secret society Assess the Internet's role in fueling conspiracy theories Explore world domination schemes Evaluate 9/11 conspiracy theories Figure out who "they" are Grasp the model on which conspiracy theories are built Figure out whether what "everybody knows" is true Distinguish on assassination brotherhood from another Understand why there's no such thing as a "lone assassin"Why do hot dogs come in packages of ten, while buns come in eight-packs? Everybody knows its a conspiracy, right? Find out in Conspiracy Theories & Secret Societies For Dummies.

Author Biography

Christopher Hodapp is a 32° Freemason and a member of the Masonic order of the Knights Templar. His first book, Freemasons For Dummies, has quickly become the most popular modern guide to the ancient and accepted fraternity of Freemasonry. He’s also the author of Solomon’s Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C., and co-author of The Templar Code For Dummies. He attended Indiana University, the University of Southern California, Los Angeles Valley Community College, and California State University Northridge. In 2006, Chris received the Duane E. Anderson Excellence in Masonic Education Award from the Grand Lodge of Minnesota. He has written for Templar History Magazine, Masonic Magazine, The Scottish Rite Journal, The Indiana Freemason, and Indianapolis Monthly, and he’s a monthly columnist for Living Naturally First magazine. Chris has also spent more than 20 years as a commercial filmmaker.

Alice Von Kannon has been an advertising executive, a teacher, a writer, and even a greedy and villainous landlord. A history junkie beyond the help of an intervention since the age of 14, her studies of Near Eastern religious cults and sects led to her first book, The Templar Code For Dummies, co-written with Chris Hodapp. She’s studied film production at Los Angeles Valley Community College and history at California State University Northridge, and she’s worked for many years in advertising as a writer and broadcast producer. Alice has traveled widely in Europe and the Middle East and written on the subject of the Barbary Wars and the birth of the U.S. Navy. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and the Order of the Grail, the fraternal body of the International College of Esoteric Studies.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Conspiracy Theories and Secret Societies: The Improbable Wedded to the Inscrutable

Everything You Know Is Wrong

Conspiracism and the Origin of Modern Conspiracy Theories

Building the Perfect Beast: Secret Societies through the Ages

A Colossal Compilation of Conspiracy Theories

Everybody Knows About It: The World's Most Common Conspiracy Theories

JFK and Other Presidents: The Conspiracies Behind the Guns

The World Ends Monday - Racial, Religious, and Apocalyptic Conspiracies

Not of This Earth: Innocent Pawns in an Intergalactic Imbroglio

Tracking the Evolution of the 9/11 Conspiracy Theories

Secret Societies and Societies with Secrets

The Freemasons: The World's Longest-Running Secret Society

Rosicrucians and the Evolution of Occult Secret Societies

The Illuminati: The Bavarian Boogeymen

Secret Societies of Terror and Death

Frolicsome Fraternalism and Nefarious Foes of Freedom

Thugs, Mugs, and Lugs: The Mafia and Other Underworld Societies

Banks and Super Committees: Knowing All, Owning All, Controlling All

The Part of Tens

Ten Conspiracy Theories That Skirt the Edge of Madness

Ten Conspiracies That Were Absolutely True

Ten Weirdest Secret Societies of All Time

Index

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