Oct. 12: The Lost Symbol

Langdon and Sato find the room they were looking for and in it is the bottom part of a pyramid; it is missing its capstone. It, according to Masonic legend, holds the key to revealing hidden knowledge that would change the world. Sato was able to retrieve on her phone the x-ray of Langdon's bag from when it was scanned at the entrance. It turns out that the box he brought from his office for Peter contained the capstone. Sato was about to force Langdon to hand it over when all of a sudden...

Bellamy bursts in and, after taking Sato out, leads Langdon, who has the pyramid and capstone, out of the building using a back door.

Oct. 9: The Lost Symbol

A very high-ranking member of the CIA, a tiny woman named Inoue Sato, appears on site and declares that this is a national security situation and enlists Robert's help. Langdon is able to decipher some tattoo's on the hand and realizes that they need to go to a sub-basment room in the capital building.

Katherine Solomon, Peter's sister, is working on an amazing project in a field of science known as Noetics (study of the mind and thought). She has made a breakthrough on something.

The Architect (man in charge) of the Capitol Mall, a man named Bellamy, is racing towards the sub-basement after Langdon.

Oct. 7: The Lost Symbol

Robert Langdon's friend, whose name is Peter Solomon, in question is a Mason of the highest degree (33rd) and had given Langdon a box to keep safe, which Peter's assistant asked Langdon to bring to the capitol building (where he's going to give a speech). Upon arriving, Langdon finds out that there isn't a speech for him to give and that Peter's hand was cut off and placed in the center of the capitol building.

Oct. 2: The Lost Symbol

So if you read my first entry on Angels and Demons... This is basically the same thing but it was his friend who contacted him and not CERN, and replace "convinced" with "volunteered". Also, exchange "Switzerland" for "US Capitol". Inventive. Pardon the short entry... and the sarcasm.

Sep. 30: The Lost Symbol

Having already read the book Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, i had an idea of what to expect. First of all, this is the third book he has written that centers around the character of Robert Langdon. Second, Dan Brown has set himself apart by doing alot (alot) of research to legitimize his characters, situations, and locations and make his version of them uniquely interesting. Finally, Dan Brown has a reputation of doing all he can to make his books the source of controversy. With this groundwork laid, i knew what i was getting into.

Sep. 28: A River Runs Through It

I know that most people that read this.... actually i have no clue whether or not most people will or wont already know the ending. But i know that at least one of the two people that will read this already knows the ending and the other probably already knows the ending.... but i'll just allude that the end is near. They go fishing and make good catches, and Norman goes back to the car to find his dad.... And the rest is a spoiler.

Sep. 25: A River Runs Through It

When Norman brings his brother-in-law home from fishing sunburned and naked, Jessie and his mother-in-law get into doctor mode and start helping him out. Though no explaining is done, an understanding comes between Norman and Jessie about what happened. When Norman talks to Paul again they agree that the day of fishing was not very good and that they were going to make up for it the next day. The brothers decide to invite their father to come along as well.

Sep. 23: A River Runs Through It

Rather obviously, Norman's brother-in-law shows up late for fishing. After he arrives, Norman and Paul end up seperating from him. Once they finish up, they head back and find he has gone missing, but has kindly left a trail of clothes behind him. He ends up being naked and with the girl from the bar, asleep in the sun. This results in a horrible sunburn on his exposed hind quarters.

Sep. 21: A River Runs Through It

Norman gets a call from the police station letting him know that his brother was in custody. Upon arriving the sheriff tells him that his brother is known for getting into fights and drinking, and basically just lets Norman take him out. When his brother-in-law comes into town, he visits a bar and meets a woman known for seducing and clinging to a man for a while, and then ditching him, this all known to Norman but not his brother-in-law. Before leaving his brother-in-law and the skanky lady, he reminds him that they are going fishing in the morning at 6 am.

Sep. 18: A River Runs Through It

Norman, in his teenage years, had a job in the Forest Service. Meanwhile, Paul got recognition for his work as a journalist. In the years that follow, Norman marries a girl named Jessie. Norman's brother-in-law is coming to town and it has been arranged for Norman to take him fishing. In order to lessen the pain of going fishing with a "bait fisherman", Norman calls upon his brother to join him and help him squeeze at least a little enjoyment from the day. Despite Paul's loathing for bait fisherman, his love for fly fishing wins out and he agrees to come.

