Step inside the concealed world of secret societies with a guide that helps you recognise their presence, understand their aims and trace the marks they leave behind.
Field Guide to Secret Societies examines the stories behind a wide range of organisations – some famous, some obscure and some downright dangerous – revealing how these organisations formed, how they operate and why people were – and still are – drawn to them.
To make sense of this hidden landscape, you’ll discover:
- Clear profiles of more than 50 societies, from the Freemasons and Rosicrucians to the Bohemian Club and the Knights Templar.
- Concise explanations of their origins, leadership, secrecy techniques, rituals and real‑world impact.
- Visual cues and identifying features that help readers recognise signs of secret‑society activity in everyday life.
- Atmospheric illustrations that bring each organisation’s character and history to life.
Some societies are still active, others have vanished and many sit somewhere in between. Equally, some are harmless whereas others pose a threat – but whether that threat is real or imaginary will be up to the you to judge . . .
For anyone fascinated by what lies behind the façade of everyday life, this guide offers a fresh way to see the world and the hidden societies woven through it.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Chapter 1: Politics
The Hellfire Club; The Committee of 300; The Illuminati; The Skull and Bones; The Round Table Movement; The Council on Foreign Relations; The Bilderberg Group; The Trilateral Commission
Chapter 2: Religion
The Knights Templar; The Khlysty; The Dönmeh; The Knights of Seth; The Knights of Columbus; Opus Dei; Kereke ya Sephiri; The Order of the Solar Temple
Chapter 3: Occult
Poro and Sande Societies; Odin Brotherhood; The Ancient Order of Druids; The Society of the Horseman’s Word; Abakuá; Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia; The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn; The Illuminates of Thanateros; Ordo Templi Orientis
Chapter 4: Education
The School of Night; The Rosicrucians; The Bullingdon Club; The Apostles; Scroll and Key; The Ancient Order of Freesmiths; The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry; The Seven Society
Chapter 5: Crime
The Sicarii; Thuggee; The Assassins; The Ninja; The Yakuza; The Mafia; The Molly Maguires; The Knights of Liberty
Chapter 6: Philanthropy
The Freemasons; The Independent Order of Odd Fellows; The Knights of Pythias; The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; The United Order of the Golden Cross; The Royal Arcanum; The Knights of the Maccabees; The Mysterious Order of the Veiled Prophet; The Grand Order of Water Rats; The Order of Chaeronea
Index
Picture credits
Acknowledgements
About the Author :
Tim Dedopulos is a writer, editor and game designer with nearly 100 published works to his name in fiction and non-fiction, from horror and SFF to history, puzzles and popular culture. His books include Symbolism, The Brotherhood, The Book of Wizards, The Great Global Treasure Hunt on Google Earth, Spock's Logic Puzzles, You Are (Not) Deadpool and the bestselling The Sherlock Holmes Puzzle Collection. Tim lives in Spain with his wife and three cats.
