The literature of Freemasonry is vast. It has been estimated that some where between 80,000 and 100,000 different books have been produced about Freemasonry in its various aspects. To produce books which are outstanding, even in such imposing company, is a goal of the Supreme Council and the Scottish Rite Research Society (SRRS). See the previous page for SRRS information. The first book noted here, Valley of the Craftsmen, is available from the University of South Carolina Press. The other books are available (S/H included) through the Supreme Council, and their ordering information is at the end of this book review column.

Valley of the Craftsmen 
This is our Rite’s most recent publication and was prepared especially for the Bicentennial of the Supreme Council, 33°, S.J. It is an astonishingly beautiful large-size (10½” x 12”), hardbound book (267 pages) filled with rare photographs, beautifully reproduced. Image takes more space than words in this book, but the words are as carefully chosen as the illustrations. The text takes you through the development of the last 200 years, paying homage to some of the truly remarkable men who have been members and who have shaped the destiny of the world. We sometimes forget just how much Scottish Rite Freemasons have been involved in the great issues of the day. As the book will show you, we are in the company of giants.

This Bicentennial Book is available to Scottish Rite Masons at a special Bicentennial price of $45.00 (a 40% discount from the published price of $75.00). Please send checks payable to University of South Carolina Press to: University of South Carolina Press, Business Office, 718 Devine Street, Columbia, SC 29208. Cost in U.S. $45.00 + $4.50 S&H 1st book, $.75 each additional book; Cost foreign $45.00 + $6.00 S&H 1st book, $1.00 each additional book. Phone Orders Toll Free: (800) 768-2500 (VISA, MasterCard, Discover) Fax Orders Toll Free (800) 868-0740 Outside U.S. Phone (803) 777-1108 Outside U.S. Fax (803) 777-0026. South Carolina residents please add $2.25 sales tax per book. NOTE: You must mention code SR32 when ordering to receive your 40% Scottish Rite discount. Scottish Rite Research Society Members can receive an additional 10% off the discounted price by also mentioning code SRRS along with their Research Society membership number.

Forms and Traditions of the Scottish Rite
This book, by Ill. C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, Grand Commander of the Rite, is both a practical guide to the ceremonies of the Fraternity and a source of information about the Rite itself. Clearly written and well illustrated, it updates the ceremonies with notes on performance, as well as giving a historical perspective on the ritual forms of the Fraternity. Ritual defines the Rite, as it defines all of Masonry. The memorial services for the dead, the ceremonies by which a temple is consecrated, the establishment of a Court of Honour---all these and many more subjects are covered in concise, interesting chapters. Anyone who works in or is interested in the Rite needs a copy of this hardbound, 148-page book. $10.00
 

Vested in Glory: The Regalia of the Scottish Rite
While Forms and Traditions provides the working background for the ceremonies, Vested in Glory (softbound, 224 pages) describes the meanings of the aprons, cordons, and jewels of each Degree and suggests ways in which they reflect the meanings of the Degrees themselves. Each Degree is illustrated with a beautiful full-page color painting of the regalia. There is also an illustrated dictionary of Scottish Rite Symbols in the appendix. The book provides a review of major lessons for each Degree and gives information about each of the four Bodies of the Scottish Rite (Lodge of Perfection, Chapter of Rose Croix, Council of Kadosh, and Consistory). $12.50 softbound; $25.00 hardbound

Albert Pike: The Man Beyond the Monument (hardbound, 254 pages)
Pike, more than any other person, gave the Scottish Rite its present form. He was an amazing individual: writer, poet, newspaper editor, general, advocate for the rights of Native Americans, lawyer, school teacher, musician, explorer of the American West, linguist, philosopher, and student of ritual and comparative religion. His laugh was famous, and his company was sought out by Washington, D.C., hostesses to make their parties a success. Decades ahead of his time in such things as the rights of women, the education of children, the rights of minorities, social and economic reform, and many other areas, he brought a depth of vision which is still relevant to Freemasonry today. $12.00

The Lodge of the Double-Headed Eagle (hardbound, 492 pages)
In some ways, this excellent book and Valley of the Craftsmen form appropriate “bookends” for this review. Valley of the Craftsmen uses pictures to tell the story of some remarkable men and events in the 200-year life of the Scottish Rite in America. Lodge of the Double-Headed Eagle primarily uses text to trace the history of the Supreme Council. While the remarkable individuals are there as well, it is a story of the growth and development of one of the largest men’s organizations in the world. The book especially relates the Rite to the American society at large, showing how the Fraternity shaped and was shaped by the great forces and trends in American society and culture. It’s a fascinating and well-written account of the coming of age of our Fraternity---at times as fractious and bumptious as the American scene itself. $35.00

So here are five books, each very different, yet related, and each a part of the story---the beautiful and glorious (and rough and ready) story---of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J., U.S.A.
Except for Valley of the Craftsmen (ordering directions from the University of South Carolina above), you can order the other four books (S/H included) from The Supreme Council. First, if you have a computer, consult the Online Store of the Scottish Rite at www.srmason-sj.org. Or write to: The Supreme Council, 1733 16th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009-3103. Make checks payable to The Supreme Council. VISA and MasterCard accepted. Tel. (202) 232-3579; fax (202) 387-1843. Remember, to get your Scottish Rite Research Society membership discount of 10%, be sure to note you are a member of the Society and include your SRRS membership number.

The preceding pages show several books that give a good overview of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. Many more books are available from the Supreme Council, 33°, S.J., U.S.A., a major publisher of Masonic books. There are currently more than 35 publications on the Supreme Council book list, ranging from detailed books for the specialist to general texts for all readers. A copy of the list can be obtained by writing to: The Supreme Council, 1733 16 St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009-3103 or calling (202) 232-3579 or visiting www.srmason-sj.org.
Some of the more popular volumes include Rex R. Hutchens’s A Bridge to Light, providing commentaries on the Scottish Rite Degrees; S. Brent Morris’s Cornerstones of Freedom: A Masonic Tradition, covering the history of the Masonic cornerstone ceremony with an emphasis on cornerstones in Washington, D.C.; Heredom, the annual transactions of the Scottish Rite Research Society containing essays by top Masonic researchers; and Albert Pike’s Book of the Words, with an introduction by Arturo de Hoyos, searching for the origins of the many unusual words found in Masonic ceremonies. If the Scottish Rite is the “University of Freemasonry,” then the Supreme Council, 33°, Southern Jurisdiction, is the campus book store!