Field Guide to Secret Societies

Step inside the concealed world of secret societies with a guide that helps you recognise their presence, understand their aims and trace the marks they leave behind.  Field Guide to Secret Societies examines the stories behind a wide range of organisations – some famous, some obscure and some downright dangerous – revealing how these organisations formed, how they operate and why people were – and still are – drawn to them.  To make sense of this hidden landscape, you’ll discover: Clear profiles of more than 50 societies, from the Freemasons and Rosicrucians to the Bohemian Club and the Knights Templar. Concise explanations of their origins, leadership, secrecy techniques, rituals and real-world impact. Visual cues and identifying features that help readers recognise signs of secret-society activity in everyday life.  Atmospheric illustrations that bring each organisation’s character and history to life. Some societies are still active, others have vanished and many sit somewhere in between. Equally, some are harmless whereas others pose a threat – but whether that threat is real or imaginary will be up to the you to judge . . .   For anyone fascinated by what lies behind the façade of everyday life, this guide offers a fresh way to see the world and the hidden societies woven through it.