wandering grail

[Ken Jones]

At 02:33 PM 3/3/97 PST, MASCARO wrote:

>I long ago read a book called HOLY BLOOD HOLY GRAIL (I think; can't remember 
>author's name either) which *argued* that Joseph of A. with the Grail and
his entourage 
>actually came over to the south of France (which of course they would have
to, eh Paul?) 
>and eventually Jesus' blood (I think He might have even still been alive in
this version) 
>founded either the Carolingian or Merovingian dynastic lines.  Somewhere
the papal 
>remove to Avignon gets folded into the tale as well. Ever hear any of this,
Don?

I have a mass paperback copy right here -- Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael
Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln (1982). The book starts from the
premise that Jesus, rather than dying on the cross, went on to marry and
father children. The authors go on to weave an incredible conspiracy theory,
2000 years in duration, that connects the Essenes, Zealots, Gnostics,
Cathars, Knights Templar, Merovingians, Carolingians, Holy Grail, and some
shady organization called the Order of Sion (Zion?-- well, the guy was
Jewish). And get this -- the Order of Sion's Grand Master circa 1956 and,
the authors suggest, a direct descendant of Jesus, is one Pierre Plantard de
Saint Clair! I'm not making this up.

I read this book over 10 years ago, but remember being completely
enthralled. The conspiracy theory espoused rivals those of Pynchon (without,
of course, everything else that makes Pynchon unique), while the writing is
at least on a par with Gore Vidal's (sorry, couldn't resist the dig).

Ken Jones
Samsara, Inc.