History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time

by Brad Meltzer, Keith Ferrell

It's an irresistible combination: Brad Meltzer, a born storyteller, counting down the world's most intriguing unsolved mysteries. And to make this richly illustrated book even richer, each chapter invites the reader along for an interactive experience through the addition of removable facsimile documents-the evidence! It's a treasure trove for conspiracy buffs, a Griffin and Sabine for history lovers.Adapted from Decoded, Meltzer's hit show on the HISTORY network, History Decoded explores fascinating, unexplained questions. Is Fort Knox empty? Why was Hitler so intent on capturing the Roman "Spear of Destiny"? What's the government hiding in Area 51? Where did the Confederacy's $19 million in gold and silver go at the end of the Civil War? And did Lee Harvey Oswald really act alone? Meltzer sifts through the evidence; weighs competing theories; separates what we know to be true with what's still-and perhaps forever-unproved or unprovable; and in the end, decodes the mystery, arriving at the most likely solution. Along the way we meet Freemasons, Rosicrucians, Nazi propagandists, and the real DB Cooper.Bound in at the beginning of each story is a custom-designed envelope-a faux 19th-century leather satchel, a U.S. government classified file-containing facsimiles of relevant evidence: John Wilkes Booth's alleged unsigned will, a map of the Vatican, Kennedy's death certificate. The whole is a riveting, interactive adventure through the compelling world of mysteries and conspiracies.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Mystery, Historical, Conspiracy Theories, True Crime

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 22, 2013

About the author

Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod, The Escape Artist, and eleven other bestselling thrillers. He also writes non-fiction books like The JFK Conspiracy, about a secret plot to kill JFK before he was sworn in – and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series, which he does with Chris Eliopoulos and inspired the PBS KIDS TV show, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. His newest kids books are We are the Beatles, We are the Beatles, and I am Simone Biles. His newest inspirational book is Make Magic, based on his viral commencement address.

In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (The Nazi Conspiracy), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.

He is also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Lost History and Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel, and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag that the firefighters raised at Ground Zero, making national news on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Meltzer unveiled the flag at the 9/11 Museum in New York, where it is now on display. See the video here. The Hollywood Reporter recently put him on their list of Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors.

He also recently delivered the commencement address at the University of Michigan, in front of 70,000 people, including his graduating son. Entitled Make Magic and called “one of the best commencement addresses of all time,” it’s been shared millions of times across social media. Do yourself a favor, watch it here and buy the book here.

For sure, it’s tough to find anyone being so successful in so many different mediums of the popular culture. But why does Brad thrive in all these different professions? His belief that ordinary people change the world. It is that core belief that runs through every one of his projects.

His newest thriller, The Lightning Rod, brings back characters Nola and Zig in a setting that will blow your mind (you won't believe where the government let Brad go). For now, we'll say this: What's the one secret no one knows about you? It's about to come out. Nearly 2,000 five-star reviews. Raves by everyone from the Wall Street Journal, to James Patterson, to Brad's mother-in-law. Plus that twist at the end! And yes, the new Zig & Nola thriller is coming soon!

His newest non-fiction book, The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy -- and Why It Failed, which he wrote with Josh Mensch, is a true story about a secret assassination plot to kill JFK at the start of his Presidency and, if successful, would’ve changed history.

His illustrated children’s books I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln, which he does with artist Chris Eliopoulos, were written for his own children, to give them better heroes to look up to. Try them. You won’t believe how inspired you and your family will be. Some of our favorites in the series are I am Mister Rogers and I am Dolly Parton.

His other non-fiction books, Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter, are collections of heroes – from Jim Henson to Sally Ride — that he’s been working on since the day his kids were born and is on sale now, as well as History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time.

He’s also one of the co-creators of the TV show, Jack & Bobby.

Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all thirteen of his novels. The First Counsel came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President’s daughter, then The Millionaires, which was about two brothers who

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book if you like to explore the what-if's and/or you like to think about conspiracy theories. Meltzer takes ten of the most popular conspiracy theories and tries to debunk them or lean into them, depending on where the evidence takes him and his team. What you end up with is a whole lot of questioning as to what is truly (im)possible. What he concludes is that the answers to each of the ten reflect the biases that are fueled by our fears and insecurities.

I think there might be something there, but I don't actually care enough about any of them. I do think, however, he missed an opportunity by excluding 9/11 and the moon landing. There are so many people who believe 9/11 and the moon landing are events created by or falsely perpetuated by the US government. I would've loved to shut those people up for good. But I suppose these are too easy to prove as real...

