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The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time: Decoding History's Unsolved Mysteries
Master storyteller Brad Meltzer counts down and decodes the world’s top 10 most intriguing conspiracies stories.
the truth. In a riveting collection, Brad Meltzer guides us through the 10 greatest conspiracies of all time, from Leonardo da Vinci’s stolen prophecy to the Kennedy assassination. This richly illustrated book serves up those fascinating, unexplained questions that nag at history buffs and conspiracy Why was Hitler so intent on capturing the Roman “Spear of Destiny?” Where did all the Confederacy’s gold go? What is the government hiding in Area 51? And did Lee Harvey Oswald really act alone?
Meltzer sifts through the evidence, weighs competing theories, separates what we know to be true and what’s still––and perhaps forever––unproved or unprovable, and in the end, decodes the mystery and arrives at the most likely explanation.
the truth. In a riveting collection, Brad Meltzer guides us through the 10 greatest conspiracies of all time, from Leonardo da Vinci’s stolen prophecy to the Kennedy assassination. This richly illustrated book serves up those fascinating, unexplained questions that nag at history buffs and conspiracy Why was Hitler so intent on capturing the Roman “Spear of Destiny?” Where did all the Confederacy’s gold go? What is the government hiding in Area 51? And did Lee Harvey Oswald really act alone?
Meltzer sifts through the evidence, weighs competing theories, separates what we know to be true and what’s still––and perhaps forever––unproved or unprovable, and in the end, decodes the mystery and arrives at the most likely explanation.
224 pages, Paperback
Published November 10, 2020
405 people are currently reading
461 people want to read
About the author
Brad Meltzer
319 books7,311 followersBrad 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
December 5, 2020
Who doesn’t like a good conspiracy theory? So when you get a chance to decode the world’s most intriguing conspiracies, it’s worth a read. Brad Meltzer guides us through the 10 greatest conspiracies of all time, from Leonardo da Vinci’s stolen prophecy to the Kennedy assassination while attempting to answer all unexplained questions.
Meltzer has selected the Top 10 Greatest Conspiracy of all Time and attempted to solve the mystery through evidence, testimonies, and alternate theories. In the end, the book tries to give you the most likely explanation. The research that went into each case is amazing and also the rare photos and illustrations. There are some cases where the books leave it up to you what you choose to believe. Though I had read about most cases, there were a few I didn’t know about which made the book interesting. To rate each case individually:
• Did John Wilkes Booth escape capture for 40 years after Lincoln’s assassination – Interesting Case though feels incomplete
• The Missing Confederate Treasury – Mysterious and nicely backed up.
• The Georgia Guide stones – Mysterious but not so fascinating
• What happened to D.B. Cooper? – Really liked this one. The book had a prime suspect and presented all possible evidence to back it up.
• Where is the White House cornerstone? – Not much of a mystery really
• Hitler’s pursuit of the Spear of Destiny – Nice myth/conspiracy. Wish it had been explored more.
• Did Da Vinci’s paintings predict an apocalypse? It– Mysterious but not a conspiracy.
• Is there any gold in Fort Knox? – Just about Ok.
• UFOs/Roswell/Area 51 – Nothing new from what most people already know.
• JFK Assassination – Another fav case. This systematically destroys any conspiracy case especially originating from Oliver Stone’s JFK.
Among my favorites from this book would be Lincoln Assassination, D.B Cooper, Spear of Destiny, and JFK Assassination. The book mostly presents the reader with multiple explanations rather than one official line and lets the readers believe what they want to. However, it does disprove some outlandish theories. The book offers a lot of evidence and logic to go along with the discussion. There were quite a few omissions from the list. I would have loved a chapter on the conspiracies surrounding the moon landings, 9/11, and The Illuminati.
Overall, this is a nice read. I think some cases needed more in-depth coverage than the rest. But if you love reading about real-life conspiracy theories, you will enjoy this. 3.5 stars out of 5.
Many thanks to the publishers' Workman Publishing Company and Netgalley for the ARC.
Meltzer has selected the Top 10 Greatest Conspiracy of all Time and attempted to solve the mystery through evidence, testimonies, and alternate theories. In the end, the book tries to give you the most likely explanation. The research that went into each case is amazing and also the rare photos and illustrations. There are some cases where the books leave it up to you what you choose to believe. Though I had read about most cases, there were a few I didn’t know about which made the book interesting. To rate each case individually:
• Did John Wilkes Booth escape capture for 40 years after Lincoln’s assassination – Interesting Case though feels incomplete
• The Missing Confederate Treasury – Mysterious and nicely backed up.
• The Georgia Guide stones – Mysterious but not so fascinating
• What happened to D.B. Cooper? – Really liked this one. The book had a prime suspect and presented all possible evidence to back it up.
• Where is the White House cornerstone? – Not much of a mystery really
• Hitler’s pursuit of the Spear of Destiny – Nice myth/conspiracy. Wish it had been explored more.
• Did Da Vinci’s paintings predict an apocalypse? It– Mysterious but not a conspiracy.
• Is there any gold in Fort Knox? – Just about Ok.
• UFOs/Roswell/Area 51 – Nothing new from what most people already know.
• JFK Assassination – Another fav case. This systematically destroys any conspiracy case especially originating from Oliver Stone’s JFK.
Among my favorites from this book would be Lincoln Assassination, D.B Cooper, Spear of Destiny, and JFK Assassination. The book mostly presents the reader with multiple explanations rather than one official line and lets the readers believe what they want to. However, it does disprove some outlandish theories. The book offers a lot of evidence and logic to go along with the discussion. There were quite a few omissions from the list. I would have loved a chapter on the conspiracies surrounding the moon landings, 9/11, and The Illuminati.
Overall, this is a nice read. I think some cases needed more in-depth coverage than the rest. But if you love reading about real-life conspiracy theories, you will enjoy this. 3.5 stars out of 5.
Many thanks to the publishers' Workman Publishing Company and Netgalley for the ARC.
