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The Real History of Secret Societies

By: Professor Richard B. Spence, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Professor Richard B. Spence
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Summary

Welcome to The Real History of Secret Societies, a historical look at the true-life groups which, if you believe the myths, are the unspoken power behind some of the world’s major turning points, from controlling the British crown to holding back the electric car and keeping Martians and Atlantis under wraps.

Prepare yourself. In this course brought to you in partnership with HISTORY®, you will be visiting some of history’s deepest rabbit-holes, across centuries and continents, in search of secret societies in all their varieties. You will journey to some very dark places, and frankly some odd and sometimes silly ones as well. During 24 eye-opening lectures, Dr. Richard B. “Rick” Spence, Professor of History at the University of Idaho, guides you through the fascinating, often mystifying - sometimes disturbing - world of brotherhoods, sisterhoods, orders, cults, and cabals that have influenced human culture from ancient times to the present.

You’ll understand how and why secret societies have attracted some of history’s most brilliant, and some of its most evil, minds. Often demonized by their enemies, many secret societies have become the stuff of myths and conspiracy theories. Why do they exist? And when they are invented or imagined, why would someone pretend they exist? What do secret societies believe? Who do they recruit? Most important, what influence do they have? Buckle up and get ready to find out.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019 The Great Courses (P)2019 The Teaching Company, LLC
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What listeners say about The Real History of Secret Societies

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Great read

I've been interested in secret societies for a long time but no where has it all been in one place,so much to go references to go of and investigate.

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Interesting

The lectures were interesting but I’m afraid the lecturer lost all credibility for me when he quoted Graham Hancock who is an absolute charlatan.

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Excellent! It's a great book!

Amazing! Absolutely useful and interesting,I appreciate to listen it,I am glad to found that book.

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well worth the listin

fantastic topic, well presented. good over all information. covers many different area of the topic

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information

Great book and great voice 👏 I enjoyed listening and knowing all these societies mind blowing

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Loving the balanced views

Not only the book is really well narrated, but the information is never presented as being the absolute truth. Very refreshing. Still, I’ve learnt a lot

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thought provoking

I thoroughly enjoyed this course, very thought provoking subject. well read by the author and very well researched.

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Entertaining/Informative

A great run through the hidden world all around us. Historically accurate lectures on matters many today would seem to want to dismiss as "conspiracy theories". Probably because they are the actual conspirators. Well read by the Prof himself. I heartily recommend.

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Informative, interesting and compulsive listening

I stumbled across this and thought I would give it a go. Professor Spence narrates his lectures beautifully and I found the whole thing absolutely riveting, I couldn't stop listening. It encompasses everything from Christianity to the Masons, well referenced and reasoned arguments both debunk and confirm so called conspiracy theories. My biggest take was that there is no such thing as Secret Societies, just Societies with secrets, Highly recommend.

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