Freemasonry: An Introduction

An experienced Freemason and award-winning psychologist provides a precise and engaging exploration of the core meaning and practices of Freemasonry for the new generation of people interested in joining the order, and those who are simply curious in the wake of recent media coverage.

Entertaining books and movies often depict Freemasonry as a shadowy, mysterious, and possibly sinister organization, and the TV and magazine specials on Freemasonry that inevitably follow often leave us with more questions than answers.

Mark E. Koltko-Rivera, a practicing thirty-second-degree Mason, has created a simple, authoritative, and easy-to-understand introduction to the history, rites, and meaning of Freemasonry. It may be the single most reliable short guide to Masonry, written by a widely recognized psychologist and scholar of esoteric history.

Koltko-Rivera's trustworthy handbook explores all the basic issues around Masonry, like:

*What is Freemasonry, and what is its history?

*How does one become a Freemason?

*What are some of the most important Masonic symbols?

*What do Masons get from their involvement in Freemasonry? What changes does it make in their inner and outer lives?

*What is it like to participate in the initiatory rituals of Freemasonry?

*What are some of the great historical controversies and myths surrounding Freemasonry?

*How is Masonry relevant today?

Mark E. Koltko-Rivera, Ph.D., holds the thirty-second degree (32*) in the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. He has received several degrees of initiation administered by the York Rite of Freemasonry as well, culminating in his status as a member of the Masonic version of the Knights Templar. He has written extensively on Freemasonry for publications that serve a Masonic audience and has also written award-winning scholarly works in several fields of psychology. Koltko-Rivera received his doctoral degree in counseling psychology from New York University in 2000. He lives in New York City.