June 19, 2020
I love conspiracy theories, not quite sure why, just find them greatly entertaining. And I’ve heard about Meltzer, so when this book turned up on Netgalley, I figured I’ll check it out. And sure enough, fun was had. Albeit qualified sort of fun. Meltzer is quite a character, his bio itself reads like one of his books and his books read like those popular historical based or at least inspired mysteries that often climb to the top on the bestseller lists. And then he also does nonfiction of the same flavor and tv presentations. This book is essentially a reader’s digest’s style adaptation of his show Decoded. In fact, the chapters read very much like scripts. They are meant to grab your attention. It requires a very specific sort of energy and uses phrases like…What if I someone told you…followed by a doozy of a scenario that Meltzer and his intrepid team of investigators sets off to investigate. So as a result this book reads kind of like…National Treasure the movie. Not just the same manic energy of the movie, but in fact the very same manic energy of the every manically energetic Nicholas Cage. Cage can totally do this show, I bet. Then again he’d probably end up trying to buy some of these treasures. Anyway...thing is, it’s fun. National Treasure was fun. Sure, it’s speculative, but there seem to be an actually good amount of research going into the proof or debunking of this tall and otherwise tales. And it is ever so entertaining to speculate and ever so easy to imagine the government lying to is people. Especially nowadays, it’s practically de rigueur. Though to be fair, it’s nothing new, only now technology has made it so much easier, thanks Twitter and co. So 10 greatest conspiracies seem to be selected by the readers or show watchers, which is to say eight of them are all from American’s past and only two go internationally. And they are most or all (depends of how much you’re into this sort of thing) are familiar sounding, from aliens to assassinations. But still, it was interesting to check out the research that went into this trademark decoding (boy does he love this word) and check out different takes and ideas of the well known scenarios. In the end, it’s probably one of those things where those who wants to believe do and those on the opposite side of the spectrum will find a way not to and facts will only matter so much. But for all those inbetweeners, people who can actually be swayed by facts and research, people who might not take a stand, but actively question things…well, then, read this book and experiment in uncertainty. Yes, it’s popscience and yes it is at times dumbed down for the general population and has a very aha, what do you think of this, check this out, jump out pf the bushes and yell surprise kind of blatant reader grabs, but stunt tactics aside, there is enough meat on these bones to warrant your time. It isn’t even that much time, the book is relatively short and reads quickly. It has a terrific amount of photos too. That was actually the main detractor for me in reading this as an ARC, due to the large amount of supplemental materials (photos, etc.) the book was horrendously disorientingly misformated. Normally I love photos in nonfiction books and this one actually had an excellent amount of those, but for some reason it crippled the digital advance copy version and really affected the reading enjoyment of this book. I never understand why publishers do that. The goal of these promo copies, much like with any sample, is to gather early reviews and get some buzz and demand going for whatever you’re selling, so wouldn’t you want to present the best possible version of your product? Why make the readers go through the labyrinths of crap formats? Yes, it’s free, but sometimes it isn’t even worth it. Plus it detracts from the reading experience and can affect the overall review. Where’s the logic is that? Seriously…what gives? Much like most conspiracy theories out there…it remains a mystery. So maybe wait to read the properly formatted version of this book. But other than that, fun was had, definitely. Thanks Netgalley.
October 14, 2020
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Brad Meltzer, and Workman Publishing Company for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
One would think that I might tire reading about conspiracies, as we are in the midst of some doozies in the form of COVID-19 and the 2020 US Presidential Election. That being said, when I noticed Brad Meltzer was putting something together, I could not help myself. A longtime fan of Metlzer’s fiction work, I was eager to see what he would uncover, which might prove to be highly entertaining and easier to digest, while still being non-fiction. Likely pleasing to many who love conspiracies, but perhaps a little too primer for my liking.
Brad Meltzer has spread himself out greatly over the last number of years, including a television project called Decoded, which explores conspiracy theories. This book is almost a published account of ten of the largest conspiracies that Meltzer and his team discovered. They look at John Wilkes Booth’s life post- Lincoln assassination, a supposed gold cache still hidden throughout the US as part of a Confederate stockpile, and even the truth behind what’s actually going on in Fort Knox. Meltzer and his team offer some interesting theories, seeking to balance them out for everyone to feel appeased, without getting too meaty in their analysis. Tossing out a few more, which include Roswell and Area 51, as well as the JFK Assassination, Meltzer and his team seek to win over a larger audience by pulling back the proverbial curtain and tossing out many ideas that could hold some truth to them. Interesting, for sure, but not what I would call a compelling read for me.
While I have never had an issue with Brad Meltzer and his writing, I may stick to his fiction going forward. While I love his inquisitive mind and how he could likely weave it into a great piece of fiction, I found this too ‘made for television’ to really hold my attention. It read almost like a script for one of his shows (admittedly, I have not seen it, so I cannot speak with confidence). The theories are sound and the proof seems plausible, but this is a primer and I needed more meat. I have been forced to digest so many conspiracies of late (see above) that I want proof and not just supposition. Presented well, this will appeal to those who have a strong love of Meltzer’s television work and I applaud him for targeting his audience. For me, just not a stellar piece.
Kudos, Mr. Meltzer, for a great effort and some significant work. I hope many find something they enjoyed herein.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
One would think that I might tire reading about conspiracies, as we are in the midst of some doozies in the form of COVID-19 and the 2020 US Presidential Election. That being said, when I noticed Brad Meltzer was putting something together, I could not help myself. A longtime fan of Metlzer’s fiction work, I was eager to see what he would uncover, which might prove to be highly entertaining and easier to digest, while still being non-fiction. Likely pleasing to many who love conspiracies, but perhaps a little too primer for my liking.
Brad Meltzer has spread himself out greatly over the last number of years, including a television project called Decoded, which explores conspiracy theories. This book is almost a published account of ten of the largest conspiracies that Meltzer and his team discovered. They look at John Wilkes Booth’s life post- Lincoln assassination, a supposed gold cache still hidden throughout the US as part of a Confederate stockpile, and even the truth behind what’s actually going on in Fort Knox. Meltzer and his team offer some interesting theories, seeking to balance them out for everyone to feel appeased, without getting too meaty in their analysis. Tossing out a few more, which include Roswell and Area 51, as well as the JFK Assassination, Meltzer and his team seek to win over a larger audience by pulling back the proverbial curtain and tossing out many ideas that could hold some truth to them. Interesting, for sure, but not what I would call a compelling read for me.