The ten conspiracy theories discussed are: if John Wilkes Booth really killed Lincoln, whether the Confederate gold is a real thing, the Georgia Guidestones being like Stonehenge, how DB Cooper got away, the location of the White House cornerstone and the Capitol cornerstone, if anyone really has the Spear of Destiny (the spear used on Jesus on the cross), if the Da Vinci Code is real, if there is any gold at Fort Knox, if the US government really is collecting and experimenting on aliens, and who killed JFK.

Fun book, but in the end, mostly more questions and suppositions. If you want actual answers, this might be a good place to start, but you will want to keep doing your own research and find your own conclusions. Rounding up to 4.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, slightly humorous, examination of some better known possible conspiracies. Slightly out of date as one of the mysteries, the Georgia monument, is no longer around, but it is still a mystery as to who financed it and what it's meaning was. Worth a read.

[Gary Sundell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the great conspiracies.

[Dj · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love reading conspiracy books. I find them wonderfully amusing most of the time and have to ask myself how anyone can buy into most of them. So I thought that reading this book would be something like that. Man was I wrong. This is like the worst combination of the Daily Show and Fox News Network I have run up against ever. Sensationalism is the order of the day, lack of supporting evidence, that would be real evidence not something that might, sort of, maybe appear to be like evidence, is amazingly lacking. And where the author states that he is going to present an unbiased view of things, what he really meant was I am going to tell you what happened and you should buy it as well.

On the up side he doesn't generally blast the usual suspects. When discussing searching for the 'missing' cornerstone of the White House. I am not sure why that would be a big deal and he made it sound like it was some huge conspiracy that ranked up with the likes of Kennedy and UFO cover ups, he states that he knows exactly where the stone is, but fails to back that up with any real evidence to support that claim, making it a strong suspicion not knowledge as I understand that terms. However this conspiracy revolves, sort of, around the Mason's. A organization which seems to rank about third in the overall blame everything on them list for any good conspiracy. I think it is Knights Templar and the Illuminati that rank ahead of them. The Brad Meltzer at least points out how unlikely something like that really is. Making it one of the most reasonable things he does in the whole book.

All in all this book is jammed packed with supposition, guesses and a complete lack of evidence. It has a huge does of circumstantial evidence that is accepted in place of hard evidence. All in all a pass all around. If you do feel the need to read this book I would highly suggest that you do like I did and get it from the library, that way if you don't like it you won't feel that you wasted hard earned money on it.

[❀Aimee❀ Just one more page... · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 Stars

"The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of all Time"



So the gimmick was a lot of fun. I have to say I loved turning to a new chapter and opening the evidence envelopes filled with copies/reproductions of associated "evidence".

Each conspiracy section was about 10 pages or so with good discussion of the theories and evidence that was out there. The writing was intelligent and humorous.

Conspiracy stories I enjoyed reading about:
Was John Wilkes Booth's death staged? Did he live another 20 years? Interesting evidence I've never heard before, including a possible JWB mummy in a cross-country show.


DB Cooper Love this story. I felt this was the best one in the book. Newer evidence and scrutiny in the last few years led to a new suspect that I felt was pretty damn convincing. Plus, this story was from my neck of the woods.


Is Fort Knox gold gone? I learned a lot of fun facts from this one.


Kennedy Assassination overview A decent overview of all the conspiracies surrounding the assassination. I learned a lot of good info in the short chapter.



Conspiracy stories I didn't care about:

Hidden Confederate treasure Wouldn't surprise me. As far as I'm concerned, make more books/movies about it...it's great treasure plot fodder.

Georgia Guidestones Didn't really see much of a mystery here....

Where is the Whitehouse's cornerstone? Just. Don't. Care. Plus, with the recent discovery of the amazing time-capsule in Boston, we have already found some pretty great historical treasure.

Spear of Destiny Eh...sorta interesting, but not so much a mystery I care about I guess.

Leonardo Da Vinci Prediction? STRREEETTTCCCHHHH

Roswell and Area 51 Everyone. Just. Stop. I'm over it.


Overall decent, fast, intriguing, and darn fun to open the envelopes full of "evidence". Something here for everyone.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brad Meltzer opens this book by telling us he's not a conspiracy theorist. It occurs to me that he's a conspiracy theorist who doesn't want to be called a conspiracy theorist.

