2005

DA VINCI CODE CONTINUED
Well, yesterday I finished "The Da Vinci" code. Since no one else seems interested in making comments I guess that I will share some of my thoughts (without any spoilers, of course, for those of you who may not have read the book!). First of all, I am proud to say that I figured out the code for the inner cryptex a full 5 pages before Robert Langdon revealed it. Maybe I am in the wrong profession!I think that people have to keep in mind that this book is FICTION and as such there are many discrepancies that make no difference to someone who is reading for enjoyment, but that have raised many questions among others. I read an interesting pamphlet published by Our Sunday Visitor (http://www.osv.com) that states that, in contrast to the "facts" in this book, the Priory of Sion has been proven to be a fraud, that the Dead Sea Scrolls do not mention Jesus, and that St. Mary Magdalene has, as Catholics know, been honored, not demonized, for her role in Jesus' life and death. It is tempting sometimes to take fiction beyond its intended scope (LaHaye and Jenkins' Left Behind series is another example of this), but in the case of "The Da Vinci Code" I think that the emphasis should be on the fascinating combination of century-spanning intrigue, the fictional machinations of Opus Dei, cryptography, the art and artists represented in the Louvre, and the fact that this is a darn good thriller (with a hint of romance in the offing as well!).I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an intellectual, fast-paced thriller (the whole book takes place over an amazingly short time span, especially given the amount of detail that Brown includes). You need to keep an open mind while reading, though. I found myself questioning a lot of things as a result of the ideas presented in the book and I found it very helpful to look at other resources and to keep in mind that this IS a thriller, not a religious text!6:25 PM, November 25, 2005


DA VINCI CODE
I just started reading the book (after 2 years of never having a chance of checking it out because of all the holds!) and I am finding Dan Brown's writing very enjoyable. The amount of research that went into this book is evident, even in the first 40 pages. As a Catholic I am very interested to read more about Brown's portrayal of Opus Dei and the heirarchy of the Church (I guess we don't need to get into a discussion about THAT!). Right now I am at work, but I feel like a part of me is in the Louvre after hours. I can't wait to get back to the book at lunch time! 11:33 AM, November 15, 2005
Posted by eileenp Tuesday, November 08, 2005


Windsor Locks Library Online Book Club
Welcome to the Windsor Locks Library's Online Book Club! We currently host 3 evening book clubs and one daytime discussion group for adults at the library (visit our Book Clubs page at http://www.windsorlockslibrary.org/bookclubs.html for more information on these!), but we realize that it is not always convenient for our readers to attend. Hence, we have decided that an online book might be just the thing!We welcome postings on ANY book that you feel might be of interest to other library users. Our motto is "So many books...So little time!", so every comment that might lead one of our users to another great book is valuable!The ground rules for postings are simple: mutual respect, clean language, and a love of reading. Please post a comment and join our discussion!Eileen 10/16/2006
Posted by eileenp