While I have never had an issue with Brad Meltzer and his writing, I may stick to his fiction going forward. While I love his inquisitive mind and how he could likely weave it into a great piece of fiction, I found this too ‘made for television’ to really hold my attention. It read almost like a script for one of his shows (admittedly, I have not seen it, so I cannot speak with confidence). The theories are sound and the proof seems plausible, but this is a primer and I needed more meat. I have been forced to digest so many conspiracies of late (see above) that I want proof and not just supposition. Presented well, this will appeal to those who have a strong love of Meltzer’s television work and I applaud him for targeting his audience. For me, just not a stellar piece.
Kudos, Mr. Meltzer, for a great effort and some significant work. I hope many find something they enjoyed herein.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
May 11, 2022
Not exactly my type of book. I felt that each conspiracy was missing a lot of information, probably due to the fact that each one is less than 20 pages of the book. The writing style was a little different, more like a TV show. I couldn't help but think that this book was the outline to an hour special on the history channel that the book mentions once per conspiracy.
July 27, 2020
I had a lot of fun with this book. I think after this I will have to check out more of Brad Meltzer book and watch his TV shows Decoded
In this book, Brad count down the Top 10 Greatest Conspiracy of all Time and describe the story behind each of them. I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding all these conspiracy and eager to know more about them. I knew a few of them but a lot of them I didn't even heard of it.
Among my favourites from this book would be D.B Cooper and Spear of Destiny . I was kinda dissapointed because I checked wikipedia there are actually a couple suspect regarding who is D.B Cooper but they only mentioned Christenson in this book
In this book, Brad count down the Top 10 Greatest Conspiracy of all Time and describe the story behind each of them. I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding all these conspiracy and eager to know more about them. I knew a few of them but a lot of them I didn't even heard of it.
Among my favourites from this book would be D.B Cooper and Spear of Destiny . I was kinda dissapointed because I checked wikipedia there are actually a couple suspect regarding who is D.B Cooper but they only mentioned Christenson in this book
September 17, 2020
Entertaining book, quick read and I learned quite a bit. I liked the quick snapshot of each conspiracy and somewhat irreverent prose. It’s an interesting format of a countdown, very pop culture.
November 10, 2020
If you’ve ever watched and enjoyed the television show Decoded, you will enjoy this book. Brad Meltzer has taken 10 conspiracy theories that he feels are the greatest of them all, and written them down. He gives you the basic “known” story, and then explains what might be what really happened. If photographs are available, they are included. Copies of written documentation are also included. Mr. Meltzer has done a good job of condensing his hour-long TV show into a concise, well written book. An easy read, I enjoyed this book very much.
I was given an ARC by NetGallery to read in advance, and this is my honest opinion.
I was given an ARC by NetGallery to read in advance, and this is my honest opinion.
April 1, 2022
A very interesting read. Covers some conspiracies I have heard of and some I have never heard of. Such as lost Confederate gold and of course the JFK assassination. Makes great evaluations and provides wonderful insight with evidence. Not a bad little book. Not a deep dive.
November 1, 2022
This book is easy to read and very interesting. I’d like to read some more about some of the conspiracies and a bibliography would have been nice.
March 14, 2024
I thought this book was great, a good starting position for a person interested in conspiracy theories.
April 20, 2022
Fun times in conspiracy stories
Want to get your brain going, start thinking of “what if” scenarios, or have those random mind wanderings spurred from a foundation of facts? Pick up this book and have some fun. Well done Mr. Meltzer!
Want to get your brain going, start thinking of “what if” scenarios, or have those random mind wanderings spurred from a foundation of facts? Pick up this book and have some fun. Well done Mr. Meltzer!
July 12, 2020
In 'The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time', Brad Meltzer presents to us what he considers to be the most interesting cases from his television series Decoded.
Meltzer and Ferrell use a language reminiscent of the voice-over, present blurry images as ‘Exhibits’, and focus on one or two theories (except for the JFK chapter) before offering a blank conclusion. The authors clearly do not aim at solving the conspiracies, but rather at offering possible answers which support their findings. Also, they keep from exhaustive research of alternate theories as well as from intertwining the cases. These are short explorations of large cases (such as the assassinations of A. Lincoln and J.F. Kennedy, the contents (of Fort Knox and Area 51, the Spear of Destiny, and the works of Leonardo da Vinci) with a blatant ‘entertainment only’ goal.
'The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time' is a holiday read, or a travel one. A book born of popular television, but not from scientific documentaries.
Who would like this
This is a book for curious minds who read for fun, have a bit of time, and have sometimes wondered about any of the cases presented.
Who should give this a pass
Any serious reader of conspiracies, or with an extensive background in history and research, will find this book a frustrating tease rather than an actual tool. For such audiences, finding the original programme episode would be more appropriate.
Conclusions and suggestions
Meltzer and Ferrell have produced a volume which recreates Meltzer’s great entertainment achievement, Decoded. That’s what it is, that’s what you get. It’s an easy read that can be followed by all audiences, away from any real controversy or intellectual strain. It also refrains from exploring the more current conspiracies that would pop up in any documentary website tab.
'The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time' are mostly cases from the United States of America, which is to be expected considering the viewership of the original programme. For a non-American, some of these ‘great conspiracies’ are more ‘curious cases’, not quite justified by the title as opposed other suspected conspiracies worldwide we’d expect to find. It thus has a clear readership, outside of which the audience will simply turn pages, scanning and skimming for the interesting bits (i.e., the texts on the sides, or around the images/’exhibits’) without caring for the rest of the narrative.
Again, this is not a bad book. It is simply quite vanilla, for its bombastic title which would be more accurate as 'The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of Decoded', instead.
n.b. This seems to be a revised re-issue of a 2013 book.