You'll get an account of several of Meltzer's favorite conspiracies here from the Spear of Destiny to UFOs he looks at the arguments and evidence.....and also of course the conspiracy theories.

It's not a bad read. If you're like me some of the conspiracies discussed will interest you more than others. The final conspiracy discussed is the assassination of JFK. This will enthrall some while others will probably have ODed on it long ago. The same will be true of all the subjects discussed.

As for the writing, well it's okay. The book ties in with the TV series Meltzer put together on the same subject. So, easily readable, mildly interesting. Not bad.

[Igy The Book Hermit · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was too short. An entertaining read.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always been fascinated with historical mysteries, so I had high hopes for this book. However, it seemed to consist of chapters based on episodes in the TV documentary series, which would have been ok except for the casual, chatty quality of the writing. It sounded like they took it, word for word, from the narrator's mouth and set it down on paper. In writing, especially about a non-fiction topic, I would expect a more formal writing style.

What I didn't notice in the series but which was very obvious here is that, for each "mystery," Meltzer seemed to focus on only one theory, usually the latest one. With some topics, such as the Kennedy assassination, you couldn't possibly cover all the theories and "discoveries" in one chapter. In other words, nothing was really explored in depth, and if you wanted to read more about each topic yourself, the author provided no bibliography of sources he consulted or books/web sites the reader could explore.

The little envelopes containing reproductions of primary source documents that were found at the beginning of each chapter were interesting but not really necessary. Often, the same document was presented as an illustration in the chapter.

This book was ok to stimulate someone's interest in some of these topics, but by no means a definitive source. Recommended--sort of.

[Angus McKeogh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. Perhaps not as in-depth on certain topics as I was hoping but brought forth some interesting information. Reads very well in contrast to my recent foray into Rush to Judgement as relates to the JFK assassination. A lot of the arguments brought forth in the earlier book are completely refuted with newer information. Just makes me want to read about the whole incident in greater depth.

[Cav · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I WAS IN ELEVENTH GRADE WHEN I SAW IT. In Mrs. Sherman’s history class. She walked to the front of the room, flicked the switch on the rolling TV, and put on a movie for us. The movie? The title is long gone from my memory, but the content will never leave: It was a documentary. About the assassination of JFK..."

History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time was a fun short read. I was looking for something a bit different from the books I typically read, and this one fit that bill nicely.

Author Brad Meltzer is an American novelist, non-fiction writer, TV show creator, and comic book author.

Brad Meltzer :


Meltzer gets the writing here off on a good foot, with a well-written intro. He talks about how the assassination of JFK sparked a life-long curiosity in him. He writes with a lively and engaging style that shouldn't struggle to hold the reader's attention. The narraration of the audio book was also well done.

In this short blurb he outlines the aim of the book:

"Three years ago, the HISTORY network told me that if I gave them a list of my favorite historical mysteries, they’d give me a team to help solve them. From there, Buddy Levy, Christine McKinley, Scott Rolle, and our amazing producers and crew have become true family. Together, we’ve explored some of the greatest conspiracies (and myths) that history has to offer.
To me, history is a giant game of telephone. What’s vital is finding the first whisper. Yet of all the questions people ask us about conspiracies, the number one is simply this: Which is your favorite?
And so, this book. Inside, you’ll see our favorites, counting down from the mysteries surrounding the Lincoln assassination, to the search for Confederate gold, to the existence of UFOs, to . . . well . . . like I said, you’ll see..."

The 10 conspiracies covered in the book are:
#10 John Wilkes Booth: Was Lincoln’s Assassin Apprehended?
#9 Confederate Gold: Stolen Treasure or Hidden Wealth of a New
Confederacy?
#8 The Georgia Guidestones: America’s Stonehenge
#7 DB Cooper: American Outlaw
#6 The White House: Where Is the Cornerstone of Democracy?
#5 The Spear of Destiny: History’s Most Sacred Relic
#4 The Real Da Vinci Code: Did Leonardo Predict an Apocalypse?
#3 Is There Any Gold in Fort Knox?
#2 UFOs: Inside Roswell and Area 51
#1 The Kennedy Assassination: The Truth Is Out There

Fortunately, I found Meltzer's covering of these conspiracies to be very measured and balanced. There is no tin foil batshit crazy nonsense here; thankfully.

If I were to fault the book, I would say that I personally don't really care about a few of the conspiracies covered here - like the Confederate gold and the White House cornerstone. A subjective thing, to be sure.

