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lmkramer507's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but it is entertaining to think of the "what if's" of some of history's moments. This book, with many copies of primary source materials included, provides some alternate theories about John Wilkes Booth, JFK's assassination, Fort Knox, and others. It's a different take on history, and an intimation that things are not always as we've been taught in history class.
An interesting, fast read for those who enjoy history or dabbling in conspiracies.
An interesting, fast read for those who enjoy history or dabbling in conspiracies.
kimlynn77's review against another edition
2.0
Disappointing. Just a rehash of "Decoded" from the History Channel. Was hoping for some new mysteries/conspiracies!
sammsshelves's review against another edition
4.0
This riveting book encompasses ten conspiracies from history that still intrigue to this day. For those readers out there who believe conspiracy theories are a load of bogus, Meltzer does his research, cites researchers, historians, and other experts, and only offers his viewpoint as simply that- another viewpoint of history. So far, I have only read a few of them, but I’m already enthralled by Meltzer’s writing. He includes “evidence pieces,” aka removable facsimile documents that add to the detective feel of the read. The reader almost feels like a secret vigilante agent, looking at classified documents and reading thinking thoughts contrary to what the government tells us. Meltzer makes reading his book an experience, one that holds the reader willingly captive until the end of each section.
rusticreadingal's review against another edition
3.0
This was a bit of a disappointment. It just barely skimmed the surface of these conspiracies. There was really no depth. Maybe I was just expecting too much from it, but I think it would've been better if it had been longer.
It wasn't all bad, though. It shed some light on some familiar conspiracies and introduced me to some new ones. It was very interesting reading about the rumors surrounding the Spear of Destiny. And the sections about John Wilkes Booth and then the missing Confederate gold held my interest. As did the bit about the gold at Fort Knox.
But there were some duds here too. The Georgia Guidestones, White House cornerstone, and Da Vinci's apocalyptic predictions didn't really stick with me. They kinda slipped my mind as soon as I finished them and I didn't remember them until I went back and looked at the table of contents. And don't even get me started on the chapter about JFK's assassination! What a total and complete letdown!
This was an okay read. I learned a few new things and have a few more questions about some others. But if you're looking for a book of conspiracies with depth, this isn't it.
It wasn't all bad, though. It shed some light on some familiar conspiracies and introduced me to some new ones. It was very interesting reading about the rumors surrounding the Spear of Destiny. And the sections about John Wilkes Booth and then the missing Confederate gold held my interest. As did the bit about the gold at Fort Knox.
But there were some duds here too. The Georgia Guidestones, White House cornerstone, and Da Vinci's apocalyptic predictions didn't really stick with me. They kinda slipped my mind as soon as I finished them and I didn't remember them until I went back and looked at the table of contents. And don't even get me started on the chapter about JFK's assassination! What a total and complete letdown!
This was an okay read. I learned a few new things and have a few more questions about some others. But if you're looking for a book of conspiracies with depth, this isn't it.
zealous_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Test that DNA!
So some of the co sources are things you've heard/seen a million times before like JFK and Rosewell, but others like John Wilks Booth and D B Cooper have really compelling arguments. Definitely a fun and informative read even if you don't buy into any of the theories.
So some of the co sources are things you've heard/seen a million times before like JFK and Rosewell, but others like John Wilks Booth and D B Cooper have really compelling arguments. Definitely a fun and informative read even if you don't buy into any of the theories.
angelicwicked's review against another edition
4.0
I’m not a fan of History books but this was great, especially for someone who loves learning about conspiracies! I also love the amount of detail provided so it wasn’t an information overload for me.
kb2287's review against another edition
4.0
I am a sucker for a good conspiracy--lucky for me so is Brad Meltzer. This was a fun afternoon read, even though some of Meltzer's theories are a bit far-fetched even for a conspiracy-theory lover. Meltzer explores American conspiracies from who really shot Lincoln-to what Fort Knox is really hiding-to the location of the White House's cornerstone, and of course no American conspiracy book would be complete without the assassination of President Kennedy. Definitely a fun read for fans of of History Decoded and conspiracy theorists alike.