Meltzer and Ferrell use a language reminiscent of the voice-over, present blurry images as ‘Exhibits’, and focus on one or two theories (except for the JFK chapter) before offering a blank conclusion. The authors clearly do not aim at solving the conspiracies, but rather at offering possible answers which support their findings. Also, they keep from exhaustive research of alternate theories as well as from intertwining the cases. These are short explorations of large cases (such as the assassinations of A. Lincoln and J.F. Kennedy, the contents (of Fort Knox and Area 51, the Spear of Destiny, and the works of Leonardo da Vinci) with a blatant ‘entertainment only’ goal.
'The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time' is a holiday read, or a travel one. A book born of popular television, but not from scientific documentaries.
Who would like this
This is a book for curious minds who read for fun, have a bit of time, and have sometimes wondered about any of the cases presented.
Who should give this a pass
Any serious reader of conspiracies, or with an extensive background in history and research, will find this book a frustrating tease rather than an actual tool. For such audiences, finding the original programme episode would be more appropriate.
Conclusions and suggestions
Meltzer and Ferrell have produced a volume which recreates Meltzer’s great entertainment achievement, Decoded. That’s what it is, that’s what you get. It’s an easy read that can be followed by all audiences, away from any real controversy or intellectual strain. It also refrains from exploring the more current conspiracies that would pop up in any documentary website tab.
'The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time' are mostly cases from the United States of America, which is to be expected considering the viewership of the original programme. For a non-American, some of these ‘great conspiracies’ are more ‘curious cases’, not quite justified by the title as opposed other suspected conspiracies worldwide we’d expect to find. It thus has a clear readership, outside of which the audience will simply turn pages, scanning and skimming for the interesting bits (i.e., the texts on the sides, or around the images/’exhibits’) without caring for the rest of the narrative.
Again, this is not a bad book. It is simply quite vanilla, for its bombastic title which would be more accurate as 'The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of Decoded', instead.
n.b. This seems to be a revised re-issue of a 2013 book.
December 15, 2020
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 Rounded up to 4
I've not seen "Decoded" nor read any of Meltzer's previous works and while I'm not a conspiracy theorist, I used to love hearing a good conspiracy theory. Now in the age of COVID-19 and the 2020 US Presidential Election, I worry that people simply don't want to accept facts that aren't convenient to their way of thinking and thus create conspiracy theories to align with their beliefs. The conspiracies included in this book have been around for a while and have taken on a legendary, pop culture quality that makes them "fun" rather than wacky.
Here's my 2 cents on the 10:
1. John Wilkes Booth escaping capture for 40 years after Lincoln’s assassination-- Talk about a crazy tornado of a dozen conspiracy theories in one.
2. The Missing Confederate Treasury--The Forrest Finn treasure was just found so I guess this is possible.
3. The Georgia Guide stones--these are only 2 hours from where I live and I had never heard of them before!
4. D.B. Cooper-- This was a fun one to think about.
5. The White House cornerstone--this didn't seem very exciting or noteworthy
6. Hitler’s pursuit of the Spear of Destiny--this was interesting since I had never even heard of the Spear of Destiny before.
7. Da Vinci’s apocalypse prediction--Da Vinci was a very talented and intelligent man but this is silly.
8. Fort Knox's gold-- this one was worth some contemplation.
9. UFOs/Roswell/Area 51-- Nothing new from what most people already know. Super fun theories on this one!
10. JFK Assassination: I have not seen Oliver Stone’s JFK but after the last few years I can totally understand how people are unable to separate fact from fiction.
Overall, this was an entertaining and fun book that covered the basics and will appeal to a wide audience. It would be a perfect gift for that person on your holiday shopping list who thinks everything in our current world is a conspiracy or for someone who might just enjoy learning a bit about popular conspiracy theories. At just over 200 pages with lots of pictures, pulled quotes and multi-media layouts, I would suggest you read or gift this in a physical format rather than as an e-book.
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3.5 Rounded up to 4
I've not seen "Decoded" nor read any of Meltzer's previous works and while I'm not a conspiracy theorist, I used to love hearing a good conspiracy theory. Now in the age of COVID-19 and the 2020 US Presidential Election, I worry that people simply don't want to accept facts that aren't convenient to their way of thinking and thus create conspiracy theories to align with their beliefs. The conspiracies included in this book have been around for a while and have taken on a legendary, pop culture quality that makes them "fun" rather than wacky.
Here's my 2 cents on the 10:
1. John Wilkes Booth escaping capture for 40 years after Lincoln’s assassination-- Talk about a crazy tornado of a dozen conspiracy theories in one.
2. The Missing Confederate Treasury--The Forrest Finn treasure was just found so I guess this is possible.
3. The Georgia Guide stones--these are only 2 hours from where I live and I had never heard of them before!
4. D.B. Cooper-- This was a fun one to think about.
5. The White House cornerstone--this didn't seem very exciting or noteworthy
6. Hitler’s pursuit of the Spear of Destiny--this was interesting since I had never even heard of the Spear of Destiny before.
7. Da Vinci’s apocalypse prediction--Da Vinci was a very talented and intelligent man but this is silly.
8. Fort Knox's gold-- this one was worth some contemplation.
9. UFOs/Roswell/Area 51-- Nothing new from what most people already know. Super fun theories on this one!
10. JFK Assassination: I have not seen Oliver Stone’s JFK but after the last few years I can totally understand how people are unable to separate fact from fiction.
Overall, this was an entertaining and fun book that covered the basics and will appeal to a wide audience. It would be a perfect gift for that person on your holiday shopping list who thinks everything in our current world is a conspiracy or for someone who might just enjoy learning a bit about popular conspiracy theories. At just over 200 pages with lots of pictures, pulled quotes and multi-media layouts, I would suggest you read or gift this in a physical format rather than as an e-book.
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June 27, 2020
There's a conspiracy going on, and that's for sure – practically all the alleged conspiracies on these pages, and featured in the tie-in TV programme, are American. Yes, it must clearly be a secretive global government of lizard people that demand all such conspiracies be provided for the entertainment of Americans, and the rest of the world can go hang. Dyatlov Pass? Too Russian, and while one of the creepiest alleged happenings the world knows, not American enough. But the good thing is that, while America can provide for some crackpot ideas, it can also provide for some cracking presentations of such crackpot ideas.
