but the guy can't have it both ways... from what i've read, he claims it's history, so... Brown is simply using his history for a story.
else, he has to admit his work is simply fiction and there for ripped off.
Posted on 11/30/2007 2:45:21 PM PST by Barney Gumble
ONDON - Richard Leigh, a writer of alternative history who unsuccessfully sued for plagiarism over themes in Dan Brown's blockbuster novel "The Da Vinci Code," has died, his agent said Friday. He was 64.
U.S.-born Leigh, who had lived in Britain for three decades, died in London on Nov. 21 of causes related to a heart condition, the Jonathan Clowes Agency said.
Leigh was co-author of "The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail," a work of speculative nonfiction that claimed Jesus Christ fathered a child with Mary Magdalene and that the bloodline continues to this day.
A best-seller on its release in 1982, the book gained new readers after Brown's thriller, which explores similar themes and has sold more than 40 million copies, was released in 2003.
Leigh and co-author Michael Baigent sued Brown's publisher Random House, claiming "The Da Vinci Code" "appropriated the architecture" of their book. A third "Holy Blood" author, Henry Lincoln, did not join the lawsuit....
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Whatever you think about the theory, anyone who has read both books can have little doubt that Brown sat there basically transcribing big chunks of “Holy Blood, Holy Grail.”
Brown mentions the book in his own.
The Conspiracy got him.
He appeared in a special on DaVinci code on the History Channel. He looked like he had smoked the equivalent of North Carolina’s annual tobacco production and spilled more booze than I ever drank.
I saw the same show; I couldn’t best your description. This was the “smokinest” human being I’ve ever seen and he looked like he held court at Jack Daniels.
I’m certainly not questioning the judgement of the court on the law concerning the matter, just pointing out that, legal details aside, Brown basically glommed a lame thriller on top of HB,HG.
Apparently Brown did his research well.
I “Googled” his picture but don’t know how to put it up here. Here’s the link to it.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Richard+Leigh&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2
Sad, though, as while sensational; HBHG did not get the media hype that carried DaVinci Code. Beyond all that, thought HBHG the better book.
It must have made Baigent and Leigh more than a little crazy; when this hit the media fan.
But yeah, HBHG was a far better book, even taken as a piece of utter fiction. Brown's book was just bad.
Have you read "The Temple and the Lodge" by Baigent and Leigh? More freemason conspiracy stuff, but they make an interesting case about the role of masonry in the American Revolution, basically saying that many masonic principles inspired the founding fathers, and that the British army was basically run by masons as well. Basically, the book says, the Brits threw the war in order to see those principles advanced. Fun stuff for conspiracy buffs.
but the guy can't have it both ways... from what i've read, he claims it's history, so... Brown is simply using his history for a story.
else, he has to admit his work is simply fiction and there for ripped off.
The Priory of Sion strikes again. Took them awhile but they finally snuffed him out to keep him quiet.
But managed to make it less believable. And at least HBHG was a ripping good read for much of it.
I have no doubt that what Brown did was legal. I’m just saying that the guy took every interesting idea and theory in his book from HBHG.
I think HBHG was essentially a debunking of the Priory of Sion that turned up in France publishing “secret” pamphlets claiming this Pantard guy was the heir of Christ.
Along the way they explored some historical conspiracy theories but I don’t remember them coming to any firm conclusions except that the Priory of Sion was hoax.
They also had a follow up called The Messianic Legacy which I remember less well.
Agreed. Big fun.
No mystery there...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.