Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.
George Orwell's famous warning provides the starting point for Smoke & Mirrors, a wide-ranging examination of history, power and the stories we are taught to accept.
From ancient civilisations, religion and the origins of Christianity to Freemasonry, banking, political power and the institutions that shape modern society, Byron Jenkins asks what happens when we stop accepting the official version of events and begin looking for ourselves.
Drawing on years of personal research, Smoke & Mirrors explores historical mysteries, alternative interpretations and controversial theories that have fascinated-and divided-people for generations. Jenkins does not ask the reader simply to believe him. He examines the connections he has discovered, sets out the questions they raise and invites readers to investigate further and reach their own conclusions.
Why have some versions of history become accepted while others have been dismissed? How much do we really understand about the financial systems governing our lives? What can ancient civilisations, symbolism and the night sky tell us about the beliefs of those who came before us? And when governments, institutions and accepted authorities tell us something is true, how often do we stop to ask why?
You may agree with Byron Jenkins. You may disagree with him.
But Smoke & Mirrors has one overriding message:
Question everything. Trust only what you verify.