Secret Societies

by Jasper Ridley

Secret societies have been around since civilization began and come in many guises. They may be set up by selfish and criminal elements of society, whose object is to enrich and empower themselves at the expense of their fellow citizens; others are composed of high-minded idealists. Some are formed by revolutionary opponents of the established social order; while others might include respected members of the establishment and even ministers in the government. The only thing they have in common is their desire to keep their secrets. This text traces the essential features of what constitutes a secret society before dealing with the more important such set-ups in ancient and modern times, in the Middle East, in central and western Europe, and in Britain and the US..

320 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2003

About the author

Jasper Ridley was a British writer, known for historical biographies. He was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, and the Sorbonne. He trained and practiced as a barrister, before starting to write. During World War II, he was a conscientious objector and was, by his own account, violently abused while in a detention camp. He served on St Pancras Borough Council from 1945 to 1949, and stood, unsuccessfully, as Labour Party candidate for Winchester in 1955 general election.