The Da Vinci Code-FAQ

HOW MUCH OF THIS NOVEL IS TRUE?
The Da Vinci Code is a novel and therefore a work of fiction. While the book's characters and their actions are obviously not real, the artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals depicted in this novel all exist (for example, Leonardo Da Vinci's paintings, the Louvre pyramid, the Gnostic Gospels, Hieros Gamos, etc.). These real elements are interpretted and debated by fictional characters. While it is my belief that the theories discussed by these characters have merit, each individual reader must explore these characters' viewpoints and come to his or her own interpretations. My hope in writing this novel was that the story would serve as a catalyst and a springboard for people to discuss the important topics of faith, religion, and history.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF CLERICAL SCHOLARS ATTEMPTING TO "DISPROVE" THE DA VINCI CODE?
The dialogue is wonderful. These authors and I obviously disagree, but the debate that is being generated is a positive powerful force. The more vigorously we debate these topics, the better our understanding of our own spirituality. Controversy and dialogue are healthy for religion as a whole. Religion has only one true enemy--apathy--and passionate debate is a superb antidote.

SOME OF THE HISTORY IN THIS NOVEL CONTRADICTS WHAT I LEARNED IN SCHOOL. WHAT SHOULD I BELIEVE?
Since the beginning of recorded time, history has been written by the "winners" (those societies and belief systems that conquered and survived). Despite an obvious bias in this accounting method, we still measure the "historical accuracy" of a given concept by examining how well it concurs with our existing historical record. Many historians now believe (as do I) that in gauging the historical accuracy of a given concept, we should first ask ourselves a far deeper question: How historically accurate is history itself?

ARE YOU SURPRISED BY THE BOOK'S SUCCESS?
Stunned. I worked very hard on this novel, and I certainly expected people would enjoy it, but I never imagined so many people would be enjoying it this much. I wrote this book essentially as a group of fictional characters exploring ideas that I found personally intriguing. These same themes obviously resonate with a great many people.

ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?
Yes. Interestingly, if you ask three people what it means to be Christian, you will get three different answers. Some feel being baptized is sufficient. Others feel you must accept the Bible as immutable historical fact. Still others require a belief that all those who do not accept Christ as their personal savior are doomed to hell. Faith is a continuum, and we each fall on that line where we may. By attempting to rigidly classify ethereal concepts like faith, we end up debating semantics to the point where we entirely miss the obvious--that is, that we are all trying to decipher life's big mysteries, and we're each following our own paths of enlightenment. I consider myself a student of many religions. The more I learn, the more questions I have. For me, the spiritual quest will be a life-long work in progress.

THIS NOVEL IS VERY EMPOWERING TO WOMEN. CAN YOU COMMENT?
Two thousand years ago, we lived in a world of Gods and Goddesses. Today, we live in a world solely of Gods. Women in most cultures have been stripped of their spiritual power. The novel touches on questions of how and why this shift occurred…and on what lessons we might learn from it regarding our future.

PARTS OF THE DA VINCI CODE DESCRIBE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE RELIGIOUS GROUP OPUS DEI. HOW DOES OPUS DEI FEEL ABOUT YOUR NOVEL?
I worked very hard to create a fair and balanced depiction of Opus Dei. Even so, there may be those who are offended by the portrayal. While Opus Dei is a very positive force in the lives of many people, for others, affiliation with Opus Dei has been a profoundly negative experience. Their portrayal in the novel is based on more than a dozen books written about Opus Dei as well as on my own personal interviews with current and former members.

THE COVER OF YOUR BOOK MENTIONS "THE GREATEST CONSPIRACY OF THE PAST 2000 YEARS." WHAT IS THIS CONSPIRACY?
Revealing that secret would rob readers of all the fun, but I will say that it relates to one of the most famous histories of all time…a legend familiar to all of us. Rumors of this conspiracy have been whispered for centuries in countless languages, including the languages of art, music, and literature. Some of the most dramatic evidence can be found in the paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci, which seem to overflow with mystifying symbolism, anomalies, and codes. Art historians agree that Da Vinci's paintings contain hidden levels of meaning that go well beneath the surface of the paint. Many scholars believe his work intentionally provides clues to a powerful secret…a secret that remains protected to this day by a clandestine brotherhood of which Da Vinci was a member.


WHERE DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR THE DA VINCI CODE?
This particular story kept knocking on my door until I answered. I first learned of the mysteries hidden in Da Vinci's paintings while I was studying art history at the University of Seville in Spain. Years later, while researching Angels & Demons and the Vatican Secret Archives, I encountered the Da Vinci enigma yet again. I arranged a trip to the Louvre Museum where I was fortunate enough to view the originals of some of Da Vinci's most famous works as well as discuss them with an art historian who helped me better understand the mystery behind their surprising anomalies. From then on, I was captivated. I spent a year doing research before writing The Da Vinci Code.

