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'In his brilliant new work, The Magdalene Legacy, Laurence Gardner expands on the Jesus and Mary Magdalene bloodline conspiracy that he covered in his first book, Bloodline of the Holy Grail. He pieces together the picture that Mary Magdalene was far from the so-called "whore" that Roman Church dogma declared her to be, but a priestess of high status and lineage and also the wife of Jesus.' -- Nexus.
Product Description
From the bestselling author of Bloodline of the Holy Grail comes an explosive historical detective story. Essential reading for all fans of Dan Brown's novels, Gardner presents secret archives on the true identity of Mary Magdalene, the hidden lineage of Jesus and Mary, and the 2,000-year-old conspiracy that forms the basis of Christianity itself. Laurence Gardner's impeccable research takes us on an exciting detective trail to piece together the true, controversial significance of the Magdalene. / Mary Magdalene is described in the New Testament as Jesus' close companion and a woman that he loved. And yet, the Church teaches that she was a prostitute who, at some stage, became repentant. Why the discrepancy between scripture and dogma? / Why does Mary appeal so romantically to artists, who have painted her throughout the centuries as something much more significant than the Church traditionally portrays? / What is the secret of Mary Magdalene and how much do we really know about her relationship with Jesus? Were they married? Did they have children, and if so, who makes up the messianic lineage? The book includes exclusive insights into: -- the Da Vinci connection: The real meaning behind Leonardo da Vinci's paintings and why the Renaissance Church censored portrayals of the Magdalene - the sacred marriage of Jesus and Mary - the truth about the enigmatic Templar society called The Priory of Sion and the underground stream that protected the sacred heritage of the messianic descendants - the truth behind the Knights Templar -- who they were and what their role was - the hidden gospel of the Magdalene, excluded from the New Testament canon - Mary Magdalene -- goddess or prostitute? Her life and exile in France - the forbidden tomb: the secret resting place of Mary Magdalene.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a very good book and should be read by all those researching this topic. It explores the person of Mary Magdalene and presents how frequently she is referred to in gospel texts and non-canonical gospels as well as accepted gospels.
Gardener explores the way her position was undermined and throws fascinating light upon the relationship between Mother Mary and Joseph and also Jesus and Mary Magdalene. I felt i had read the same material before though, and checking the references i saw much of this is to be found in Barabara Thiering's 'Jesus the Man'.
Many of Gardener's explanations lead to conclusions that make far more sense than if the text is taken literally. What i especially enjoyed was his analysis of the 'turning water in to wine' at the wedding in Canan and also the raising of Lazarus. Again, both these have been examined before by Thiering.
What Gardener brings expertise in is his analysis of the art world and also his examination of the lineage of Mary.
There were two main things that detracted from the text for me:
1. Reliance on Da Vinci Code reference
The book is full of references to the Da Vinci Code. I realise that this book is aimed at those who have just read the novel, but this was done overly so to a point where it feels a cheap marketing gimmick. The design of the cover is all part of this. Constant references are made to the Da Vinci Code and its undermined several times. The Da Vinci Code never claims to be 100% factually accurate - its a fictional story.
2. Jesus in India Appendix
Why Gardener included this appendix is very puzzling. He spends 3 pages detailing his view on the 'Jesus in India' theory but makes many factual errors and demonstrates no serious consideration of this theory when writing the body of his text. It seems totally out of place.
Either examine the Jesus in India theory or do not mention it at all.
Its for these two reasons i haven’t give the book a 5. Its a worthy read and has plenty of information for further research. Recommended.
75 of 91 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is in part a critical response to the issues and misconceptions raised by Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code' and comes at a time when its subject matter is bemusingly familiar to the public. It is likely that with the current plethora of books and TV documentaries available on the subject; this particular tome might not attract anything like the attention that its fictional counterpart did. More is the pity, as few books on this legendary subject have been so comprehensively researched and so clearly written. Gardner writes with authority and lucidity that other researchers in this field lack. Unlike the writing trio of 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail' and 'Messianic Legacy'; he does not bewilder the reader by wandering off on embarrassingly fruitless tangents; nor does he digress into personal romanticisations of his subject as does the author in 'The woman with the alabaster jar'.
Gardner investigates the Magdalene of history and lore as well as her subsequent legacy in European history and art with both scholarly precision (without reading like a dusty academic) and insightful, thought-provoking commentary. If you are looking for a book on Mary Magdalene and the Grail; then this should be the one you choose.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was intrigued by this book, and read the first part with great interest but gradually I became suspicious of some of the claims made. On close inspection of a gigantic bibliography I realised that a lot of this author's research is based on secondary research and much questionable information. Also, where one would like to look at the origins of some of his statements there were no references. For an historian to get simple schoolchild facts incorrect makes the book totally unbelievable...Edward I, he claims, expelled the jews in 1209...Edward wasn't even born in 1209! Merrie England, according to the Oxford dictionary of Etymology, has nothing whatsoever to do with Mary England. If I had produced this work for my history degree my tutor would have drummed me out of my class.
It makes me angry that a subject The Magdalene Legacy: The Jesus and Mary Bloodline Conspiracy - Revelations Beyond "The Da Vinci Code"sensitive to many people can be so degraded by guesswork and poor factual research. I am glad to note that this book is not classified as History.
It makes me angry that a subject The Magdalene Legacy: The Jesus and Mary Bloodline Conspiracy - Revelations Beyond "The Da Vinci Code"sensitive to many people can be so degraded by guesswork and poor factual research. I am glad to note that this book is not classified as History.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
POOR Mary Magdalene, Poor Mary (Mother-In Law and Poor Joseph Father...
You just have to read this book to the very end. Once the details have seeped in; the reader will either be outraged by the way the Church have dealt with All the characters or... Read more
Published on 28 Oct 2009 by Suzanne L. Reuben
A Gnostic viewpoint
I feel that the reviewer B.B. of The Magdalene Legacy has somewhat missed the point. The reviewer is correct in stating that nowhere in the four Gospels does it state that Joanna... Read more
Published on 3 Aug 2008 by Book Worm
MARY MAGDALENE IS THE HOLY GRAIL
As with all Laurence Gardeners books I found the points raised as worthy of further thought. It was a book I read over one weekend and I found it a rewarding read. Read more
Published on 6 July 2008 by Mr Majinka
Drivel
I am prompted to write by an earlier review which speaks of scholarly precision. Never have I read a book that was less scholarly. Nor one that was so badly written. Read more
Published on 26 Aug 2007 by Chris
Disappointing read
After having read and enjoyed the Da Vinci code, I was looking forward to looking at some research into the controversial topics behind it. Read more
Published on 29 April 2006 by BB
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