Sep. 16: A River Runs Through It

Fly fishing, actually fishing in general, is something that i am not familiar with. However, if i were to decide to take it up, this would be the book to avoid for motivation. Im sure that in itself fly fishing could be enjoyable; however, the manner in which it is taught to Norman, and his brother Paul, by his father seems to be the issue. What could be a fun activity is portrayed as a chore. It is almost as if Norman's father needs to make it something that breeds self-sacrifice to feel that it is worthy of his time. He is also very protective of the sport: "If our father had had his say, nobody who did not know how to catch a fish would be allowed to disgrace a fish by catching him."

Sep. 14: A River Runs Through It

A River Runs Through It is a semi-autobiographical short story written by Norman Maclean. It is the first story of three in the book "A River Runs Through It and Other Stories". In the beginning, the main character (who is undoubtedly based on Norman himself) describes his early childhood. His father is a Presbyterian minister and gives sermons at the church every Sunday. His other "religion" is fly-fishing.

Sep. 4: Angels and Demons

Just about every chapter is from a different persons viewpoint. A new character, one who seems to be the "bad guy", is the focus of this one. He is described as Middle Eastern and calls himself a Hassassin, the root word for assassin, and is basically that; murder for hire. His "employer" claims to be of the Illuminati and is going to strike at Vatican City, with the help of his hitman friend. This Hassassin seems to be the one who murdered the man at CERN.

Langdon arrives at CERN from New Hampshire in an hour; the plane is just short of supersonic. Langdon is met by the "Konig" (the nickname of the president and "king" in German), a man who seemed to have contacted Robert as a last resort.

Sep. 2: Angels and Demons

It turns out that all though skeptical at first, Langdon is persuaded by his curiosity to leave for Switzerland. The Illuminati, a group whose symbols were considered legendary among symbologists, was the topic of a number of his own research projects. It was almost impossible for him to pass up the chance to see the collection of them, having already glimpsed the first (the word "Illuminati" itself). The wealthy president sends a plane for him headed for CERN.

Aug 31: Angels and Demons

Today i learned about Robert Langdon. He is the main character of the book and a professor religious iconology and symbology at Harvard University and he lives in Exeter, New Hampshire. (It is important to note that this book by Dan Brown was written before the book "The Da Vinci Code", despite the fact that the movie portrays it as its sequel.) Langdon gets a call from the president of CERN, a prominent science institute in Switzerland, about a murder that has taken place. The reason for the presidents calling him is the symbol, one which spells Illuminati, branded o the man in deceased in question.

Sep. 7: Angels and Demons

I finished the book today, but i'll spread out this summary. The man who was murdered was a Leonardo Vetra, a renowned physicist and religious man, who made the discovery of the "God Particle" or anti-matter in a lab, with his daughter, Vittoria Vetra (from whose perspective this is from). The anti-matter was stolen by the Hassassin and taken to Vatican City.

The CERN president gets a call from the Swiss Guard and volunteers his jet so Langdon and Vittoria can help solve the problem in Rome.

A Security guard sees a camera aimed at an object (An anti-matter canister) that is within the Vatican walls.

Langdon and Vittoria land in Rome and explain that the anti-matter is in an canister which is keeping it from touching matter. As soon as the battery dies (by Midnight) the anti-matter will touch matter and explode with a massive force bigger than that of the nuke dropped on Hiroshima.

Sep. 9: Angels and Demons

About 2 weeks prior, the pope died. Once this happens, the Pope's understudy (the Camerlango) is has the responsbility to organize Conclave, an event where all of those qualifed to become pope (called Cardinals) are gathered into a room to decide who it is. Out of the Cardinals, there is a sub-group of very few called the prefferiti, who are the favorites for the job.

The Hassasin, has captured the prefferitti, and has sent a a video to the Swiss Guard explaining that he is going to kill them on the "Alters of Science" found along the "Path of Illumination." Langdon realizes this is the path that was the way to join the secret society know as the Illuminati and that the path was never found. Langdon knows how to decipher it and is granted access to the Vatican Archives, a massie library of sorts. He finds the piece in question and discovers a clue leading to the first marker.

Sep. 11: Angels and Demons

After finding the first marker and the first preferitti dead, they are lead on the "Path of Illumination" from one church to the next, all of which involve science and dead perferitti's.

Meanwhile, the camerlango is met by the CERN president who is subsequently killed after he pulls a gun on the camerlango.

After Langdon and Vittoria find the Headquarters of the Illuminati at the end of the Path of Illumination, the Hassassin is killed in an attempt on Langdon and Vittoria's lives.

They both head back to the Camerlango who has apparently had a vision of where the anti-matter was being held. After finding it and disposing of it in a very dramatic fashion, he recieves praise.

SPOILER (Highlight below to read):

It turns out however that this whole event was masterminded by the Camerlango himself as a way to become pope. Luckily, he is seen through and not made pope.

THE END