What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the word remains and is immortal. - Week Two.

To live in the world without becoming
aware of the meaning of the world is
like wandering about in a great library
without touching the books.

It’s pretty obvious that Dan Brown’s books follow a set pattern:

Really creepy villian (usually with some weird body modification) +
Incredible conspiracy/mystery that the general public is unaware of +
Preppy Harvard professor/symbologist Robert Langdon = A highly entertaining read.

That’s the key to reading a Dan Brown book. Go into it knowing that it’s going to be entertaining and keep you on the edge of your seat. Know that you are not going to be reading some great, life-altering, literary masterpiece. Dan Brown’s books keep you hooked and entertained all the way from start to finish. If you’ve read The Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons you will enjoy The Lost Symbol.

The Lost Symbol brings the charming Robert Langdon back into our life. This time he’s not wandering around Europe solving mysteries… he’s come home to the good ol’ US of A and finds himself dead center in a mystery centered in our nation’s capitol. The premise centers around an ancient secret guarded by the mysterious fraternal organization – The Freemasons. Yeah, you know those lodges that you see all around town? The ones that kinda blend in with the Moose and Elk's lodges? Well apparently, behind the dull exterior the Masons have a pretty interesting past. A large number of our nation's leaders and founding fathers were Freemasons. Didn't know that did you? Well, I didn't. I also didn't know about the rich symbolism and mythology that's hidden within the monuments of Washington DC.

As in all of Dan' Brown's books, the technologies and history that he refers to are all fact. That's what I think makes his books so compelling to me. He gives us a glimpse into a world that's right beneath our noses, that we never knew existed. Think of The Lost Symbol not only as an exciting read, but as a learning experience. Dan Brown's books are the type that make me pull out my laptop as I'm reading so that I can look up some of the interesting facts. I also feel like I need to know more after reading one of his books. That feeling in itself is enough to keep me coming back for more!