I did not read the best-selling book The Da Vinci Code, suspecting right from the beginning that, despite its extraordinary success, it would be a waste of time. However, I did see the film based on it and it supported my decision because the plot was incredibly stupid.
So I was totally sympathetic to Oliver’s rant.
Without Sister Wendy Beckett seeing-art-things this book would not have been even considered for publication.
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And yes, the older members of my family loved the book. I found it incomprehensible, so I have no opinion on how stupid it was.
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As for numbers not ever mattering joke? With my own experience with those who have or claim to have a degree in Harvard, this tracks.
I did read the book. It was a fun distraction.
Most apples don’t have “rosy flesh.” Their flesh is white and only their peel is rosy.
It was so bad it was as though it was written to be a movie starring Steven Seagal.
I read the Da Vinci Code, and it kept reminding me of something. Then I remembered that in mid-1980’s I attended a science fiction convention where Jack Chalker was GoH. While he was signing books Jack Chalker was going on about a book he had recently read about how the Catholic Church covered up the fact that Jesus survived, married Mary M. and moved to southern France.
Chalker when on-and-on about a priest who discovered it in the 19th century, and blackmailed the Catholic Church to live in luxury afterwards. Chalker gave the name of the book, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. Chalker clearly believed the book was factual at the time, but that may have been simply the enthusiasm of just finishing a book, before critical thinking takes over.
I never looked for that book, or read it, but the since of deju-vu I got from reading The Da Vinci code came from listening to Jack Chalker talk about The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail which was published 20 years earlier. Dan Brown lifted the entire plot from the earlier book. From the Wiki it looks like he was sued over it, but lost.
I read The Da Vinci Code, and I found it an enjoyable romp. About the level of the Hardy Boy mysteries, and I still enjoy reading those from time to time. Although it may be telling that while I have the Hardy Boy mysteries still on my shelves, The Da Vinci Code never ended up on a shelf but was donated. I have no desire to read it again.
It was indeed an enjoyable rant. Unfortunately the word “rant” reminded me of Jonathan Pie, so I checked out his latest (on cop26 -- I think it’s his latest anyway). Watching the latter ripped most of the enjoyment out of this overrated life, and all of the enjoyment I had gained from having watched a diatribe on something two decades old, as amusing as it was.