I'd not known of many of these legends and ideas before now – their fault for being from the New World, of course. I didn't know John Wilkes Booth was supposed to have lived for years after shooting Lincoln in the bonce – but despite some dubious photographic evidence ("this looks the spit of him" – "yes, but this is not his contemporary by about thirty years") I was suitably intrigued by the evidence presented that he did manage to find a second life. As for some mystical cabal squirrelling away gold for the Confederate cause at the end of the Civil War – well, you won't get me on that one. The very idea stashes of treasure would still be intact when so few people knew of their whereabouts ("only myself and old Bill Willox from the old house across the creek knows where the treasure I'm guarding is, so I'm just going to leave it intact until I die, because I know that while I want it the political cause I might have followed had it not died out a century ago is going to want it someday, and I'm never ever going to help myself…") is just rubbish, whatever the efforts of modern people finding clues where there are none might imply.
As for the book, it's pretty much not a conspiracy to say it's a great presentation. If anything, the picture research, with its attendant visual selection and multiple captions, is a little too distracting, but the storytelling is fine, even if it does at times too suddenly veer from what happened back then (allegedly) to what happened when the documentary series was made.
But what I also really, really liked about the book was the scope, despite my jibe about it being American, in that it hit on conspiracies my limited Fortean knowledge had never come across, and the way it treats them. Thoughts on the Spear of Destiny (and the ultimate location of just one many alleged to be that) are matched by the fact that it's bloody worrying people still believe in it as a totemic, magical emblem, and the same could almost be said to be true about the gold that I am now thinking is NOT in Fort Knox. So, although some of the testimony in the Roswell/Area 51/aliens in general chapter is about as convincing as Elon Musk's ambition to become an alien to some other species, this was one of the best books I've read on this kind of subject in I don't know how long.
What I got from these pages was the perfect frisson I desired – I'd never heard of the Georgia Guidestones, and having them and more presented to me so succinctly (I love the JFK conspiracies, but would never want to read a whole book devoted to them) was right up my street. This was one of the most fun books I can remember reading this year.
I'd not known of many of these legends and ideas before now – their fault for being from the New World, of course. I didn't know John Wilkes Booth was supposed to have lived for years after shooting Lincoln in the bonce – but despite some dubious photographic evidence ("this looks the spit of him" – "yes, but this is not his contemporary by about thirty years") I was suitably intrigued by the evidence presented that he did manage to find a second life. As for some mystical cabal squirrelling away gold for the Confederate cause at the end of the Civil War – well, you won't get me on that one. The very idea stashes of treasure would still be intact when so few people knew of their whereabouts ("only myself and old Bill Willox from the old house across the creek knows where the treasure I'm guarding is, so I'm just going to leave it intact until I die, because I know that while I want it the political cause I might have followed had it not died out a century ago is going to want it someday, and I'm never ever going to help myself…") is just rubbish, whatever the efforts of modern people finding clues where there are none might imply.
As for the book, it's pretty much not a conspiracy to say it's a great presentation. If anything, the picture research, with its attendant visual selection and multiple captions, is a little too distracting, but the storytelling is fine, even if it does at times too suddenly veer from what happened back then (allegedly) to what happened when the documentary series was made.
But what I also really, really liked about the book was the scope, despite my jibe about it being American, in that it hit on conspiracies my limited Fortean knowledge had never come across, and the way it treats them. Thoughts on the Spear of Destiny (and the ultimate location of just one many alleged to be that) are matched by the fact that it's bloody worrying people still believe in it as a totemic, magical emblem, and the same could almost be said to be true about the gold that I am now thinking is NOT in Fort Knox. So, although some of the testimony in the Roswell/Area 51/aliens in general chapter is about as convincing as Elon Musk's ambition to become an alien to some other species, this was one of the best books I've read on this kind of subject in I don't know how long.
What I got from these pages was the perfect frisson I desired – I'd never heard of the Georgia Guidestones, and having them and more presented to me so succinctly (I love the JFK conspiracies, but would never want to read a whole book devoted to them) was right up my street. This was one of the most fun books I can remember reading this year.
November 5, 2020
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time, you’re probably well aware that I love a good conspiracy book. As a fan of a couple of other Brad Meltzer history/conspiracy books, I figured I would enjoy this one as well.
I was disappointed to find out that this is a re-issue of a book originally published in 2013, with little updated information. Another disappointment was that the majority of the topics in this book are not conspiracies, but mysteries.
The ‘conspiracies’ include:
Did John Wilkes Booth escape capture and live for 40 years after Lincoln’s assassination? (not a conspiracy unless facilitated by other people or organizations)
Was the Confederate Treasury hidden away to fund a new Confederacy in the future? (this would admittedly be a conspiracy on behalf of the Confederate leaders who planned it)
The Georgia Guidestones (definitely mysterious, but not a conspiracy)
What happened to D.B. Cooper? (another mystery, not necessarily a conspiracy)
Where is the White House cornerstone? (mystery, but not a conspiracy)
Hitler’s pursuit of the Spear of Destiny (stretching the limits of conspiracy)
Did Da Vinci’s paintings predict an apocalypse? (not a conspiracy)
Is there any gold in Fort Knox? (government conspiracy)
UFOs/Roswell/Area 51 (government conspiracy to cover up)
JFK Assassination (listed as a conspiracy, but the authors deny any conspiracy)
I gave The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time three stars on Goodreads. I really wanted to love this book but was extremely disappointed that non-conspiracies dominated the list to the exclusion of things like the Business Plot against FDR and the successful Trump/Russia conspiracy.
If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time, you’re probably well aware that I love a good conspiracy book. As a fan of a couple of other Brad Meltzer history/conspiracy books, I figured I would enjoy this one as well.
I was disappointed to find out that this is a re-issue of a book originally published in 2013, with little updated information. Another disappointment was that the majority of the topics in this book are not conspiracies, but mysteries.
