The Freemasons: A History of the World's Most Powerful ... (ISBN 1559706546)

Amazon.com Review:
Many books about the Freemasons are hysterical polemics based on ludicrous conspiracy theories. British historian Jasper Ridley offers a welcome antidote to these half-witted tomes with The Freemasons, a sober-minded account of a secret society that has survived for centuries. Most important, Ridley provides the one thing missing from many discussions of the masons: facts. For instance, after noting the "well-established legend in the United States that the Freemasons made the American Revolution," Ridley shows that "of the 55 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, only nine were certainly masons." (Prominent members of the founding generation who were not masons include Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Alexander Hamilton.) This shows that masons have played a meaningful role in history, though not the domineering one their critics have alleged. Even though Ridley (who is not a mason) defends the masons against the overblown charges made against them, he doesn't quite buy the explanation that "they are no different from a golf club. ...Members of golf clubs do not take oaths not to reveal the secrets of the club." For a level- headed account of how a medieval guild of stone masons developed over time into an offbeat social organization with a powerful membership, Ridley's book is tough to beat. --John Miller

Good review on historical background but doesn't give away any craft secrets.:
As a 32nd Degree Mason, this helped fill in the gaps that I did not already know and gave some further background on what I did need some answers for. This book does not give any of the "craft secrets" that some books have in the past. Provides great insight to the beginnings of Freemasonary in Europe and the USA to include the Revolutionary period with George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. Book is a great addition to a Mason's library.

The Freemasons: A History of the World's Most Powerful Secret Society:
This book was purchased for my Partner for a Christmas present and he is Enjoying it very much

The Freemasons: A History of the World's Most Powerful Secret Society:
The book open my eyes more about this great organzation, that i glad to be a part of

Gave this book as a gift:
I can't personally review the book since I gave it as a gift. I did ask them about the book and they did say that alot of the books have some of the same information but it was good to read another book about the Freemasons. Sorry I can't give more details but again, it was bought as a gift.

A Very Learned, Historical Book:
Jasper Ridley's Freemasons is probably the most objective and fairly written historical account of the history of Freemasonry. The book starts with the likely origins of the Freemasons and their original lodges and traces the organization all the way to present-day Freemasonry. It looks at the roll of the Freemasons in early modern Europe, their relationship with monarchies, their roll in revolutionary South America, their roll in the United States, and their roll today. For a book on the world's poster child secret society, Jasper Ridley's approach is very fair. He presents Freemason's assertions of historical events as well as the anti-Masons assertions (including the Protocols of the Elders of Zion) but always delivers what is historically accurate. He touches on the notable people who have really developed Freemasonry and cites many Masonic historians. He also talks of world leaders and powerful people who were Freemasons and points out that, often times, Masons were on each side of political battles. From George III, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Fredrick the Great, Ridley includes examples of noteworthy players in Western societies' history. Chapters are divided into specific stories within specific countries during a respective time period. If you are interested in conspiracy theories about Freemasons, I would not recommend this book. If you are looking for a glorified account of the roll of Freemasons throughout history, I would not recommend this book either. If you are looking for a historical account of Freemasonry and readily proclaim yourself as a history buff, then I would definitely recommend this book.