******************

I enjoyed this one. It was a well-done presentation, on the whole. I would recommend it to anyone interested.
4.5 stars.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seriously, if you've watched Brad Meltzer's Decoding History television series, you've already seen nine of the ten conspiracies in this book. The only one you're missing is the JFK assassination.

And it reads like one of Mr. Meltzer's favorite things is to debunk conspiracy theories - or to do so as far as available facts allow anyone. One must also take into account that stories get enlarged and rumors exaggerated. Over time, a cache of a few coins becomes hundreds. A favored bandit becomes a modern Robin Hood. and escapes being captured.

Anyway, the author's top ten favorites:
* Was John Wilkes Booth actually apprehended
* Where is all the Confederate Gold
* The Georgia Guidestones
* Who was DB Cooper
* Where is the White House Cornerstone
* The Spear of Destiny
* The Real DaVinci Code
* Is there any gold in Fort Knox
* Roswell, UFO's and Area 51
* JFK Assassination

The only one that I really considered NOT a conspiracy was regarding DaVinci - he was a incredibly intelligent man but he wasn't a prophet of any kind. He observed nature and picked aspects that he felt would help mankind if he could only figure out how. As for any secret codes that appeared in his paintings - just about all painters of the time period used codes and symbols to relay commentary on society, the Church and their sponsors.

There are all basically interesting and the author doesn't really give any answer about the truth or fiction of any one of them. Admittedly, they are all American 'conspiracies' and it is likely, the federal government has the answer - or a number of them - hidden away in some file that will not see the light of day in our grandchildren's lifetimes, if then. No matter how specific a FOIL request may be.

It was a fun read especially if you enjoy mysteries and are willing to accept that some will might never be solved.

I have a copy of the ebook but saw a copy of the actually printed book at a local library branch which has little packets of 'evidence exhibits' for each chapter. In the ebook, there are links to photos of the same. Although, obviously, no ebook link is the same as the three dimensional mini of the Georgia Guidestones.

2020-011

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one, unfortunately, was not what I expected. I heard a radio interview with one of the authors and was interested enough to stop by the bookstore on my lunch hour and pick it up. Its look and feel should have been, and was, fair warning of what I was actually getting but I bought it anyway - maybe because I'd asked a worker to help me find it and felt obliged to follow through.

So ... what am I rambling about? History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time was drawn from a History Channel series hosted by Brad Metzler. Metzler is an excellent writer. I've enjoyed his novels and even his comic books. The show was pitched to Metzler as his chance to, on a network's dime, dig into questions throughout history, research them, and present what was found. Investigative journalism of the past -- nice job if you can get it. Why'd they ask some best-selling author and not little old me? I've never actually watched an episode but I will seek it out now that I've heard of it.

Excellent so far, so what's the problem? Well, that's where the misunderstanding comes in. I expected this book to grow from rather than simply reflect the level of scholarship that I would expect on television. I expected the authors to take the opportunity that comes in a written work to expand beyond what could be presented in a minutes-long segment on the History Channel. Instead, this seems very much like a duplication of ten short tv segments, with a little hokey thrown in to boot. What's hokey? Well, each chapter in the book contains facsimile "documents' relating to the various conspiracies. "Evidence" - even marked as evidence - that readers can pull out and touch. You can hold, for example, the receipt for Lee Harvey Oswald's gun or an "actual" copy of a blood oath card signed by members of a super-secret German society. Odd that it is in English, don't you think?

But enough of that, for what it is, History Decoded is a fun read. It serves as a basic primer on some fun topics through history, from the Kennedy Assassination to the fate of John Wilkes Booth, from missing gold to missing hijackers , and hidden evidence of UFOs. I'd like to watch a documentary on any of the ten subjects covered - and I have on many. I just wish that in book form there would have been a bit more substance. But, alas, it is what it is.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"History Decoded: the 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time" is a perfect resource to help fulfill the requirements of the Common Core. Whether or not this was done purposely, this collection of investigations will give teachers and students some sorely needed assistance on the road to meeting the challenges set forth by this directive.

Each mystery is thoroughly examined, with interviews of witnesses and historians as well as copies of primary documents that add to the authenticity and give the reader the feeling of being involved in the investigation. The examination of the conspiracy surrounding Roswell, UFO's and Area 51 is a perfect example. Meltzer examines the accounts of several eye witnesses and many scientists and government officials with various stories of what has occurred (or not) in New Mexico. A copy of a confidential questionnaire that had to be completed by any citizen reporting a UFO incident indicates the importance that was assigned to these random sightings. He also provides examples of other documents from "Project Blue Book," an examination of the over 12,000 UFO report received by the government.

