301: The Real Da Vinci Code

Context:

The central subject of the entire episode, discussed extensively on the occasion of its 20th anniversary (published 2003). The hosts read aloud from the opening passage, analyze Dan Brown's prose style, discuss his factual claims about the Priory of Sion and Jesus's bloodline, and trace the chain of influences that led to the novel. It sold 81 million copies and was outsold only by a Harry Potter book.

Context:

Tom mentions reading this book when he was 12 or 13 years old, published in 1982. It presents the theory that Jesus came to the south of France with Mary Magdalene and established a bloodline guarded by the Priory of Sion. The hosts explain it was inspired by Henry Lincoln's BBC Chronicle documentaries from the 1970s, and that Dan Brown's character Lee Teabing is an anagram of Michael Baigent. Two of its authors unsuccessfully sued Dan Brown for plagiarism.

Context:

Mentioned as Dan Brown's first book featuring the character Robert Langdon, the Harvard symbologist.

Context:

One of several books mentioned that Gérard de Sède wrote about the Cathars, listed alongside his other Cathar-themed works to illustrate his obsession with the topic.

Context:

One of several books mentioned that Gérard de Sède wrote about the Cathars, part of the enumeration of his works on the subject.

Context:

A book about treasure hunting published in the early 1960s that Pierre Plantard read, which told the story of Noël Corbu and the Rennes-le-Château mystery. This inspired Plantard to connect his fabricated Priory of Sion mythology to Rennes-le-Château, adding another layer to the chain of influences that eventually produced The Da Vinci Code.

Context:

Described as 'another hugely bestselling novel that features the Cathars,' published in 2006 and written concurrently with The Da Vinci Code. The hosts note it gives the Cathar story a feminist spin, with women able to become priests, and presents the Cathars as dualists guarding ancient wisdom while being persecuted by the Catholic Church.

Context:

Quoted at the end of the episode as 'a fantastic book, absolutely thrilling work of history' that is 'fabulously well-written.' Tom reads a key passage from it arguing that the conventional understanding of the Cathars 'is none of it true,' setting up the cliffhanger for the next episode. The hosts jokingly compare its prose quality to The Da Vinci Code. A listener interested in how the standard narrative of medieval Cathar heresy has been radically challenged by recent scholarship would find this essential.

Context:

A pivotal book in the chain of influences behind The Da Vinci Code. Henry Lincoln read its paperback version while on holiday in the Cévennes in 1969, and it told him about the mystery of Rennes-le-Château and the priest Bérenger Saunière. The hosts reveal it was actually commissioned by Pierre Plantard, who fed Gérard de Sède the fabricated story about Merovingian parchments to support his own schemes.

Context:

One of several books mentioned that Gérard de Sède wrote about the Cathars, demonstrating his obsession with the subject. Listed as part of a rapid-fire enumeration of his Cathar-themed works.

Context:

One of several books by Gérard de Sède mentioned in the episode, translated by the hosts as 'Occitania in revolt in the Middle Ages,' further demonstrating his fixation on the history and mythology of southwestern France.