Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin Dan Brown
Dan Brown, the bestselling author behind the Robert Langdon series, dives deep into his unique writing process. He discusses the moral complexities of his characters, often villains who see themselves as heroes. Exploring consciousness, Brown shares how personal grief has reshaped his perspective on life after death. He details his meticulous research methods, including on-location visits to Prague, and reveals his daily writing ritual. With a nod to the impact of censorship, he reflects on the profound conversations sparked by The Da Vinci Code.
01:40:08
Topic Before Characters
- Dan Brown chooses big, morally ambiguous topics first, then location, then characters to explore tensions like privacy vs security or AI's risks and benefits.
- He believes the core of a compelling thriller is a topic that forces readers to wrestle with right reasons for wrong actions.
Consciousness As A Receiver
- Dan Brown argues consciousness may be better modeled as non-local receiver rather than brain-generated, explaining many anomalies like savant syndrome and ESP.
- He predicts mainstream views on consciousness will shift within a decade with big implications for death and ethics.
Backlash And Unexpected Praise
- The Da Vinci Code was banned and burned in many places, which surprised Dan Brown given his respectful intent.
- He also received grateful letters from Catholic nuns who appreciated the book's reminder of the sacred feminine.
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Intro
00:00 • 24sec
Writing about moral gray areas
00:24 • 37sec
Choosing ambitious book topics
01:01 • 45sec
Villains who believe they're heroes
01:45 • 45sec
Researching AI and its nuances
02:30 • 46sec
Optimism tempered by moral lag
03:16 • 1min
Starting an eight-year consciousness book
04:36 • 3min
Personal catalyst: grief and death
07:18 • 2min
Resistance to new paradigms
09:20 • 1min
Censorship and impact of Da Vinci Code
10:30 • 3min
Cultural conversations sparked by fiction
13:10 • 51sec
Writing nonfiction-backed fiction
14:02 • 39sec
Researching consciousness and Prague setting
14:40 • 4min
Making consciousness urgent in a thriller
18:42 • 1min
Ending first, composing like music
20:04 • 3min
Ad break
23:24 • 1min
Managing many characters like polyphony
24:54 • 2min
On-location research and sensory details
26:50 • 3min
Influences: Sheldrake and resonance
29:51 • 2min
Naming characters to evoke image
31:26 • 2min
Crafting Langdon and his strengths
32:57 • 3min
Research method and expert interviews
35:38 • 2min
Ad break
38:04 • 2min
Persistence and finishing novels
39:50 • 1min
Writing rhythms: hardest moments
41:05 • 2min
Daily routine and morning creativity
42:59 • 2min
Resetting with music and short chapters
44:57 • 3min
From musician to novelist
47:30 • 2min
Why Da Vinci Code succeeded
50:00 • 5min
Public reaction and consequences
55:00 • 3min
The golem as thematic element
57:45 • 50sec
Product specifics add realism
58:35 • 3min
Balancing plausibility and reality
01:01:22 • 1min
Ad break
01:02:28 • 2min
Editor partnership and compressed timeframes
01:04:03 • 4min
Seeing novels adapted to film
01:08:03 • 6min
Seed idea for Da Vinci Code
01:13:40 • 3min
Legal aftermath of referencing sources
01:16:37 • 5min
Spiritual stance and meditation
01:21:25 • 5min
Love of codes, maps, and treasure hunts
01:26:48 • 5min
Writing advice: learn what you want
01:31:22 • 2min
Belief in non-local consciousness
01:33:13 • 19sec
Media habits and storytelling diet
01:33:32 • 3min
Practice makes craft improve
01:36:09 • 5min
Outro
01:41:13 • 25sec
#31519
The Templar Revelation
Lynn Picknett
Clive Prince
The Templar Revelation, co-authored by Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince, presents a provocative thesis that challenges traditional Christian narratives.
The book argues that much of what is commonly accepted about Christianity, including the Nativity, the ministry of Jesus, and the Crucifixion, is based on myths or misrepresentations.
It explores the role of the Knights Templar as secret guardians of hidden truths about Christ's identity, drawing on historical, artistic, and esoteric evidence.
The work has been influential and served as an inspiration for later popular works such as The Da Vinci Code.
#55810
Wild Symphony
Dan Brown
#3384
• Mentioned in 12 episodes
Holy Blood, Holy Grail
Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, Henry Lincoln
Henry Lincoln
Richard Leigh
The book, written by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln, presents a controversial hypothesis that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross but lived to marry Mary Magdalene and father children.
These children, according to the authors, became part of the Merovingian bloodline in southern France.
The book delves into the history of the Knights Templar, the Priory of Sion, and other secret societies, suggesting they were involved in protecting and promoting this bloodline.