The ‘conspiracies’ include:
Did John Wilkes Booth escape capture and live for 40 years after Lincoln’s assassination? (not a conspiracy unless facilitated by other people or organizations)
Was the Confederate Treasury hidden away to fund a new Confederacy in the future? (this would admittedly be a conspiracy on behalf of the Confederate leaders who planned it)
The Georgia Guidestones (definitely mysterious, but not a conspiracy)
What happened to D.B. Cooper? (another mystery, not necessarily a conspiracy)
Where is the White House cornerstone? (mystery, but not a conspiracy)
Hitler’s pursuit of the Spear of Destiny (stretching the limits of conspiracy)
Did Da Vinci’s paintings predict an apocalypse? (not a conspiracy)
Is there any gold in Fort Knox? (government conspiracy)
UFOs/Roswell/Area 51 (government conspiracy to cover up)
JFK Assassination (listed as a conspiracy, but the authors deny any conspiracy)
I gave The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time three stars on Goodreads. I really wanted to love this book but was extremely disappointed that non-conspiracies dominated the list to the exclusion of things like the Business Plot against FDR and the successful Trump/Russia conspiracy.
September 7, 2020
I have read some of Meltzer's fiction and non fiction books before. How could I pass up on the his choice of the 10 greatest conspiracies of all time. This is a short (214 pages) book with lots of pictures. Each conspiracy gets one chapter. I expected the assassination of JFK and UFOs at Roswell, NM and was not disappointed. I was less familiar with the Spear of Destiny or had no idea the location of the cornerstone of the White house is a mystery.
Meltzer has a folksy writing style. He talks to you like you were sitting down together at a bar chatting. He doesn't solve the mysteries but gives you basic information and in some cases pokes at what is right or wrong with certain theories. I really liked how in discussing JFK's assassination he pointed out that Americans idea of who was behind the killing changes as our enemies change.
This book felt like it was a companion guide to his tv show on the History Channel called Decoded. He mentions the people on his show as if it was current but the show was 2010-2012. So I am guessing this is a reboot of a previous book or gathering of ideas presented in his show. I recently read his "The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington' (2019) and maybe this was a followup.
I am sure it will be fixed before release but the format did not do well in the Kindle app on my iPad. I almost gave up reading before trying it on NetGalley app where found I could see all the photos and inserts appropriatly.
Thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing for the ARC ebook in exchange for honest review.
Meltzer has a folksy writing style. He talks to you like you were sitting down together at a bar chatting. He doesn't solve the mysteries but gives you basic information and in some cases pokes at what is right or wrong with certain theories. I really liked how in discussing JFK's assassination he pointed out that Americans idea of who was behind the killing changes as our enemies change.
This book felt like it was a companion guide to his tv show on the History Channel called Decoded. He mentions the people on his show as if it was current but the show was 2010-2012. So I am guessing this is a reboot of a previous book or gathering of ideas presented in his show. I recently read his "The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington' (2019) and maybe this was a followup.
I am sure it will be fixed before release but the format did not do well in the Kindle app on my iPad. I almost gave up reading before trying it on NetGalley app where found I could see all the photos and inserts appropriatly.
Thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing for the ARC ebook in exchange for honest review.
August 2, 2020
I always enjoy Brad Meltzer's books, my preference is the non-fiction he writes Particularly the First Conspiracy, that book was an exceptional read. The reason I enjoyed that book was the material was brand new (at least to me) and definitely not widely known. This is not the case with this book.
The 10 Greatest Conspiracies are definitely great, but in that they are very well known; especially to a US audience. Other than the Da Vinci and Spear of Destiny stories, the rest are firmly American.
This book is not "deep", but I definitely learned more about these well known events than I did before reading the book.
I do like that the author does not "pick a side", he just loves a good conspiracy story and wants to get at every angle possible in an attempt to understand it, and he brings you along with him as he's making discoveries. You feel just as excited as he was. Particularly the DP Cooper story, I was completely enthralled.
I did read this on an e-reader, and I recommend that you invest in the actual hardcover book. The format definitely does not lend itself to the kindle either, it is too complex for you to read it page by page. At least on the iPad, you get a full digital rendering and pictures come through nicely, but it left me feeling I was reading a magazine.
The 10 Greatest Conspiracies are definitely great, but in that they are very well known; especially to a US audience. Other than the Da Vinci and Spear of Destiny stories, the rest are firmly American.
This book is not "deep", but I definitely learned more about these well known events than I did before reading the book.
I do like that the author does not "pick a side", he just loves a good conspiracy story and wants to get at every angle possible in an attempt to understand it, and he brings you along with him as he's making discoveries. You feel just as excited as he was. Particularly the DP Cooper story, I was completely enthralled.
I did read this on an e-reader, and I recommend that you invest in the actual hardcover book. The format definitely does not lend itself to the kindle either, it is too complex for you to read it page by page. At least on the iPad, you get a full digital rendering and pictures come through nicely, but it left me feeling I was reading a magazine.
January 9, 2024
This was a fun little light read. It contains 10 top conspiracies that Brad Meltzer and his team investigate. I'm not sure if it came after or before the TV show they did but appears connected. Among the conspiracies were Kennedy's assassination and whether John Wilkes Booth got away after assassinating Lincoln, Roswell and UFO's and whether there is any gold in Fort Knox. I hadn't heard the one about Booth getting away and that was actually my favorite for the interesting source material.
Like any conspiracy, there is no way to definitively prove anything one way or another so there is no real sum up and a couple of the topics the sum up seemed weak, as if the author wasn't sure how to wrap up the subject. It did bug me that Meltzer had a tendency to hype a section up as if new material was found or new discoveries were made and then it just ended up being something small, a bit overly dramatic I guess at times is the way I would describe it. I watched one of the shows and found a similar thing done there, cliffhangers where there really shouldn't be and the like, but it keeps viewers/readers engaged. Still, I learned some new theories about these things and appreciated all the illustrations and background info. It's more of a pick up and read a chapter here and there kind of book, but fun for that purpose.
