The Oklahoman kindly reviews a recent Ignatius Press title, The Templars: Knights of Christ (2009), by Régine Pernoud:
This is the English translation of French historian Pernoud’s book "Les Templiers,” published in Paris on the Templars. It was written to debunk the various fictional and unhistorical books and movies about the Templars. These include Walter Scott’s "Ivanhoe” and Dan Brown’s "The Da Vinci Code.”Pernoud died in 1998 (b. 1909), and the original French edition, Les Templiers, was published in 1995, pre-dating The Da Vinci Code by about eight years. As far as I know, the only Ignatius Press book written specifically to address Dan Brown's, uh, fiction is The Da Vinci Hoax (now only $3.95!). To be fair to the reviewer, Piers Paul Read's foreword to the Ignatius Press edition does state, "From Walter Scott's Ivanhoe to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, the portrayal of the Templars is as false as it is absurd." Read the entire foreword:
Pernoud gives a short history of the Templars and how, later, King Philip the Fair of France and others of temporal and spiritual realms wanted the Templars’ wealth and property. They concocted lies to gain this. King Philip and others died within a year after the Templars were suppressed and some executed. The Templars were founded to do good. Over time, they became rich from gifts given to them for their good deeds, and others envied their wealth. This book is recommended to those interested in the truth about the Templars.
Comments