Crafty MasonI recently had the privilege of receiving a copy of The Masonic Myth by Jay Kinney, a book about the history of Freemasonry and its symbols and rites. Almost refreshing to notice is that the author, Jay Kinney, is a Freemason and a member of a regular lodge, unlike many authors on the topic lately.
The Masonic Myth: Unlocking the Truth About the Symbols, the Secret Rites, and the History of Freemasonry by Jay Kinney
The book is just about 250 pages and gives an educated breakdown of Freemasonry: its history from the time of operative masons to the detailed history of the spreading of Freemasonry in North America and Europe, its structure and hierarchy, its appendant bodies and rites, and its symbolism and explanations. Conveniently, a few days after receiving a copy of The Masonic Myth I found myself using it as reference to have a clear ‘map’ of the chairs within the lodge, while out one night with some brothers from lodge, then later again a few days later when I was looking for information about the Scottish and York Rites’ degrees. While absolutely interesting and easy to read from a non-mason’s footings, I found this book to be more than helpful as an active member of a lodge.
While dispelling common rumours and conspiracy theories about the Fraternity, Jay Kinney later comments on the future of Freemasonry regarding demographics and dwindling memberships, bringing focus to other fraternal orders which both rose and fell in the 19th century. Sure, you may be able to strike up a conversation about lower memberships numbers with just about any Mason, but Kinney makes interesting notes on the sudden (massive) expansion of communication with brethren from across the world using various methods online including e-mail lists, message board forums, and chat rooms.
I must state again that this book was thoroughly researched, and shows no signs being thrown together to appease the masses (coughDan Browncough). Different than fictional books using the history of Freemasonry as an engine, Jay Kinney drives excitement just the same- more than just “based” on a true story in The Masonic Myth. I have the paperpack version, but I’ll likely pick up the hard cover just so I have a copy to lend out, and one to store on the shelf in my collection. It’s great for reference and the easy-to-read and often humorous lines (like the pop culture reference to The Simpsons in the first chapter) makes this a great choice for some Masonic reading before bed.
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ISBN: 9780060822569 (Buy it online from Amazon
Author Bio:
Jay Kinney is co-author of Hidden Wisdom: A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions. For fifteen years, he served as publisher and editor-in-chief of Gnosis Magazine, the premiere journal covering esoteric traditions and spiritual paths. In addition, Kinney is a member of Mill Valley Lodge #356 and Mission Lodge #169, F&AM, in California. He’s also a member of the York Rite, and a 32° KCCH in the Scottish Rite. He has twice been a speaker at the California Masonic Symposium, and is a recipient of the Albert G. Mackey Award for Excellence in Masonic Research. He has extensive contacts within Freemasonry and, as Librarian and Director of Research for the San Francisco Scottish Rite, has access to many resources and Masonic records that have eluded most popular writers on this topic.