The author and his team also look at the controversies surrounding the capture of John Wilkes Booth, the contents of the vaults at Fort Knox and of course, the Kennedy assassination. I had never heard of some of these "conspiracies," but this book drew me in and had me desiring more information.

Meltzer reports the facts, interviews the witnesses and provides the documents but he leaves it to the reader to draw conclusions. This is the stuff of Common Core dreams. The goal of this paradigm shift is to encourage students to research a topic, think critically about the evidence and then draw a conclusion, citing specific examples that would prove their point. This resource can be a starting point for a speech or history class, providing students with the controversy and some evidence. More investigation and research will lead students to a well developed argument for or against these theories. At the very least it will make for very lively classroom discussions.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really fought myself on this one, between three or four stars on the rating. I finally settled on four stars just because I really liked the concept that the books author was going for. Meltzer picks a top 10 type of list of conspiracies from his History channel T.V. show and then briefly goes over them. The cool part of the book is at the beginning of each chapter there is a little pocket containing miniaturized replicas of certain documents related to the topic under discussion. While a novel concept these can also be a bit annoying if you are laying in bed reading this late at night. Attempting to open these little pouches and pull out the documents inside can be tricky, especially for this with large hands. Overall a decent look at the topics covered, even a look at old D.B. Cooper and a very plausible theory on what happened to him. For a quick look at some interesting pieces of history I would recommend taking a look at this book.

[Gary · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would not recommend this book. I thought this book might be more about historical controversies and not just a list of conspiracy theories. Early into the book I started to get the feeling it was more of conspiracies, but was still hopeful that it would give an interesting and balanced view. However, after reading the first few chapters, though not based on “crazy” theories, it was doing what it could to fan flames of conspiracy (often in cases when there was little or no flame to work with). For this reason, the writing seemed, forced and was trying to create drama (unsuccessfully I might add). I had to muster a fair amount of discipline to force my way through this entire book (though it is not long). I suggest you do not put yourself through a similar painful exercise and just avoid the book.

[Wax Faces · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reads like a summation of several episodes of the show in that you'll get about the level of depth in terms of investigation into each of the conspiracies he explores as you would expect from a 1/2 hour television program. Mostly just seems to tow the company line in terms of what many have come to expect concerning these topics from a standard media source; meaning misinformation and propaganda leading to, "Don't bother trying to find the truth. These 'great mysteries' can never truly be known." If you're unfamiliar with the topics, though, I suppose you could find a worse introduction. I wouldn't bother exploring them any deeper than this though. Can't imagine it ever leads to much good. ;]

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meltzer's book presents ten great historical mysteries and the conspiracy theories associated with them. It is an enjoyable book to browse and includes numerous illustrations and documentation. As one would expect, few of the mysteries are resolved but enough evidence is presented to make the reader wonder about Area 51, UFOs, the fate of John Wilkes Booth and, above all, the facts surrounding the Kennedy Assassination. Despite the frustration created by the apparent insolubility of these events, it is fun to explore them.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as impressed by this book as perhaps some people were, but a generally quick and easy read, with some interesting information. A bit repetitive, almost like watching one of those television shows that repeats information after every break. I was not too familiar with the Confederate gold, but most of the other stories I was somewhat acquainted with.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In the end, to me, this is what Decoded is all about: Not just counting down the top conspiracies through history—but reminding us exactly why these stories carve at our core—and what they say about us as people." -- Brad Meltzer, History Decoded

My sister alerted me to this book and I am so glad she did. History Decoded is a refreshing way to explore bits of American history and trigger curiosity. The addition of the “artifacts” at the start of each chapter provides the reader a hands-on approach to the research the Decoded team does when researching their stories and adds an interesting dynamic to the presentation of each story.

For someone who is so fascinated with Abraham Lincoln, I was surprised I had never heard the theory that John Wilkes Booth may have survived—and that it is a theory that could be proved or disproved with a simple DNA test. A DNA test that, in attempts to arrange it, has met obstacle after obstacle. Seriously? If anything can stoke an on-going conspiracy theory it is obstacles to easy conclusions being tossed by the judiciary in the way of researchers!