Despite its provocative claims, the book has been criticized by scholars for lacking historical evidence and being classified as pseudohistory.
#14822
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
Digital Fortress
Dan Brown
Digital Fortress is a thriller by Dan Brown that explores the themes of government surveillance and civil liberties through the lens of cryptography.
The story revolves around the NSA's struggle with an unbreakable code created by Ensei Tankado, which could cripple U.S.
intelligence if released.
The novel follows Susan Fletcher, the NSA's head cryptographer, as she navigates a web of deceit and betrayal to save the agency and her country.
#8718
• Mentioned in 5 episodes
Origin
Dan Brown
#410
• Mentioned in 59 episodes
The Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown
In 'The Da Vinci Code', Robert Langdon is called to the Louvre Museum in Paris after the murder of the curator, Jacques Saunière.
Along with French cryptologist Sophie Neveu, Langdon embarks on a perilous journey to decipher cryptic clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci.
The plot revolves around an alternative religious history, suggesting that Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene had a child, and their descendants are protected by the Priory of Sion.
The novel is a blend of relentless adventure, scholarly intrigue, and cutting wit, with numerous twists and turns that keep the reader engaged until the astonishing conclusion.
#10773
• Mentioned in 4 episodes
The Lost Symbol
Dan Brown
In this novel, Robert Langdon is invited to give a lecture at the U.S.
Capitol, only to find himself embroiled in a mystery involving his kidnapped mentor, Peter Solomon.
Langdon must decipher ancient symbols and navigate a clandestine world of Masonic secrets to rescue Solomon and uncover the truth about the 'Lost Word' and the 'Mason's Pyramid.
' Along the way, he encounters various characters, including the enigmatic Mal'akh, who poses a significant threat, and Katherine Solomon, a noetic scientist and Peter's sister.
The story delves into themes of Freemasonry, ancient knowledge, and the tension between science and religion.
#9481
• Mentioned in 4 episodes
The Book of Secrets
Deepak Chopra
In 'The Book of Secrets,' Deepak Chopra explores the hidden dimensions of life and offers insights into unlocking the mysteries of the self.
Chopra combines ancient wisdom traditions with contemporary science to guide readers on a journey of self-discovery.
The book delves into the nature of reality, consciousness, and the interconnectedness of all things.
It presents practical tools and techniques for personal transformation and spiritual growth.
Chopra encourages readers to look beyond the surface of everyday life to uncover deeper truths and find meaning and fulfillment.
#2097
• Mentioned in 18 episodes
Angels and Demons
Dan Brown
In this novel, Dan Brown introduces Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist, who is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol seared into the chest of a murdered physicist.
This discovery leads to the revelation of the resurgence of the ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati, which has a vendetta against the Catholic Church.
Langdon teams up with Vittoria Vetra, a CERN scientist, to follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols across Rome to prevent the Illuminati from carrying out their deadly plans, including the detonation of an antimatter bomb in Vatican City.
The story is a blend of relentless adventure, scholarly intrigue, and cutting wit, exploring the battle between science and religion.
#964
• Mentioned in 32 episodes
Inferno
Dante Alighieri
Inferno is the first part of Dante Alighieri's epic poem, The Divine Comedy.
It describes Dante's journey through the nine concentric circles of Hell, each representing a different level of sin and punishment.
Guided by Virgil, Dante encounters various historical and mythological figures, witnessing their punishments which are symbolic of their sins.
The poem is an allegory of the soul's journey towards God, with Inferno representing the recognition and rejection of sin.
Dante's journey through Hell is also a personal and spiritual exploration, reflecting his own struggles and the political and social issues of his time.
#18626
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Deception Point
Dan Brown
'Deception Point' is a thriller that follows Rachel Sexton, an intelligence analyst, who is sent to the Arctic to investigate a mysterious object discovered in the ice.
The object turns out to be a spacecraft, leading to political intrigue and conspiracies within the White House.
Rachel teams up with a group of scientists and a Navy SEAL team as they uncover a deception that threatens national security.
Their investigation leads them through treacherous landscapes and dangerous encounters as they race to expose the truth.
The novel explores themes of political corruption, scientific discovery, and the balance between truth and deception.
Dan Brown is the bestselling author of the Robert Langdon thriller series, including The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, The Lost Symbol, Inferno, and Origin. His novels have sold 250 million copies worldwide. Brown’s work has defined a modern genre of high-concept, research-driven thrillers that fuse art, history, religion, and science, and several of his books have been adapted into major feature films. His latest book, The Secret of Secrets, released in September 2025, returns to the Robert Langdon character in a new contemporary thriller.
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