"What do Skull and Bones, the Kennedys, and UFOs all have in common? They’re all shrouded in mystery and conspiracies
Entering the world of conspiracy theories and secret societies is like stepping into a distant, parallel universe where the laws of physics don't apply and everything you know is wrong: black is white, up is down. If you want to understand what's really going on — from fluoridated water and chemtrails to alien autopsies, free electricity, and more — you need a good reference book, and 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, the assassination of JFK, and reptilian humanoids — and introduces you to such mysterious organizations as the Freemasons, the Ninjas, the Illuminati, the Mafia, and Rosicrucians. This behind-the-curtain guide helps you separate fact from fiction and provides insight into the global impact these mysterious events and groups have had 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 one assassination brotherhood from another Understand why there’s no such thing as a ""lone assassin""
Additionally, you can read about some conspiracy theories that turned out to be true (like the CIA's LSD experiments), theories that seem beyond the pale (such as the deliberate destruction of the space shuttle Columbia), and truly weird secret societies (Worshippers of the Onion and nine more). Grab your own copy of Conspiracy Theories & Secret Societies For Dummies and decide for yourself what is fact and what is a conspiracy."
By:
Christopher Hodapp,
Alice Von Kannon
Imprint: Wiley
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 231mm,
Width: 185mm,
Spine: 20mm
Weight: 499g
ISBN: 9780470184080
ISBN 10: 0470184086
Pages: 362
Publication Date: 14 March 2008
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction 1 Part I: Conspiracy Theories and Secret Societies: The Improbable Wedded to the Inscrutable 7 Chapter 1: Everything You Know Is Wrong 9 Chapter 2: Conspiracism and the Origin of Modern Conspiracy Theories 19 Chapter 3: Building the Perfect Beast: Secret Societies through the Ages 33 Part II: A Colossal Compilation of Conspiracy Theories 45 Chapter 4: Everybody Knows About It: The World’s Most Common Conspiracy Theories 47 Chapter 5: JFK and Other Presidents: The Conspiracies Behind the Guns 67 Chapter 6: The World Ends Monday — Racial, Religious, and Apocalyptic Conspiracies 95 Chapter 7: Not of This Earth: Innocent Pawns in an Intergalactic Imbroglio 117 Chapter 8: Tracking the Evolution of the 9/11 Conspiracy Theories 137 Part III: Secret Societies and Societies with Secrets 157 Chapter 9: The Freemasons: The World’s Longest-Running Secret Society 159 Chapter 10: Rosicrucians and the Evolution of Occult Secret Societies 183 Chapter 11: The Illuminati: The Bavarian Boogeymen 207 Chapter 12: Secret Societies of Terror and Death 219 Chapter 13: Frolicsome Fraternalism and Nefarious Foes of Freedom 249 Chapter 14: Thugs, Mugs, and Lugs: The Mafia and Other Underworld Societies 267 Chapter 15: Banks and Super Committees: Knowing All, Owning All, Controlling All 297 Part IV: The Part of Tens 315 Chapter 16: Ten Conspiracy Theories That Skirt the Edge of Madness 317 Chapter 17: Ten Conspiracies That Were Absolutely True 329 Chapter 18: Ten Weirdest Secret Societies of All Time 343 Index 351
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.