I had never heard of the controversies about the Confederate Gold, the Georgia Guidestone, or the White House cornerstone. How on earth had I missed stories about DB Cooper because: WOW! Someone who could have pulled off a lucrative hijacking and parachuted to freedom? And the spear of destiny? Yup, another conspiracy, and relic, I had never heard of.

But Da Vinci’s prediction of an apocalypse, Fort Knox being empty of gold, UFOs, and the multiple JFK assassination theories? I was familiar with all of those and had previously read about them. But I was still glued to the pages History Decoded dedicated to them, eagerly looking for new information—or an answer.

And, those looking for answers should keep looking. This is a book about the process, the stories, the questions. The resolutions, if they can be found, are not yet discovered.

** Contents: Introduction; #10 John Wilkes Booth: Was Lincoln’s Assassin Apprehended?; #9 Confederate Gold: Stolen Treasure or Hidden Wealth of a New Confederacy?; #8 The Georgia Guidestones: America’s Stonehenge; #7: DB Cooper: American Outlaw; #6 The White House: Where Is the Cornerstone of Democracy; #5 The Spear of Destiny: History’s Most Sacred Relic; #4 The Real Da Vinci Code: Did Leonardo Predict an Apocalypse?; #3 Is There Any Gold in Fort Knox?; #2 UFOs: Inside Roswell and Area 51; #1 The Kennedy Assassination; The Truth Is Out There; Acknowledgments; The Decoded Team; Photo Credits

[Ryan H · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are always 3 parts to every story, yours, theirs and then the truth. This audiobook was great and I loved every second of it. It explores some of America's greatest conspiracy theories and best of all it presents the facts and myths in such a way the author is not trying to sway your opinion but just getting his findings to the lime light. It will really get you thinking and that is the whole point of a title like this. Are some of the theories wacky, sure depending on who you are and your beliefs but I would be hard pressed to find someone that listened to this and it did not get your mind going. It is presented in a countdown format and I liked that a lot, I might have changed the order up a little bit and sure, some theories were more exciting than others but I was very into this book the whole way through. The performance is done brilliantly and is done by one of the best in the business. This was not my first title done by this narrator and he does not disappoint. It brings a whole new meaning to bringing the words to life. Just that subtle pause or voice change with one word made all the difference and he seemed to know just when to use them. The performance just added to the presentation of the conspiracy, whether you believe it as fact or fiction I admired the way it was read. Overall, such an enjoyable listening experience for a conspiracy lover like myself, plus the author is right when he says... sometimes the scariest version of the story is the truth.

[Gregory Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never watched the television show that spawned this book. Perhaps I'm profoundly ignorant but I had no idea that there was any controversy about the demise of John Wilkes Booth whatsoever. This story comprises the first chapter of this quirky book.

The Confederate Gold story was a little confusing to me, I found it hard to follow for some reason.

America's Stonehenge was totally, utterly and completely unknown to me. What a mysterious artifact!

Who knew that a reporter gave DB Cooper a new moniker? Talk about fake news. Most of what I read followed a show that I had recently watched on the idiot box.

Another thing I didn't know about was that the cornerstone of our White House was "missing". Just another White House cover-up it seems.

The spear of destiny seems a weird object for Hitler to covet. The story surrounding it is wild and the superpower it might bestow would be valuable for anyone to possess. Perhaps we'll be able to see the Vatican's spear on television some Good Friday in the future.

da Vinci is a complex and tremendously intriguing subject but a prophet of future cataclysms doesn't seem to be in the cards, but perhaps it hasn't come to pass yet.

Wouldn't it be nice if all the gold in Ft. Knox could be used to partially retire some of the gigantic budget deficit? If the gold is still there, that is. SHOW US OUR MONEY!

The UFO chapter seems very well researched and well told. If there are UFOs wouldn't it be in the military's best interest to expose the fact because it would give them their ultimate enemy. They would need to defend us against them. It would lead to their unlimited funding.

While I haven't read a lot about the Kennedy assassination, this chapter is the most cogent I've read on the subject; it ties up many of the loose threads in my perception.

This was an easy read and I really enjoyed it. The little pouches of artifacts give the book a unique quality.

[Sara Milligan · Rating 2 out of 5]

No ✨

"Looking for treasure isn't just part of being an American... it is America."

????