Like any conspiracy, there is no way to definitively prove anything one way or another so there is no real sum up and a couple of the topics the sum up seemed weak, as if the author wasn't sure how to wrap up the subject. It did bug me that Meltzer had a tendency to hype a section up as if new material was found or new discoveries were made and then it just ended up being something small, a bit overly dramatic I guess at times is the way I would describe it. I watched one of the shows and found a similar thing done there, cliffhangers where there really shouldn't be and the like, but it keeps viewers/readers engaged. Still, I learned some new theories about these things and appreciated all the illustrations and background info. It's more of a pick up and read a chapter here and there kind of book, but fun for that purpose.
January 17, 2022
Did John Wilkes Booth go on to live long after Lincoln's assassination? What happened to the Spear of Destiny? Could Da Vinci predict the future? What is the truth behind the Kennedy assassination? These and six other long standing mysteries are examined by Meltzer in this highly entertaining read.
I really enjoy Meltzer's non-fiction writing. His tone is lively, sarcastic, witty and engaging. He writes like he is having a conversation with you, or perhaps giving a rousing college lecture. You want to listen to him, he is compelling and fascinating. In addition, his grasp of history is deep. He tried to present all the facts he can, and his cases are thorough and meticulous.
In reading almost all of these cases I learned things I did not know. The whole case of Booth for example was new. I never knew theories existed about how he might have survived. He joins the ranks of Jesse James and Billy the Kid in that regard. It is an interesting idea.
My favorite by far was the Spear of Destiny. I knew a little about the spear, and the connection to Hitler, but the rest of what Meltzer discussed was illuminating, and a little scary. The power given to that object was just unheard of.
If you like history, mysteries or just an entertaining what if read, try this book.
I really enjoy Meltzer's non-fiction writing. His tone is lively, sarcastic, witty and engaging. He writes like he is having a conversation with you, or perhaps giving a rousing college lecture. You want to listen to him, he is compelling and fascinating. In addition, his grasp of history is deep. He tried to present all the facts he can, and his cases are thorough and meticulous.
In reading almost all of these cases I learned things I did not know. The whole case of Booth for example was new. I never knew theories existed about how he might have survived. He joins the ranks of Jesse James and Billy the Kid in that regard. It is an interesting idea.
My favorite by far was the Spear of Destiny. I knew a little about the spear, and the connection to Hitler, but the rest of what Meltzer discussed was illuminating, and a little scary. The power given to that object was just unheard of.
If you like history, mysteries or just an entertaining what if read, try this book.
June 28, 2020
Brad Meltzer is the conspiracy theorist king. This book explores 10 of the ones that have haunted us for years. His topics include some of the most fascinating: the Kennedy assassination and the many theories about it, a large and mysterious structure in Georgia, the Lincoln assassination and John Wilkes Booth, the Masons, the cornerstones of the U.S. Capital and the Whitehouse, aliens, etc. If you have read his books, like conspiracy theories or like to see them debunked or explained you will enjoy this book. There are many learning moments included with the conspiracy theories, lots of neat illustrations and historical trivia and truths. For those of you who are not familiar with Brad Meltzer he is involved in a popular tv show that also examines these theories and is the writer of many fiction books based on some of them. His fiction is an enjoyable read and I like his writing style. as he combines history, conspiracy theories, likeable characters, and net plots. This book is similar but most enjoyable as well.
Thanks NetGalley# for the opportunity to read and review this book..
Thanks NetGalley# for the opportunity to read and review this book..
July 19, 2020
If you can get the TV voiceover out of your head after reading this, then you are doing better than I. This book is entertaining, gives the reader more than one potential laugh and does make you stop and think about some of the crazy ideas people come up with when the truth is not so obvious, but I still can't get that voiceover out of my head.
As books on conspiracy theories go, this one isn't bad. It presents the reader with multiple explanations rather than just sticking with the favourite of the author and doesn't really form any solid conclusions as each theory wraps up. This book reads like a transcript from "Decoded," and sometimes that is a bit odd. There is no lack of tropes in this book, that is for certain.
Still, if you find that you are one of those people like myself who are constantly curious about what other people think about major events in the world, this will give you a quick thrill. Overall, I found this to be an entertaining break from more serious non-fiction.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
As books on conspiracy theories go, this one isn't bad. It presents the reader with multiple explanations rather than just sticking with the favourite of the author and doesn't really form any solid conclusions as each theory wraps up. This book reads like a transcript from "Decoded," and sometimes that is a bit odd. There is no lack of tropes in this book, that is for certain.
Still, if you find that you are one of those people like myself who are constantly curious about what other people think about major events in the world, this will give you a quick thrill. Overall, I found this to be an entertaining break from more serious non-fiction.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
May 31, 2021
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.
January 9, 2024
I read this for work as we are in the midst of reviewing possible titles for summer reading. Our topic is mystery and we were looking for a non-fiction anthology. While this isn't technically an anthology, we felt like it might serve our purposes of having several short readings in one text, plus Brad Meltzer was a draw, so I volunteered to read it. Overall, I think it's going to work great for us, and I'm going to recommend we add it to our summer reading list. This book is based on Brad Meltzer's History Channel series, Decoded, and reads the way a TV series might, as if each chapter (each of the 10 mysteries) were being researched for an episode of a TV show. The tone is very conversational, and while many of the mysteries aren't technically solved, Meltzer does debunk several popular conspiracies theories around each. There are lots of interesting historical artifacts, interviews, photographs, etc, which also made for easy reading. I think this is going to really appeal to some of our readers who are looking for a mystery book without a lot of gore, those who are history buffs, and those who might be drawn to the episodic format.
October 20, 2020
I enjoy Brad Meltzer's writing and was eager to read this book on The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time: Decoding History's Unsolved Mysteries. Though I had previously been unaware of his Decoders TV show, upon learning that, I could definitely hear a voice-over in my head (similar to Dateline) which is neither a good nor bad thing, it just added to the read.
Many of the conspiracies I was definitely aware of, others were new to me. I did not know that we had our own Stonehenge type site in the US (state of Georgia), and knew nothing about the Spear of Destiny.
All of the items chosen to make the list were attention worthy, and I learned alot reading this book. If you're looking for a lightweight non-fiction read that will inform and entertain you simultaneously, this is a good choice.
