Yeoman's in the Fork Blog

               My first exposure to Dan Brown was shortly after the release of The Da Vinci Code.  I was in my favorite local bookshop when I was suddenly stopped by an old friend and fellow Mason. He suggested with great enthusiasm that I read this book and that it was “right up my alley.”  He knew that I loved to read speculative history and alternative theory type of books and that I had a love for the mysterious aspect of humanity.  I blindly took his advise and purchased the book immediately. I did not even look at the inside flaps and read those ever important blurbs that tell you why you should buy a book and why it is so incredible.  But as I have always believed and have had reinforced through experience all my adult life, word of mouth is the best advertisement.  And so it was on this day as well. 

               I devoured the book within a few days or a week, I don’t remember…..I loved it and just knew that this book was one of those special works of fiction that would “make it big.”  I didn’t feel that way because the writing was great or that Dan Brown was an extraordinary story teller.  Not to take away from Dan Brown, he is certainly talented and is one of the better fictional writers around right now, but that isn’t what attracted me to this novel.  Instead, it was the content, the subject matter and that a writer actually had the conviction and the courage to write such a book.  To question the most powerful organization in known human history is pretty incredible and to do it as clever as Brown did it, I thought was pretty damn cool.  After reading the book, I picked up Angels & Demons and even read Brown’s lesser known novels that weren’t a part of the Langdon series.  I must confess that I am a big fan and I am about to read his new novel, The Lost Symbol.  I pre-ordered it, but haven’t gotten it yet.  Something seems wrong about that. 

               I need to back up and reveal how I had a secret insight into the content of Brown’s long awaited novel.  Back in 2003 when the book was released Brown went on the usual book signing tour and Nashville was the last stop.  Mike and I were ready.  We knew the book would be a hit, based upon my gut instinct after reading it and the fact that it was climbing up the charts of course.  We purchased every first edition we could find and when Mr. Brown arrived in Nashville on his final stop before going into hiding to write his new novel (which took nearly 6 years!), we were ready with about 50 books for him to sign.  Right before his talk at the signing he walked right up to us and we began to chat.  He agreed to sign every book we had, so we waited last in line and he was very gracious and kind.  He mentioned that his new book was going to be about, in his words, “the oldest organization in history.”  He was speaking, of course, about the Freemasons.  This perked my interest as I have been a Freemason since 1999.  I briefly spoke with him about this, but of course, he wasn’t revealing his plot to two country boys from Nashville!  So, now 6 years later I am ready to begin reading a book that I have been waiting to read since meeting Mr. Brown that day.  I hope it doesn’t disappoint!

Categoried under:  Modern Literature