Da Vinci Code - Book is all wrong, critics say

[Logan]

I never watched the Da Vinci Code, told myself i would buy the dvd when it came out.
A friend did send me a copy of "The Man Behind The Da Vinci Code - Revealed" (Henry Lincoln (co-author.))
I'm not sure if it is one of the six episodes schriss tells us about, it does show amongst other subjects Henry investigating geometries, triangles, pentacles and such.
It also shows the way Dan Brown had a little fun with the authors of Holy Blood Holy Grail, in the Da Vinci a major character is named Sir Leigh Tebing, as in Richard Leigh while Teabing is an anagram of Baigent.
If anybody would like to borrow it they can, just ask.

 

[schriss]

Haven't seen that one, but one of them was narrated by Henry too and I like that because he shows interesting geometrical/historical facts, while Dan created an incredible story to make money out of it.

Recently Discovery Channel played one of those "decoding/cracking Da Vinci Code" programs, but they chose the worst, there was an old christian nun telling us why it's all wrong. For example, the apostle on the painting near Jesus can't be Mary, because if that's Mary, then where is the apostle??? When I heard that I was shocked and turned TV off, so she expected Da Vinci to ADD A WOMAN to the painting, and maybe a big sentence below: please burn me or hang me for painting heresy.

 

[Mal7]

Michael Baigent, co-author with Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln of Holy Blood, Holy Grail, died recently.

The New Zealand author who alleged The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown copied his work has died in England.

Nelson-born historian and father of four, Michael Baigent, suffered a fatal brain haemorrhage at a Brighton hospital on Wednesday. He was 65.

Baigent and co-author Richard Leigh lost a high-profile court case against Brown's publisher Random House in 2006, after they alleged his novel copied the "central theme" of their 1982 non-fiction work The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail.

Both works investigated the possibility that Jesus Christ married and had a child with Mary Magdalene and that this bloodline survives to this day.

His younger daughter Tansy, 27, told the Herald how the stress of the case took a toll on her father.

"There was a lot of stress, his partner Richard Leigh died immediately after and my father, within six months, had to have a liver transplant because he was so unwell from the trauma of the experience."

Baigent and Leigh were ordered to pay 85 per cent of Random House's legal costs, which were estimated at nearly £1.3 million ($3.7 million) at the time.

"Since then he has been living in rented accommodation because he lost all of our money and had nothing, so it's been a terrible time and a hard time. The legal battle was something he didn't want to be remembered for but it has been such a weight, it really ripped him apart because all he was seeking was some credibility for the work he had spent so many years doing."

- http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10891959

 

[Voyageur]

Michael Baigent, co-author with Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln of Holy Blood, Holy Grail, died recently.

Not having read this book, yet it has been talked about here on the fourm, I never realized they tackled Random House in a legal battle and the "stress of this as mentioned by Baigent's daughter.

I was wondering about Henry Lincoln, as he was not mentioned in the case, and see he has a website and speaking engagements. He has a blog where he discusses why he did not join the others in this legal battle (he clearly did not think highly of Baigent over issues going back to 1972):

A BROKEN PROMISE

In my Blog entry for the 5th December 2009, I dealt with the question "Why did I not join with Baigent and Leigh in their Court action against Dan Brown?" I concluded my answer thus:

I said, as I began to recount this sorry tale, that I find it difficult to deal with. Nor do I wish to dwell on such matters. However, now begun and because I have promised honest replies to the questions put to me on this web-site, I feel constrained to get rid of the unpleasantness in order to return to more entertaining and instructive matters. To do so, I must deal with one other allied matter. But not now. Enough, I think, is enough for the time being. Part Two of this outrageous saga will follow at a later date.

Here is that "Part Two", which I begin with a preface:

Yes - I find it difficult to deal with. I have tried on several occasions to write a cool and objective account of this matter, but each time I have had to abandon the attempt. Those of you who have met me, know that I try not to take myself too seriously. But this is not a subject for levity, dealing as it does with truth, honesty and - if this is not too old-fashioned a word to use in our cynical modern age - honour.

[...] {much more text}

Why did I not pursue the matter? And why have I remained silent for so long? I can only repeat that I find Baigent's behaviour despicable and dreadfully unfeeling. I detest the manner in which money seems to be able to infect relationships. I hope now to be able to let this matter rest and that, as it deserves, it will slip into the Slough of Oblivion.

I have dealt with this unpleasant business because I have many times been asked to "set the record straight". Am I being partisan in my statements? Perhaps ...

But then, as Mr Justice Peter Smith - (quoting the Defence in the Dan Brown plagiarism case) - recorded in his Judgement (para 232):

They say that they do not know whether...[Baigent]...was deliberately trying to mislead the court or was simply deluded and that he is either extremely dishonest or a complete fool.

_http://www.henrylincoln.co.uk/blog.php?id=36&e=238