Books on the Holy Grail
The following are books dealing with the Holy Grail, the Artyhurian Legends and their role in the Rennes-le-Chateau mystery.
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The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail
Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, Henry Lincoln
This is the best known book in English on the Rennes-le-Chateau mystery and the Prory of Sion (qv). IIt immediately became a best seller when it was published in the 1970s and literally put Rennes-le-Château on the map (on tourist maps it enjoys a prominence usually reseved for world heritage sites like Carcassonne). It has also spawned a whole industry in writing books expounding increasingly bizarre and improbable theories (see below).
The book is cleverly written. You will find the first few chapters contain fairly reliable history, but the hypothesis developed does not withstand any real degree of scrutiny.
If you plan on reading any books about the Rennes-le-Château mystery, you should read this one first, as all others, including The Da Vinci Code, are derivatives.
Rat Scabies and the Holy Grail
Christopher Dawes
First a word of explanation: The name Rat Scabies belongs to someone who was an important figure in the Punk Rock world of the 1970's, alongside Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten. Aficionados of Punk will recognise him as the drummer from The Damned.
Rat is now really an ordinary sort of chap, except that he is something of an expert on the Rennes-le-Château mystery. This book gradually unfolds all the important strands of the story as the author joins Rat in his researches.
Despite the title, this is probably the most sane, informed and objective book on the subject that you are likely to find.
The Templars and the Grail
Karen Ralls
Despite its title, this book offers something for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the medieval Templars and prefers it to be supported by solid sources. Balanced, interesting and fun to read.
The author takes care to distinguish the facts from the many theories and speculations. She presents a range of information for us to make our own judgments. This is one of the best history books on the Knights Templar. It is also balanced with solid academic sources, yet still succeeds in being readable. Part One deals with academic sources and Part Two with popular sources, myths, and legends.
Material covered includes: the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the trial of the Templars, Templar naval warfare (and the origins of the Jolly Roger) Templar international banking, the Rosslyn Chapel, the Black Madonna, alchemy, the Holy Grail, the Ark of the Covenant, The Da Vinci Code, and even the Green Man.
Easy to read, and reprinted six times in its first year. Footnotes are solid and well researched. Good photos too. Similarly bibliography and appendices. Well worth reading.
Karen Ralls is a noted academic medieval historian.
The Quest for the Ark of the Covenant
Author: Stuart Munro-Hay;
The Templars and the Ark of the Covenant
Graham Phillips
Searching For The Ark Of The Covenant
Randall Price
Ark of the Covenant
Jonathan Gray
Lost Secrets of the Sacred Ark
Laurence Gardner.
Amazon Recommended Books on the legend of the Holy Grail
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