The Atlantis Blueprint: Unlocking the Ancient Mysteries of a Long-Lost Civilization

In this pseudoscientific account, Flem-Ath, a Canadian librarian, and Wilson (Alien Dawn: An Investigation into the Contact Experience; etc.), bestselling author and New Age-y jack-of-all-trades, propose a single, geo-historical theory that links the Egyptian, Chinese and South American pyramids and other sacred sites. According to this argument, these civilizations received templates from Atlantis that contained crucial geodesic, geological and geometric information. Furthermore, Atlantean mariners, based in Antarctica, sailed the globe over 100,000 years ago and established more than 60 sacred sites around the world, such as Byblos and Jericho, to preserve the sophisticated wisdom of their culture. They erected these sites, say the authors, before geological disasters wiped out their civilization. Flem-Ath and Wilson take us on a hectic roller-coaster ride through pseudoscientific history, complete with the requisite numerology and mythology. The authors stand proudly on the shoulders of their forefathers, Charles Hapgood featured prominently among them. Before his death in 1982, Hapgood had amassed ""irrefutable"" proof of civilizations far more ancient than accepted archeology allows for. Flem-Ath and Wilson seem to leave no cultural, geological or paleontological stone unturned in their quest for detailed evidence, touching on everything from the origins of Freemasonry and the Ark of the Covenant, to ancient Japanese pottery in America and angels in the Book of Enoch. Frequently, they claim the interest or support of various famous people, many of whom suffered untimely deaths. Albert Einstein and John F. Kennedy, for instance, died before fully embracing earlier theories about Atlantis. For followers of mystical science, fantasy readers and conspiracy theorists, Flem-Ath and Wilson's enthusiasm and conviction will be a welcoming island in a sea of skepticism. (Mar. 13)