• Secret Societies

  • Inside the Freemasons, the Yakuza, Skull and Bones, and the World's Most Notorious Secret Organizations
  • By: John Lawrence Reynolds
  • Narrated by: Fred Sanders
  • Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (583 ratings)

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Secret Societies

By: John Lawrence Reynolds
Narrated by: Fred Sanders
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Editorial reviews

Narrator Fred Sanders takes listeners on a tour of such infamous historical groups as Yakuza, the Priory of Sion, and the Freemasons in a voice that is sober, clear, and measured. Appropriate, since Secret Societies, by Canadian author John Lawrence Reynolds, is hardly the stuff of tinfoil hat-wearing conspiracy theorists. Reynolds takes a researched-based approach to these sensational shadow groups, debunking his share of conspiracy theories along the way. And yet, chapters on The Assassins, the 11th-century Iranian spiritual cousin to al-Qaeda, and Skull and Bones, the Yale-based group that boasts such members as George W. Bush and John Kerry, demonstrate that the histories of even historical groups can be frighteningly relevant. A fascinating trip through time, Secret Societies, is catnip for history buffs.

Publisher's summary

Does a sinister cabal actually control international affairs? Were William Shakespeare and Abraham Lincoln secretly involved with a group founded to discover and preserve the principles of alchemy? Has an ancient mystical religion really been reduced to a length of red string that sells for a dollar an inch? Secret societies surround us, yet they often remain a mystery. Their secrecy suggests sacrilege and crime, and their loyalties stand accused of undermining the world's governments. They generate fear, suspicion, and - above all - fascination.

From the parched wadis of the Middle East to the crowded boutiques of Beverly Hills, award-winning author John Lawrence Reynolds peels away centuries of speculation and paranoia and shines a brilliant light on organizations that have been shrouded in secrecy for ages, from the Templars and the Mafia to the Priory of Sion and Skull & Bones. He offers a smart and surprising behind-the-scenes exploration of the tales - confirmed and fabricated - that surround the best-known and often least-understood secret societies.

©2011 John Lawrence Reynolds (P)2012 Audible, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Left wing bias

This book can be summed up by saying, Christians are bad. Christians are evil. They are problems behind all the worlds problems. And the Bushes are evil. The Skull and Cross Bones section is idiotic at best. Every thing he dismissing through the whole book. He backs up his nonsense against the Bushes. I swear as I was listening I was thought he is going to blame the Nazis on the Bush family and I swear to the God the author of this book hates, HE BLAMED THE FORMATION OF THE NAZIS ON PRESTON BUSH.

But just because I dont like the material doesnt mean this is a well written book because it is.

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19 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars

Horrible. this has little to do with conspiracy.

this book has more to do with leftist insults against christianity than it really does to explain anything about conspiracy theory. it was pretty boring too.

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16 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars

Some Chapters were well constructed and informative. Some chapters were more fluff than enlightening.

As a 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason, I can suggest the chapter on Masons was well done. We are not a secret society but rather a society with secrets. No one can doubt that many Masons had a significant impact on history. I doubt that any of the “Founding Fathers” were 33rd Degree but rather were 3rd Degree Master Masons, the highest rank in Masonry. (33rd Degrees are conferred only in the Scottish Rite.). Please do not forget the “Shriners” whose hospitals help millions of children at no cost. One must be a Mason to be a Shriner.

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12 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great book

Great touch on the different secret societies. Loved learning little tidbits that relate to our holidays or everyday lives and rituals.

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8 people found this helpful

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I am a Free Mason

Masonry is not secret society. Rather there are a few things we choose to keep secret. The author's knowledge of Masonry is about enough to fit in a thimble... and leave a lot of room. There are ONLY 3 degrees in Masonry. The Scottish Rite (Shriner's) and the Your Rite (the Knights Templar) are appendant bodies that wanted men of good standing as members, hence they required a candidate for their order to be a Mason in good standing first. In the Scottish Rite 33rd degree rarely given out.
Masons are not so concerned about keeping all of our rituals secret, heck!! they are all over the internet. But if you are going to write about us PLEASE HAVE THE DECIENCY TO HAVE YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT AND TELL IT RIGHT!
How do I know these things? I am a Mason, a York Rite Knight Templar and a Shriner.

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7 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars

Save Your Money; This Audiobook is a Waste.

I really wanted this book to be good but is more fantasy and sensationalism than anything resembling factual. The author did a poor job of researching or fact checking; I doubt he made any effort at all. It seems like a series of fictional accounts with a few less important facts thrown in to try to add credibility.
This book lacks substance, truth or correct information.
Save your money; I wish I had.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting

Entertaining and informative. Good purchase. This book gives an insite into all the stories we all thought we knew.

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    3 out of 5 stars

Excellent historically, until modern times

Reynolds does an excellent job of logically uncovering the ancient historical cults and secret societies along with the historical records and facts of the time.

However, when moving on to modern-day events, he takes the apathetic route, in unconvincingly trying to argue how his past logic of ancient events somehow explains how anyone questioning modern-day crises is somehow misguided and delusional. He even covers how brainwashing works, yet doesn't apply that to today's media's use of it!

Well, Mr. Reynolds, if you ever read this, as a disabled Navy veteran and 20 RN, I have been privy to clearly observe at least 3 false-flag atrocities against us "common people." It doesn't matter what they are, as you, and the majority public are brainwashed, and beyond acceptance of those awful truths. Another large percentage do, indeed as you say, have far-fetched beliefs ; visiting aliens, flat earth, no moon landing, etc.

What's left is a few, like myself, that know and accept the awful truth. We are repeatedly manipulated by those in power. Period. Sometimes, horrifically. Mayne most simply don't care, because they have a house, a job, a family, and everything in their life is just fine. Until these events affect them...

The final 3 chapters illustrate clearly, to me, while you may have a firm grasp, and very informative views on past ancient, historical events, people with your modern views are the reason those in positions of wealth, power, and control are able to continue carrying out their sordid agendas to continue holding on to thier positions.

It's not "secret societies" that carry out today's worst atrocities against us. It is simply the wealthy; consisting of the global elite: BigOil, BigPharma, BigAgro, BigRetail, Wall Street, royal families, dictators etc.

These corporate and government entities use their wealth and power to control world events. They initiate conflicts, strife, wars,media manipulation, and false-flag events for a simple goal: holding on to their wealth, power, and control.

I feel this book is excellent for most chapters. Right up to the Kennedy assassination. From there, The chapters are just an apathetic "everything is fine" political rant.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Political information junky

Sick sick people of our leaders. Knowing is a little frightening. But having my head in the sand is worse. This is worth listening too

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars

reads like an interesting collegiate schoolbook

He should have titled it: Debunking the major secret societies. it sure seems as though the author is the most learned secret society researcher of all time with all of the detailed information of secret processes within non-existant elite groups that he shares. I gave it four stars because it was riveting and was finished too soon. if you have heard of these "secret societies" but never tried to increase your knowledge of them, this book could serve as a reference guide. I do not possess the true knowledge of these groups so i cannot speak as to the validity of the information in the book but it sure SEEMED accurate. It was so thorough and presented definitively that even if i possessed the truth i might have been convinced otherwise.

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