Behind Dan Brown's new book, The Lost Symbol
For Dan Brown fans, here's a look at some followup stories about his new novel, The Lost Symbol, which is due for a Sept. 15 release. They may help tide you over -- at least until the Angels and Demons movie opens on May 15. Here's a quiz about Brown's background. For other reading:
This story examines the pressure on famous writers to keep the hits coming. J.D. Salinger became a recluse. Ralph Ellison never finished another novel after Invisible Man. Grace Metalious, author of Peyton Place, drank herself to death. And Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind was her last novel.
On Beliefnet, David Klinghoffer asks the provocative queation: Is Dan Brown Good for the Jews? He argues that Brown-style plots feed a culture that sees the world run by conspiracies. And in the past, Jews have been often unfairly targeted as the center of such conspiracies.
Variety says the new book is sure to lead to a movie, noting that The Da Vinci Code grossed $758 million on screens worldwide in 2006.
Now a nervous Vatican is braced for the sequel to The Da Vinci Code and the return of its nemesis, Dan Brown.
The Vatican, concerned about how the Catholic Church is portrayed in Angels and Demons, is debating a response to the movie's release. A strong condemnation or call for a boycott might simply boost interest in the movie, by giving it the “oxygen of publicity.”
Comments
"Angels and Demons" is an exceptional book. I much preferred it to "The Da Vinci Code". I believe that people read fiction books for their entertainment value, not to transpose what is written into actual fact. It was interesting however, that I read this book just before going to Rome and spent some time tracing the path of Bernini outlined in the book.
Posted by: MDtopdad | April 23, 2009 11:50 AM
Didn't it take Joseph Heller 20something years to follow Catch 22?
Posted by: Eve | April 23, 2009 12:18 PM
The Vatican, concerned about how the Catholic Church is portrayed in Angels and Demons, is debating a response to the movie's release.
When The DaVinci Code (the movie) was out, I went to a (Protestant) church-sponsored event entitled (something like) "Facts and Fiction."
I understand that movies are make-believe, but I still thought the evening should be interesting. Instead(!) we were shown a DVD of some religious writer who had, himself, written abook about the same secret organization (whose name escapes me at the moment) with over 400 footnotes. And the writer/DVD talkinghead guy seemed very angry that Dan Brown's books are such huge sellers and his didn't go anywhere. Go figure.
Posted by: Eve | April 23, 2009 12:30 PM
I didn't know that they had made a movie of Angels and Demons until a few days ago when I started to see the articles on the Internet about its director, Ron Howard, responding to a Catholic group and proclaiming that he wasn't anti-Catholic. I wish that the church and the various Catholic groups would just shut up about Dan Brown's books and movies. Their tactics are having exactly the opposite effect of what they planned, and there so many serious issues to be considered in the world right now. Why waste time on critiques of fictional books and movies?
By the way, "The Lost Symbol" is already #1 on Amazon's bestseller list (due to pre-orders).
Posted by: Gail Farrelly | April 23, 2009 2:16 PM
Catch-22 1961
Something Happened 1974
Both great books
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | April 23, 2009 7:33 PM
I'm not religious and personally, I found The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons both very interesting. I recently traveled to Paris and Rome. It's interesting to see some of the main Da Vinci Code paintings in the Louvre, as well as Bernini sculptures in Rome.
Regarding the Catholic Church and the Christian Church in general, I believe that our right to freedom of press should not be censored by the Church. These books aren't vandalism; they simply make a point that the Church may not like.
I love both The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons very interesting; I can't wait for The Lost Symbol to come out!
Posted by: Jessica | September 2, 2009 8:06 PM
I am a devoted Roman Catholic and deeply respect and love my religion and church. Gail Farrelly & Ron Howard need to come to Mass with me one Sunday. Unfortunately some ignorant people who read these books can't distinguish truth from fiction and really believe these books to be the truth and not fiction for reading pleasure. Intelligent people know the difference.
Posted by: Jeannie Sullivan | September 9, 2009 8:16 AM
These are terric stories. They're yarns. There is not, however, a shred of historical evidence to back them up. I am a devoted Roman Catholic. Unfortunately ignorant people will believe these stories to be the truth, not fiction. Gail, you need to come to Mass with me one Sunday. I am a member of the DAR, thanks to my ancestors, you can voice your opinion about the Catholic Church, instead of being fed to the lions or burned at the stake for your ignorance comments .
Posted by: Jeannie Sullivan | September 9, 2009 8:50 AM
I know it's two years after the fact but I just finished Lost Symbol and I must weigh in on this book. I am a big Dan Brown fan but I see him more as a peer than an iconic writer. This ending is pretty diluted and unrealistic if you ask me. Peter Solomon has just killed his son, his hand is missing and has been tortured for days. It sure seems odd that he would be so cognizant and cheery while taking the hoodwinked Langdon on his discovery of our big payoff ending which fizzled like limp cauliflower. The sister, Langdon and Peter had all been pretty messed up to be so quickly recovered and running around DC late at night when Peter should be down at the police station answering questions as to why he wasted his son. Is it just me, or is Dan trying to write the Hollywood screenplay before he even finishes what could have been a great ending?
Posted by: Kenny Lewis | March 12, 2011 1:51 AM