My thanks to NetGalley and Workman Plough Publishing for allowing me to read a review copy of the book. Publication is set for 11/10/2020. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Many of the conspiracies I was definitely aware of, others were new to me. I did not know that we had our own Stonehenge type site in the US (state of Georgia), and knew nothing about the Spear of Destiny.
All of the items chosen to make the list were attention worthy, and I learned alot reading this book. If you're looking for a lightweight non-fiction read that will inform and entertain you simultaneously, this is a good choice.
My thanks to NetGalley and Workman Plough Publishing for allowing me to read a review copy of the book. Publication is set for 11/10/2020. All opinions expressed here are my own.
October 9, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy for an honest review.
While I thoroughly enjoyed Brad Meltzer's show "Decoded", this book was underwhelming. It was a rehash of conspiracies covered on the show and didn't provide any new information or insight. The prose read much like a transcription from the show. As a fan of Meltzer's fiction thrillers, this left me wanting more and feeling that there wasn't a real draw to this book if someone has been a follower of the TV show.
Some of these conspiracies covered have been done before and a few left me scratching my head on why they were included, especially, DB Cooper and Fort Knox. I do understand you can't do a conspiracy book without including Area 51 and the Kennedy assassination however these were both handled well with a bit of a twist of how they are traditionally covered.
While I thoroughly enjoyed Brad Meltzer's show "Decoded", this book was underwhelming. It was a rehash of conspiracies covered on the show and didn't provide any new information or insight. The prose read much like a transcription from the show. As a fan of Meltzer's fiction thrillers, this left me wanting more and feeling that there wasn't a real draw to this book if someone has been a follower of the TV show.
Some of these conspiracies covered have been done before and a few left me scratching my head on why they were included, especially, DB Cooper and Fort Knox. I do understand you can't do a conspiracy book without including Area 51 and the Kennedy assassination however these were both handled well with a bit of a twist of how they are traditionally covered.
November 11, 2020
Logical Discussion of Popular Conspiracy Theories
I had watched some of the author's programs on television so I was familiar with some of these stories. I enjoyed these theories so much more in book form. The book is a very quick read because of how the author lays it out with all sorts of documentation. Alternate theories are revealed and possibly disproven. There are always several theories with lots of evidence to go along with the discussion. The author lays the theories out with logic and discussion. While nothing is proven (which is why they remain theories), nothing is presented as 'gut feeling', intuition, or any of the other non-logic used in so many books of 'history' that I have read. I love this author's work and enjoyed the book. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
I had watched some of the author's programs on television so I was familiar with some of these stories. I enjoyed these theories so much more in book form. The book is a very quick read because of how the author lays it out with all sorts of documentation. Alternate theories are revealed and possibly disproven. There are always several theories with lots of evidence to go along with the discussion. The author lays the theories out with logic and discussion. While nothing is proven (which is why they remain theories), nothing is presented as 'gut feeling', intuition, or any of the other non-logic used in so many books of 'history' that I have read. I love this author's work and enjoyed the book. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
July 10, 2025
Good, not great. Choosing the top 10 conspiracies was interesting, as there are probably some that I'd rank above the ones Brad Meltzer picked, but I also learned some things about conspiracies that hadn't really been much on my radar screen.
Be warned: While this book isn't THAT old (I believe it was originally published in 2012 or 2013, but revised and reprinted in 2020), there are some aspects that are outdated. For example, the extensive discussion on the Georgia Guidestones was interesting... but the guidestones themselves are no longer in existence, having been removed about three years ago after a bomb damaged the structure.
I'll admit that I haven't watched the TV show that's apparently connected to this book, and watching might have connected me more to the author and the discussions.
Be warned: While this book isn't THAT old (I believe it was originally published in 2012 or 2013, but revised and reprinted in 2020), there are some aspects that are outdated. For example, the extensive discussion on the Georgia Guidestones was interesting... but the guidestones themselves are no longer in existence, having been removed about three years ago after a bomb damaged the structure.
I'll admit that I haven't watched the TV show that's apparently connected to this book, and watching might have connected me more to the author and the discussions.
September 8, 2020
I gave this book three stars because half of the "Great Conspiracies" were of some interest. The others were silly ideas along the lines of the movie National Treasure. I did find the stories about John Wilkes Booth, D B Cooper and UFO's to be somewhat factual and worth reading.
My biggest complaint with this book is that it read like the script of a television show that features sensational ideas to be broadcast late at night. The author is the spokesperson for a show called Decoded. It felt like he lifted the book straight from the television script with little editing.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My biggest complaint with this book is that it read like the script of a television show that features sensational ideas to be broadcast late at night. The author is the spokesperson for a show called Decoded. It felt like he lifted the book straight from the television script with little editing.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2020
This was a fun little book with descriptions and introductions of ten conspiracies from around the world. I was glad to be able to read and harken back to when you could have fun with conspiracy theories and thinking about "What if" without having to deal with the bleak hell that is 2020 and QAnon cultists. I also didn't know that we had lost the cornerstone to the White House, so that was cool. If you're already into conspiracy theories, this isn't the book for you. A little bit of extra info might be present, or pictures of primary documents might be new for you, but on the whole this is an introductory work for those who hadn't read or dealt too far down the rabbit hole yet.
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2020
Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com
3.75 Hearts I am a big fan of Brad Meltzer. I enjoy the way he writes and puts whatever he is saying into terms we can understand. And never do I feel that he doesn’t believe what he is saying. In this one he is talking about the conspiracies of 10 times in history including Kennedy, Area 51 and more.
In this set of stories he is letting us know what others say may have happened and what he believes himself. But never once does he say “This is the truth” he says what he believes and what the conspiracies are.
I love the history the way Meltzer explains it and I enjoyed this book very much.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 Hearts I am a big fan of Brad Meltzer. I enjoy the way he writes and puts whatever he is saying into terms we can understand. And never do I feel that he doesn’t believe what he is saying. In this one he is talking about the conspiracies of 10 times in history including Kennedy, Area 51 and more.
In this set of stories he is letting us know what others say may have happened and what he believes himself. But never once does he say “This is the truth” he says what he believes and what the conspiracies are.
I love the history the way Meltzer explains it and I enjoyed this book very much.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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