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The Anglican Church in Tasmania Search |
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a healthy church...transformingLIFE |
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Book review
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Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code is still top of the best-seller list and is possibly an ideal book to take on a long plane journey; there's usually at least one person reading it on any flight. Racy, fast-moving and tantalising, if somewhat cavalier in its presentation of 'facts', it's a good read despite being in sore need of some major structural editing. (Well, in this reader's opinion, anyway.) There's been a lot of reviews of The Da Vinci Code, so you won't read another one here. What you will read is a review of an excellent book directed at those wanting to know the historical facts behind Dan Brown's novel. MeticulousSharan Newman is a medieval historian and writer who sets out to untangle facts from fiction. Her fact-filled book arose out of several months of constant queries from people who were asking her to separate the legends from the facts in the book. When asked about it, she now simply hands over this book! She writes objectively and made a point of visiting all the places mentioned in The Da Vinci Code, in France and England. Her research is, as one would expect from a professional historian, meticulous, and is accompanied by footnotes and black and white photographs. She says her book is meant as a companion to The Da Vinci Code and for ease of reference has therefore arranged subjects and places in alphabetical order from Apocrypha through Mary Magdalene, to Temple Church London and Christopher Wren; the reader can dip into the book at will. At the end of each chapter there is also a list of books for further reading. OpportunitiesWhile many Christians have scorned Dan Brown's book, I can't help but agree with Jill Meier's comment in the January online edition of Christianity Today, that the 'widespread popularity of a book like this brings the validity of our faith to the forefront of the public's minds. As we engage in conversations about the history of our faith, we've opportunities to insert truth.' Read Sharan Newman's book and make the most of an opportunity to engage with our culture and talk about our faith. The success of books such as The Da Vinci Code indicates a spiritual hunger in our culture - to understand our own place in history and just who we are. |
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