Who are the Freemasons? A powerful and shadowy elite who have manipulated world history through the ages or a more mundane fraternal society devoted to charity, good works and the mutual support of members? Today Freemasonry is a worldwide organisation. Yet secrecy is still demanded of its members, and from the outside, its obscure rituals often seem pointless, baffling and even sinister. In this fascinating book, James Tyrell looks at both the realities and the myths behind Freemasonry and distinguishes one from the other, while providing a concise, readable and compelling account of the world's most famous secret society.