Almost DNFed this. It was like watching one of those time-suck History Channel docs: "HOW THE PYRAMIDS MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MADE BY ALIENS... [45 minutes of nothing interviews and commercial-break reiterating go by]... I GUESS WE'LL NEVER KNOW, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE SEARCH ITSELF."

🥴

Not a fan of self-inserted narrative riffs in this type of nonfiction in general, but they're GRATING when repeated to the extent that they are here. ("Let me be clear" and "what if I told you..." over and over again. Barf, barf, barf.)

Also felt like we were perpetuating myths of glory and nostalgia for dead old white guys getting rich off of stolen lives and resources. I won't chalk that up to authorial intent, but I needed a little more intentionality if he wanted to distance himself from those vibes.

[Sarah Coller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always loved a good conspiracy theory so this book of the top 10 "greatest" was a fun read.

The funniest one was the story of John Wilkes Booth's traveling mummy. The coolest one was the marked trees as Bob Brewer has studied some right here in Arkansas! The most believable one was DB Cooper--that one seems pretty obvious! The not-so-interesting one was about Da Vinci. Not a whole lot of new info there...in fact, I'm not really sure what the conspiracy was. But, it was interesting to see a self-portrait I'd not seen. Regarding aliens---I've always wondered if they are the Bible's Nephilim. All in all, it was a good read. I set it down and literally immediately picked up Meltzer's, The House of Secrets!

[Eric Copeland · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I brought this home, my wife said it was good that I borrowed it from the library when it was still new, with all of the nearly three dozen pieces of "evidence" still intact. It turned out that the book had actually been on the shelf for nearly seven years, but it had only been checked out a handful of times.

It's a shame, really, because it's an interesting concept. Some of the evidence was pertinent to the topics at hand, while others were mere curiosities. I will note that the individual subjects are explored sufficiently for the book, but they're by no means exhaustively covered. The overviews, however, would be enough for a reader to decide which, if any, conspiracies to study more thoroughly.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020 - bk 73. One of the better books I've read that mirrors the television show it was based upon. I loved Brad Melzer's History Decoded and was delighted when I found this book on my library's shelves. Melzer outlines each of the mysteries he investigated and through print, allows the reader/viewer to see more clearly the images or documents shown on his shows. In fact, each of the mysteries depicted has an envelope in which are reprints of documents, maps, or pictures for even closer perusal. All in all, a very satisfying read.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have seen the tv show (I haven't), you have probably already been exposed to 80% of this content. If you thought you'd get definitive answers (I did not), you will likely be disappointed. If you want a deep dive into any of these topics (I don't), you will not get it. These are high-level overviews.

However, if you are looking to be entertained and to learn some new (at least to me) stories and ideas, you will probably enjoy it. I particularly enjoyed the topics of John Wilkes Booth, D B Cooper, DaVinci, Fort Knox, and of course, UFO's.

[Jodi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was ridiculous you have no real evidence for any of your claims and instead say things like “well it smells fishy to me” and “while there is no evidence it is plausible”! Millions of things are plausible it in no way makes them true! Maybe some of the theories you present will one day turn out to be true but this book is in no way based within evidence at this time and was just absolutely nonsensical at times in the way that your so called “evidence” was presented! This is how stupidly dangerous conspiracy theories begin and get perpetuated!!

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

From UFOs to lost confederate gold, from the “spear of destiny” to the assassinations of both Lincoln and Kennedy, this book contains 10 of histories biggest conspiracies. The stories are written with facts and speculations, with an added bit from author Brad Meltzer who throws some of his own thoughts and theories about what truly happened. Two of the most interesting conspiracies for me were what is actually hidden in Fort Knox and the disappearance of the spear that was used to stab Jesus during his crucifixion. Interesting theories even though some of the speculations pushed the limit a little far.

[Aqsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not one to consider whether the analysis of these theories is accurate or unbiased, but I enjoyed the book and it was a quick and unpretentious read. It’s actually a pretty good summary of prominent American historical events and places. There’s not much satisfaction to be had in the discoveries for some of the chapters (limited by access to resources or by the length of time that had passed), but different routes are explored and some of the background to the theories gave me chills.

[Don LeClair · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty fast paced read on an interesting collection of conspiracy cases. I liked the ones best where Brad Meltzer explains the theory (or theories) and why they where they went off track from reality. His perspective on why people people want the conspiracy to be true are very interesting. The section on the Kennedy Assassination is probably the best of them all.
I was less thrilled with the UFO/Roswell section. In any event it was a fun read.