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The Secret Scroll
Book by Sinclair, Andrew
- GenresHistory
218 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
4 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Sinclair
187 books29 followersAndrew Sinclair was born in Oxford in 1935 and was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge. After earning a Ph.D. in American History from Cambridge, he pursued an academic career in the United States and England. His first two novels, written while he was still at Cambridge, were both published in 1959: The Breaking of Bumbo (based on his own experience in the Coldstream Guards, and later adapted for a 1970 film written and directed by Sinclair) and My Friend Judas. Other early novels included The Project (1960), The Hallelujah Bum (1963), and The Raker (1964). The latter, also available from Valancourt, is a clever mix of Gothic fantasy and macabre comedy and was inspired by Sinclair’s relationship with Derek Lindsay, the pseudonymous author of the acclaimed novel The Rack (1958). Sinclair’s best-known novel, Gog (1967), a highly imaginative, picaresque account of the adventures of a seven-foot-tall man who washes ashore on the Scottish coast, naked and suffering from amnesia, has been named one of the top 100 modern fantasy novels. As the first in the ‘Albion Triptych’, it was followed by Magog (1972) and King Ludd (1988).
Sinclair’s varied and prolific career has also included work in film and a large output of nonfiction. As a director, he is best known for Under Milk Wood (1972), adapted from a Dylan Thomas play and starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Sinclair’s nonfiction includes works on American history (including The Better Half: The Emancipation of the American Woman, which won the 1967 Somerset Maugham Award), books on Dylan Thomas, Jack London, Che Guevara, and Francis Bacon, and, more recently, works on the Knights Templar and the Freemasons.
Sinclair was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1972. He lives in London.
Sinclair’s varied and prolific career has also included work in film and a large output of nonfiction. As a director, he is best known for Under Milk Wood (1972), adapted from a Dylan Thomas play and starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Sinclair’s nonfiction includes works on American history (including The Better Half: The Emancipation of the American Woman, which won the 1967 Somerset Maugham Award), books on Dylan Thomas, Jack London, Che Guevara, and Francis Bacon, and, more recently, works on the Knights Templar and the Freemasons.
Sinclair was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1972. He lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 30, 2010
Not an easy read—I can imagine many readers giving up on this one early.
The book mainly lacks a narrative that ties together the multitude of details into a “storyline,” using this as a device to maintain interest. Instead, one is presented with a seemingly endless sequence of historical facts that appear to be an exhaustive list of research notes. (Compare Holy Blood, Holy Grail , which was even more abstruse—but managed to maintain interest nevertheless.) Futhermore, the included illustrations would have served their intended purpose much better if these had been inserted directly into the text rather than being referenced through the repeated “See Illustrations.” footnote—which failed to connect many times.
To be fair, it is clear that the author invested a lot of time to research this book. In doing so he has revealed valuable information that may otherwise have remained concealed. This is acknowledged.
The book mainly lacks a narrative that ties together the multitude of details into a “storyline,” using this as a device to maintain interest. Instead, one is presented with a seemingly endless sequence of historical facts that appear to be an exhaustive list of research notes. (Compare Holy Blood, Holy Grail , which was even more abstruse—but managed to maintain interest nevertheless.) Futhermore, the included illustrations would have served their intended purpose much better if these had been inserted directly into the text rather than being referenced through the repeated “See Illustrations.” footnote—which failed to connect many times.
To be fair, it is clear that the author invested a lot of time to research this book. In doing so he has revealed valuable information that may otherwise have remained concealed. This is acknowledged.
June 25, 2017
Gave up
Read
February 7, 2021I couldn't get on with this book, at all
January 3, 2015
Bad... bad... bad...
Bad writing: it just meanders plotlessly, pointlessly. There's no reason why some explanation couldn't have been added or rationale for discussing whatever.
Bad research: footnotes? Huh? A few brief endnotes but nothing to help the reader. Where'd the conclusions come from? Jumping is my guess.
Ugh.
Bad writing: it just meanders plotlessly, pointlessly. There's no reason why some explanation couldn't have been added or rationale for discussing whatever.
Bad research: footnotes? Huh? A few brief endnotes but nothing to help the reader. Where'd the conclusions come from? Jumping is my guess.
Ugh.
Want to read
August 24, 2011Orkney - could be used for Scotland
January 19, 2016
Lots of historical information and the book goes.... nowhere. I could not figure out the point... ever.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews