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A Retreat With Mary of Magdala and Augustine: Rejoicing in Human Sexuality AUTH. Sidney Callahan, Gloria Hutchinson (Editor) PUB. St Anthony Messenger Press ISBN 0867162627 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: (No description available.) At Jesus' Feet: The Gospel According to Mary Magdalene AUTH. Doug Batchelor PUB. Review and Herald Publishing ISBN 0828015902 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Note: This book is not about the gnostic Gospel of Mary. Please see Amazon reviews for more information. Bloodline of the Holy Grail : The Hidden Lineage of Jesus Revealed AUTH. Laurence Gardner PUB. Element ISBN 1852308702 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Review: I hesitate to classify this book as "non-fiction," but technically, that's how it's shelved. This book is a long, trying yarn about the bloodline of Jesus, where it came from and where it supposedly is today. At the end of the book, we discover that the rightful monarch and descendant of Christ is none other than the Stewart pretender who sponsors Gardner's research. If this conflict of interest isn't enough for you, then the lack of reliable scholarship should be. I found the author's pretenses at historical accuracy to be downright offensive. Not only do you need an "open mind and a questing spirit" to appreciate this book, but you need to be completely unversed in the subjects on which he writes because his mistakes, intentional misleadings and screwy speculations are legion. Gnosis: The Nature and History of Gnosticism AUTH. Kurt Rudolph PUB. Harper San Francisco ISBN 0060670185 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Gnosticism: New Light on the Ancient Tradition of Inner Knowing AUTH. Stephan A. Hoeller PUB. Quest Books ISBN 0835608166 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From the description at Gnosis.org: There has long been need for a comprehensive introductory guide to the Gnostic tradition. Hoeller supplies just such a book with this new offering. This delightful study gives clear voice to the essential message of Gnosticism; it is an invaluable introduction to the history and import of Gnosticism in the Western tradition. In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins AUTH. Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza PUB. Crossroads/Herder & Herder ISBN 0824513576 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Ingram editorial review: This is the tenth-anniversary edition of theologian Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza's groundbreaking work in which she reexamines the origins of Christianity through the lens of contemporary feminist assumptions. In Search of Mary Magdalene: Images and Traditions AUTH. Diane Apostolos - Cappedona PUB. American Bible Society ISBN 1585166456 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: I haven't seen the book yet, but I did see the art exhibit for which the book was produced. If the book contains even half of the art pieces that were in the exhibit, it will be a priceless resource for anyone interested in Mary Magdalene! -- Lesa Bellevie Jesus and the Lost Goddess : The Secret Teachings of the Original Christians AUTH. Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy PUB. Three Rivers Press ISBN 1400045940 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From the book description: Drawing on modern scholarship, the authors of the international bestseller The Jesus Mysteries decode the secret teachings of the original Christians for the first time in almost two millennia and theorize about who the original Christians really were and what they actually taught. In addition, the book explores the many myths of Jesus and the Goddess and unlocks the lost secret teachings of Christian mysticism, which promise happiness and immortality to those who attain the state of Gnosis, or enlightenment. This daring and controversial book recovers the ancient wisdom of the original Christians and demonstrates its relevance to us today. Jung and The Lost Gospels: Insights into the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi Library AUTH. Stephan A. Hoeller and June Singer PUB. Quest Books ISBN 0835606465 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From the description at Gnosis.org: With a psychological perspective drawn from the work of C. G. Jung, this book provides an excellent introduction to Gnosticism and its relationship to the spiritual quest of our own age. Several key mythic motifs of Gnosticism are explored both in a religious and psychological context. Key to the Sacred Pattern: The Untold Story of Rennes-Le-Chateau AUTH. Henry Lincoln PUB. St. Martin's Press ISBN 0312214847 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From Booklist: Since 1972, Lincoln has made a career out of exposing the secret of a small village in the Pyrenees. The secret seems to have changed since Lincoln, a television writer, first began his investigation. Originally, it was about a lost treasure. In the book Holy Blood, Holy Grail (1982), the secret was that Jesus survived the Crucifixion and escaped with Mary Magdalene to France, where they had children. Now the secret has something to do with what Lincoln calls "structured landscapes": equidistant geographical points that, when plotted on paper, form pentacles. Although he's not exactly sure what this means, he proposes that it proves the ancients had much more sophisticated measurement abilities than previously thought. If this were the whole book, readers, especially those not schooled in geometry, would lose interest fast. Fortunately, most of Lincoln's story is about how he came to uncover the mysteries of Rennes-le-Chateau and some of the adventures and misadventures he's had along the way. Fans of the popular Holy Blood, Holy Grail will probably devour this, but others may think the real mystery is, How does Lincoln keep twisting the topic into new books? Ilene Cooper Leonardo da Vinci AUTH. Maria Teresa Zanobini Leoni (Author) PUB. Enchanted Lion Books ISBN 1592700071 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From the book description: Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) has come to be regarded as an artist-genius without peer. The Renaissance was in many ways the beginning of the modern world, and Leonardo led the way. He was an artist, an inventor and a scientist, who performed numerous scientific investigations in order to become a better painter. Curious as well as observant, he constantly tried to explain what he saw and formulated many experiments to test his ideas. His notebooks reveal a spirit of scientific inquiry and mechanical inventiveness that were centuries ahead of his time. Perhaps the greatest of Renaissance painters, Leonardo yet left only a handful of completed paintings. Here, among others, are The Last Supper, the Mona Lisa, and The Virgin of the Rocks. Also enriching the book are a commentary on each work, biographical details, and a timeline indicating the important events of Leonardo’s era. Leonardo: The Artist and The Man AUTH. by Serge Bramly, Sian Reynolds (Translator) PUB. Penguin ISBN 0140231757 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Ingram editorial review: First published in France, Serge Bramly's acclaimed biography reveals Leonardo to be as complicated, seductive, and profoundly sympathetic as the figures he painted. Bramly spent five years gathering evidence to reconstruct the artist's life--from his early years as an illegitimate child to his death in the arms of the King of France. Four pages of color photographs; 75 B&W photos. Magdalene's Lost Legacy: Symbolic Numbers and the Sacred Union in Christianity AUTH. Margaret Starbird PUB. Inner Traditions ISBN 1591430127 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: The author of "The Woman With the Alabaster Jar" and "The Goddess In The Gospels" returns with her fourth full-length book about the secret that Christianity has been hiding for two millennia: that Mary Magdalene was the Bride of Christ. Read a full review! Man and His Symbols AUTH. C. G. Jung PUB. Laure Leaf ISBN 0440351839 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Inside Flap Copy: Illustrated throughout with revealing images, this is the first and only work in which the world-famous Swiss psychologist explains to the layperson his enormously influential theory of symbolism as revealed in dreams. Mary Magdalene : The Image of a Woman Through the Centuries AUTH. Ingrid Maisch PUB. Arcade Publications ISBN 0814624715 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: This fascinating text explores the many depictions of Mary Magdalene: saint, sinner, penitent, priestess, courtesan. The author theorizes that the view of Mary Magdalene in any given time period mirrors the role of women in society... Read more... Mary Magdalene and Her Seven Devils AUTH. Alvin Boyd Kuhn PUB. Kessinger Publishing Co. ISBN 0766154564 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Book description: New Lectures on the Ancient Wisdom No. 8. The publication of this brochure is inspired by the earnest desire to exorcise from one of the most popular characters of world literature the stigma of moral obliquity which she has borne for eighteen centuries through the total miscarriage of ancient literary symbolism. Mary Magdalene and Many Others : Women Who Followed Jesus AUTH. Carla Ricci, Paul Burns (Translator) PUB. Fortress Pr ISBN 0800627180 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Based on Luke 8:1-3, the author examines the nature of Jesus'relationship with the women who accompanied him on his travels. Read more... Mary Magdalene in the New Testament Gospels and Early Tradition (European University Studies. Series Xxiii, Theology) AUTH. Richard Atwood PUB. Peter Lang Publishing ISBN 3261045191 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: (No description available.) Mary Magdalene, The First Apostle : The Struggle for Authority AUTH. Ann Graham Brock PUB. Harvard University Press ISBN 0674009665 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From Harvard University Press: "Why did some early Christians consider Mary Magdalene to be an apostle while others did not? Some Christian texts, underlining her role as one of the very first witnesses to the resurrection, portray Mary Magdalene as the "apostle to the apostles," while other sources exclude or replace her in their resurrection accounts. This book examines how the conferral, or withholding, of apostolic status operated as a tool of persuasion in the politics of early Christian literature." Mary Magdalene: Beyond the Myth AUTH. Esther de Boer PUB. Trinity Pr Intl ISBN 1563382121 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Review: This book highly readable, the author attempts to present everything in a scholarly and well-researched manner, and it's extremely informative. While there aren't any exciting stories of Magdalene journeying to France after leaving Jerusalem, there *is* a lot of detailed analysis of the actual textual references to Magdalene. Mary Magdalene: Christianity's Hidden Goddess AUTH. Lynn Picknett PUB. Carroll & Graf ISBN 0786711728 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Book description: What is the truth about the "other Mary"-one of the most important female figures of the New Testament, second only to Mary the Mother? Although nearly written out of the Biblical Gospels as merely a redeemed "fallen woman," Mary Magdalene is the secret Gnostic Gospels' major character after Jesus himself. The Gnostic Gospel of Mary, for example, states that after the crucifixion, the apostles were rallied with an impassioned and enlightened sermon given by Mary Magdalene, and the Gospel of Thomas relates that Jesus called her "The Woman Who Knows All." Undoing centuries of confusion and cover-up, Mary Magdalene: Christianity's Hidden Goddess will startle even contemporary Christians who have used her example to argue for the ordination of women and New Age believers who hail her as a feminine archetype of the "goddess." Mary Magdalene: Myth and Metaphor AUTH. Susan Haskins PUB. Riverhead Books (Reprint ed.) ISBN 015157765X CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Review: Back in print! It's tempting to call Susan Haskins' book the most definitive work on the market. So much information is presented that it takes awhile for the casual reader to wade through all of the details. The density of the information provided could place it in a "reference" category, but there is definitely enough serious research and intriguing conclusions to make reading it from cover to cover a worthwhile endeavor. Mary of Magdala : Apostle and Leader AUTH. Mary R. Thompson PUB. Paulist Press ISBN 0809135736 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: (Description not available.) Parzival: With Titurel and the Love Lyrics AUTH. Wolfram von Eschenbach (Cyril Edwards, Translator) PUB. Ds Brewer ISBN 1843840057 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From the book description: Vast in its scope, incomparably dense in its imagery, Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival ranks alongside Dante's Divine Comedy as one of the foremost narrative works to emerge from medieval Europe. This book is a new translation of Parzival, together with the fragments of the Titurel, an elegiac offshoot of Parzival, and the nine love-songs attributed to Wolfram. Parzival is the greatest of the medieval Grail romances. In its depth and complexity of characterisation this work of the early thirteenth century anticipates the modern novel. It encompasses deeds of chivalry, tournaments and sieges, courtly love, and other erotic undertakings, but also sin and penance, and a deeply moving study in depression. Centre stage are the Grail Castle and Arthur's Round Table, but the pagan world of the Orient also is also reflected. Parzival has inspired and influenced works as diverse as Wagner's Parsifal and Lohengrin, Franz Kafka's The Castle, Terry Jones's film The Fisher King, and Umberto Eco's Baudolino. Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene : The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend AUTH. Bart D. Ehrman PUB. Oxford University Press ISBN 0195300130 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Book description: Bart Ehrman, author of the highly popular Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code and Lost Christianities, here takes readers on another engaging tour of the early Christian church, illuminating the lives of three of Jesus' most intriguing followers: Simon Peter, Paul of Tarsus, and Mary Magdalene. What do the writings of the New Testament tell us about each of these key followers of Christ? What legends have sprung up about them in the centuries after their deaths? Was Paul bow-legged and bald? Was Peter crucified upside down? Was Mary Magdalene a prostitute? In this lively work, Ehrman separates fact from fiction, presenting complicated historical issues in a clear and informative way and relating vivid anecdotes culled from the traditions of these three followers. He notes, for instance, that historians are able to say with virtual certainty that Mary, the follower of Jesus, was from the fishing village of Magdala on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (this is confirmed by her name, Mary Magdalene, reported in numerous independent sources); but there is no evidence to suggest that she was a prostitute (this legend can be traced to a sermon preached by Gregory the Great five centuries after her death), and little reason to think that she was married to Jesus. Similarly, there is no historical evidence for the well-known tale that Peter was crucified upside down. Ehrman also argues that the stories of Paul's miracle working powers as an apostle are legendary accounts that celebrate his importance. A serious book but vibrantly written and leavened with many colorful stories, Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene will appeal to anyone curious about the early Christian church and the lives of these important figures. Saint Mary Magdalene: Her Life and Times AUTH. Edith Filliette PUB. Society of Mary Magdalene ISBN 096124920X CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Out of print Not available from Amazon; out of print. Please try a used book search.. Review coming soon! Signs & Symbols in Christian Art AUTH. George Wells Ferguson PUB. Oxford Press ISBN 0195014324 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Book description: First published in 1954 and having gone through several editions, this comprehensive book remains the authoritative source in the field. This paperback edition includes all of the three hundred fifty illustrations from the original edition, as well as the complete and unabridged text. Its text and illustrations reveal the symbolism inherent in representations of religious personages, the Earth and Sky, animals, birds, insects, and flowers. In addition to a discussion of objects treated symbolically in Christian art, George Ferguson explores Old Testament characters and events and their symbolic representation in art. The Allure of Gnosticism: The Gnostic Experience in Jungian Psychology and Contemporary Culture AUTH. by Robert Alan Segal (Editor), June Singer (Editor), Murray Stein (Editor) PUB. Open Court Publishing Company ISBN 0812692772 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From the Midwest Book Review: "The Gnostic Experience in Jungian Psychology and Contemporary Culture is a collection of sixteen essays illuminating gnosticism in its relation to such issues as Jungian thought, the nature of evil, the place of the feminine, communism and fascism, existentialism, Christian scriptures, and Buddhism." Magdalene.org note: There is an entire chapter devoted to Mary Magdalene and The Gospel of Mary. The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious (Collected Works of C.G. Jung Vol.9 Part 1) AUTH. C. G. Jung (Author), Gerhard Adler (Translator), R. F.C. Hull (Translator) PUB. Princeton Univ Pr ISBN 0691018332 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Book Description: Essays which state the fundamentals of Jung's psychological system: "On the Psychology of the Unconscious" and "The Relations Between the Ego and the Unconscious," with their original versions in an appendix. The Church of Mary Magdalene: The Sacred Feminine and the Treasure of Rennes-le-Chateau AUTH. Jean Markale PUB. Inner Traditions ISBN 0892811994 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: (Not yet available. Coming in June, 2004.) From the book description: The small church of Rennes-le-Chateau, in a remote village in southern France, may well hold the key to the proof of Mary Magdalene's marriage to Jesus and the bloodline they founded. In 1885 the village of Rennes-le-Chateau welcomed a new priest, Abbe Sauniere, for its church dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene. Abbe Sauniere ordered very strange restoration work for the church, and it is thought that he discovered something during this renovation that brought him to the attention of the power brokers of that time and made him a very rich man. Possible identifications of his discovery range from the gold pillaged from Delphi in Roman times; the treasure brought out of Jerusalem by the Templars, who had a strong presence in this area; and the missing Cathar treasure, spirited out of Montsegur mere days before the fall of that fortress. The Feminine Face of Christianity AUTH. Margaret Starbird PUB. Quest Books ISBN 0835608271 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From the book description: Even though feminine values have always been at the core of Christianity, its long history has often ignored or marginalized women’s key role in it. Margaret Starbird’s unique view from the feminine perspective serves the need many are feeling to search their traditional faith for fresh meaning and inspiration in these difficult times. This is the second in a series of splendidly illustrated but affordable gift books on the feminine experience of religion (following Gill Farrer-Halls’ The Feminine Face of Buddhism, 2002, and anticipating Mariam Baker’s The Feminine Face of Islam, 2003, both by Quest Books). Magdalene.org review coming soon! The Gnostic Gospels AUTH. Elaine Pagels PUB. Vintage (reissue) ISBN 0679724532 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Magdalene.org: This is the book that first introduced many people to the Gnostic Mary Magdalene. Book description: A provocative study of the gnostic gospels and the world of early Christianity as revealed through the Nag Hammadi texts. The Goddess in the Gospels : Reclaiming the Sacred Feminine AUTH. Margaret Starbird PUB. Bear & Co ISBN 187918155X CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Review: This book is mostly autobiographical in nature, in that it devotes most of its pages to explaining the hows and whys behind Margaret Starbird's plunge into the legends of Mary Magdalene. While it may be considered a "light read," the subject matter is far from trivial. She also talks about the gematria involved in the original Greek words in the gospels that indicate some uncanny coincidences that can't quite be explained away. Read more... The Gospel of Mary Magdalene AUTH. Jean-Yves Leloup PUB. Inner Traditions ISBN 0892819111 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: The Gospel of Mary Magdalene was discovered over 100 years ago, but precious little has been written about it for the general reader. Jean-Yves Leloup's French work has been translated into English... Read a full review! The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle AUTH. Karen L. King PUB. Polebridge Press ISBN 0944344585 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Lost for more than fifteen hundred years, the Gospel of Mary is the only existing early Christian gospel written in the name of a woman. Karen L. King tells the story of the recovery of this remarkable gospel and offers a new translation. This brief narrative presents a radical interpretation of Jesus' teachings as a path to inner spiritual knowledge. It rejects his suffering and death as a path to eternal life and exposes the view that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute for what it is - a piece of theological fiction. The Gospel of Mary of Magdala offers a fascinating glimpse into the conflicts and controversies that shaped earliest Christianity. (Full review coming soon!) The Gospels of Mary : The Secret Tradition of Mary Magdalene, the Companion of Jesus AUTH. Marvin W. Meyer PUB. Harper San Francisco ISBN 0060727918 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Book description: The Gospels of Mary presents English translations of the earliest and most reliable texts that shed light on Mary Magdalene, collected here for the first time. As Marvin Meyer states in his Introduction, these texts unveil her importance as Jesus' beloved disciple and an apostle and evangelist in her own right, a figure whose importance for Christianity is only now emerging from the shadows of history. Included are selections from the New Testament Gospels and from Gnostic Gospels and other texts, including the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Thomas, and the Gospel of Philip. Esther de Boer, a widely respected expert on Mary Magdalene and the Gospel of Mary, sets Meyer's translations in the context of the latest scholarship. She analyzes the role Mary plays in each of the gospels in which she appears, showing her to be a capable, strong woman who poses a distinct threat to the male-dominated early Church. Cumulatively, these texts reveal a vibrant oral tradition in which Mary Magdalene is not only a follower of Jesus but his companion and closest disciple. The Hebrew Goddess AUTH. Raphael Patai PUB. Wayne State University Press ISBN 0814322719 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From the Publisher "The Hebrew Goddess" demonstrates that the Jewish religion, far from being pure monotheism, contained from earliest times strong polytheistic elements, chief of which was the cult of the mother goddess. Lucidly written and richly illustrated, this third edition contains new chapters of the Shekhina. The Holy Place: Discovering the Eighth Wonder of the Ancient World AUTH. Henry Lincoln PUB. Arcade Publications ISBN 1559701234 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: If you liked Holy Blood, Holy Grail, you'll love this book. The author uses the same research methods to ascertain the 'sacred geometry' of Rennes-le-Chateau... Read more... The Jesus Mysteries : Was the AUTH. Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy PUB. Three Rivers Press ISBN 0609807986 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: During the time when Christianity was forming, mystery religions were commonplace throughout the Hellenistic world. A common theme in many of them was the myth of the "dying godman," in which a god comes to earth in human form, dies, and then is resurrected. The thesis presented in this book is that Jesus as a historical figure is very unlikely, and that Christianity was likely started as a mystery religion based on Jesus, a Dionysian figure representing the death and resurrection of the soul to higher spiritual awareness. The Life of Saint Mary Magdalene and of Her Sister Saint Martha (Cistercian Studies Series, No 108 AUTH. Archbishop of Mainz Rabanus Maurus, David Mycoff (Translator) PUB. Cistercian Publications ISBN 0879076089 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: (No description available.) The Magdalene Legacy : Exploring the Wounded Icon of Sexuality AUTH. Sandra M. Rushing PUB. Bergin & Garvey ISBN 0897893883 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Book description: Rushing's seminal work addresses the ways in which modern women struggle with holistic spirituality, sexuality, and anger. She employs the Mary Magdalene model as an archetype in which sexuality and spirituality are united. Using extra-canonical texts, Rushing explores the dynamics of the relationship between the Magdalene and Jesus, one that created tension within the collective and was excluded from the canon itself. The Magdalene, known as "the apostle to the apostles," has remained tainted through repressive scholarly action and deliberate distortion. Her historical treatment is paralleled for women today who wish to remain within the church but who experience a subtle, ongoing sexual bias. The author's blending of the sociological theory of Thorstein Veblen and the psychological constructs of Carl G. Jung is unique in its theological application. The Making of the Magdalen: Preaching and Popular Devotion in the Later Middle Ages. AUTH. Katherine Ludwig Jansen PUB. Princeton Univ Press ISBN 0691089876 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Jansen shows how perceptions of the Magdalen merged with errors and misunderstandings to shape the social, spiritual, and political agendas of the later Middle Ages. She brings to life the rich complexity of medieval culture, which condemned female sexuality and women's preaching and yet popularized the veneration of Mary Magdalen as a former prostitute chosen by Christ to be the "apostle of the apostles," the first to witness and preach the Good News of the Resurrection. (Full review coming soon!) The Mary Magdalene Within AUTH. Joan Norton PUB. iUniverse ISBN 0595338402 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From the back cover: "Early one morning in April 1996, author Joan Norton took up her writing instruments and asked her Cosmic Intelligence (as she calls her inner guidance) what "they" wanted her to write about. She was told that Mary Magdalene wanted to speak through her. The result of this intense emotional experience is 'The Mary Magdalene Within.'" The Messianic Legacy AUTH. Michael Baigent PUB. Dell (Reissue edition) ISBN 0440203198 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From Library Journal: This sequel to Holy Blood, Holy Grail ( LJ 1/15/82) continues the authors' investigation of the French Cabal, the Prieure de Sion. It is divided into three sections: (1) the concept of Messiahship in the thought of Jesus and his contemporaries, (2) the relevance of the concept today, and (3) the current activities of the Prieure. The three sections are related briefly in the epilogue: the Prierue, it is claimed, can provide a leader (Messiah) of the kind the world wants and needs. As with the previous volume, this one suffers from unsound generalizations, unfounded assumptions, and questionable handling of scholarly research. However, since some who read Holy Blood will be interested in the sequel, it is recommended, with reservations, for larger public libraries. Craig W. Beard, Harding Univ. Lib., Searcy, Ark. Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. The Nag Hammadi Library in English AUTH. James M. Robinson PUB. Harper San Francisco ISBN 0060669357 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Review: If you're going to start anywhere with Mary Magdalene, this is probably the best place. This edition of the Nag Hammadi Library does contain the Gospel of Mary, and the various references to her in other texts. The only downside to this edition is that there is no index. I have to use the index in my old edition and then look them up in the new one. The Resurrection of Mary Magdalene: Legends, Apocrypha, and the Christian Testament AUTH. Jane Schaberg PUB. Continuum ISBN 0826413838 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: From Library Journal: "Schaberg (The Illegitimacy of Jesus: A Feminist Theological Interpretation of the Infancy Narratives of Matthew and Luke) moves from contemporary feminist concerns, through the vast array of legend, apocryphal writing, and biblical reverberations, back to the "real" Mary Magdalene. She concludes that Magdalene was denigrated because she was a powerful woman, close to Jesus and perhaps to John the Baptist as well." The Sacred Prostitute: Eternal Aspect of the Feminine AUTH. Nancy Qualls-Corbett PUB. Inner City Books ISBN 0919123317 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Although this isn't strictly a book about Mary Magdalene, there is a very enlightening section about her near the end of the book. From Midwest Book Review: "The Sacred Prostitute: Eternal Aspect Of The Feminine is solidly based on Jungian psychological principles and powerfully illustrates how our vitality and capacity for joy depend on restoring the soul of the sacred prostitute to its rightful place in our conscious understanding. The Sacred Prostitute is engaging reading that provides a great deal of thoughtful observations on the nature of human sexuality and its relationship to the well-balanced personality and the health and stability of human society." The Secret Teachings of Jesus: Four Gnostic Gospels AUTH. Marvin Meyer PUB. Vintage ISBN 0394744330 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Book description: In December 1945, two Egyptian fellahin, digging for natural fertilizer in the Nile River valley unearthed a sealed storage jar. The jar proved to hold treasure of an unexpected sort: a collection of some fifty-two ancient manuscripts, most of which reflect the teachings of a mystical religious movement we call Gnosticism (from the Greek word gnosis, "knowledge"). The texts are also, with few exceptions, Christian documents, and thus they provide us with valuable new information about the character of the early church, and about the Gnostic Christians within the church. In this volume, Marvin W. Meyer has produced a new English translation for general readers of four of the most important and revealing of these early Christian texts -- the Secret Book of James, the Gospel of Thomas, the Book of Thong, and the Secret Book of John. The Templar Revelation: Secret Guardians of the True Identity of Christ AUTH. Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince PUB. Touchstone Books ISBN 0684848910 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Book description: In a remarkable achievement of historical detective work that is destined to become a classic, authors Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince delve into the mysterious world of the Freemasons, the Cathars, the Knights Templar, and the occult to discover the truth behind an underground religion with roots in the first century that survives even today. Chronicling their fascinating quest for truth through time and space, the authors reveal an astonishing new view of the real motives and character of the founder of Christianity, as well as the actual historical -- and revelatory -- roles of John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene. Painstakingly researched and thoroughly documented, The Templar Revelation presents a secret history, preserved through the centuries but encoded in works of art and even in the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe, whose final chapter could shatter the foundation of the Christian Church. The Woman Jesus Loved : Mary Magdalene in the Nag Hammadi Library and Related Documents AUTH. Antti Marjanen PUB. Brill Academic Publishers ISBN 9004106588 CAT. Non-Fiction MISC: Review: This book was a fantastic find for me. The only downside is the high cost of a hardcover published by an academic press, but if you take your research seriously, this is not a book to be without. Published in 1996, this is a fairly recent look at the way Mary Magdalene is present in Gnostic texts, and includes direct translations from the original Coptic, rather than basing an interpretation on a translation as occurs so frequently with secondary scholarship. As someone who doesn't read Coptic, it presents a way to get into the original texts much deeper than previously able. The Woma