About the Author:


James Wasserman is the author of the bestselling study of the Crusades, The Templars and the Assassins: The Militia of Heaven, An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar offers the most comprehensive collection of Templar and Crusader art in print. A longtime student of the occult sciences, he has a played a key role in the publication of many seminal works by Aleister Crowley and is responsible for the widely acclaimed restoration of the Papyrus of Ani, The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day.

In this guide to the Masonic underpinnings of America’s capital, James Wasserman reveals the esoteric symbols and the spiritual and visionary ideas that lie hidden in the buildings, monuments, and physical layout of Washington, D.C. His walking tour of these Masonic sites includes both the expected and unexpected--from the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol Building to the Federal Reserve complex, National Academy of Sciences, and the Library of Congress. Each location includes descriptions, interpretations, and explanations of the Masonic symbols and ritualistic meanings hidden within its structure, all illustrated with contemporary color and historic black-and-white photographs.

Wasserman explains the purpose behind putting these symbols and Masonic designs into the capital and how all these monuments fit into the spiritual vision held by the founding fathers. He reveals the prominent role that Freemasonry played in the 18th-century Enlightenment movement and shows how in the New World of America, free of monarchy and aristocracy, the ideas of the Enlightenment were able to flourish. This illustrated guidebook to the Masonic secrets of Washington, D.C., provides valuable insights on the founding of America. It will be welcomed by students of esoteric art and symbolism, admirers of American history, and devotees of Dan Brown novels and National Treasure movies.

Book-Review:

The book provides a walking tour of the Masonic sites and symbols of the city and explores the critical role of Freemasonry in the founding of the United States.

This guide is well researched from an historical point of view and widely deals with the meaning of the Masonic symbolism of the buildings and monuments. The unity between the philosophy of Freemasonry and the founding ideology of America is well documented. The leadership of Freemasons in the ceremonies establishing the nation and the capital city is accurately recounted in this book, as is the artistic contribution made by Masonic architects and designers. The Masonic membership of some of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution is highlighted, as is that of many other legendary heroes of the Revolution.

An excellent recommended guidebook for your 'Masonic' exploration of the capital and to be more acquainted with its Founding Fathers, the most of them Freemasons themselves.

Bruno Gazzo
Editor, PS Review of Freemasonry