HOW DID YOU GET ALL THE INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOOK?
Most of the information is not as "inside" as it seems. The secret described in the novel has been chronicled for centuries, so there are thousands of sources to draw from. In addition, I was surprised how eager historians were to share their expertise with me. One academic told me her enthusiasm for The Da Vinci Code was based in part on her hope that "this ancient mystery would be unveiled to a wider audience."

YOU SEEM TO HAVE A FASCINATION WITH SECRET SOCIETIES? CAN YOU COMMENT?
My interest in secret societies is the product of many experiences, some I can discuss, others I cannot. Certainly my research of organizations like NSA, the Vatican, NRO, and Opus Dei continues to fuel my intrigue. At a more fundamental level, though, my interest sparks from growing up in New England, surrounded by the clandestine clubs of Ivy League universities, the Masonic lodges of our Founding Fathers, and the hidden hallways of early government power. New England has a long tradition of elite private clubs, fraternities, and secrecy. On that theme, the next Robert Langdon novel (already in progress) is set deep within the oldest fraternity in history…the enigmatic brotherhood of the Masons.

THE TOPIC OF THIS NOVEL MIGHT BE CONSIDERED CONTROVERSIAL. DO YOU FEAR REPERCUSSIONS?
I can't imagine why. As I mentioned earlier, the theory I reveal is one that has been whispered for centuries. It is not my own. Admittedly, this may be the first time the theory has been unveiled within the format of a popular thriller, but the information is anything but new. My sincere hope is that The Da Vinci Code, in addition to entertaining people, will serve as an open door for readers to begin their own explorations.

HAS ANYONE IN ORGANIZED RELIGION COME OUT IN SUPPORT OF YOUR NOVEL?
Yes, many people in organized religion have come out in support of this novel, and, of course, many have come out in opposition as well. The opposition generally comes from the strictest Christian thinkers who feel the idea of a "married Jesus" serves to undermine His divinity. While I don't agree with this interpretation, this is immaterial because the dialogue itself is a deeply empowering and positive force for everyone involved. Suddenly, enormous numbers of people are passionately debating important philosophical topics, and regardless of the personal conclusions that each of us draws, the debate can only help to strengthen our understanding of our own faith. Much of the positive response I get from within organized religion comes from nuns (who write to thank me for pointing out that they have sacrificed their entire lives to the Church and are still considered "unfit" to serve behind the altar). I have also heard from hundreds of enthusiastic priests. While many of them disagree with some of the ideas in the novel, they are thrilled that their parishioners are eager to discuss religion. Father John Sewell of St. John's Episcopal Church in Memphis stated it particularly eloquently in the press recently, saying: "This [novel] is not a threat. This is an opportunity. We are called to creatively engage the culture and this is what I want to do. I think Dan Brown has done me a favor. He's letting me talk about things that matter."

WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A CONSPIRACY THEORIST?
Hardly. I'm quite the opposite, in fact--more of a skeptic. I see no truth whatsoever in stories of extraterrestrial visitors, crop circles, the Bermuda Triangle, or many of the other "mysteries" that permeate pop culture. However, the secret behind The Da Vinci Code was too well documented and significant for me to dismiss.

HOW DO YOU WEAVE SO MUCH INFORMATION INTO YOUR STORIES AND YET KEEP THEM SO FAST-PACED?
Writing an informative yet compact thriller is a lot like making maple sugar candy. You have to tap hundreds of trees…boil vats and vats of raw sap…evaporate the water…and keep boiling until you've distilled a tiny nugget that encapsulates the essence. Of course, this requires liberal use of the DELETE key. In many ways, editing yourself is the most important part of being a novelist…carving away superfluous text until your story stands crystal clear before your reader. For every page in The Da Vinci Code, I wrote ten that ended up in the trash.

CAN YOU SYNOPSIZE THE PLOT FOR US?
Sure. A renowned Harvard symbologist is summoned to the Louvre Museum to examine a series of cryptic symbols relating to Da Vinci's artwork. In decrypting the code, he uncovers the key to one of the greatest mysteries of all time…and he becomes a hunted man.

WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE WRITERS?
John Steinbeck for his descriptions…Robert Ludlum for his plotting…and Shakespeare for his wordplay.

RUMOR HAS IT THAT YOUR DAILY WRITING RITUAL INCLUDES SOME STRANGE PRACTICES. IS THAT TRUE?
Well, I suppose that depends on what you consider strange. I do write exceptionally early in the morning. If I'm not at my desk by 4:00 A.M., I feel like I'm missing my most productive hours. In addition to starting early, I keep an antique hour glass on my desk and every hour break briefly to do pushups, sit-ups, and some quick stretches. I find this helps keep the blood (and ideas) flowing. I'm also a big fan of gravity boots. Hanging upside down seems to help me solve plot challenges by shifting my entire perspective. Okay, I guess all this does sound a little strange.

WHEN IS YOUR NEXT NOVEL COMING OUT?
Because my novels are so research-intensive, they take a couple of years to write. My next novel will be another Robert Langdon adventure (picking up, in fact, where The Da Vinci Code left off). Currently, there is no release date scheduled because the book is not yet near completion.

Merry Christmas everyone! The day we are looking forward to is finally here! And soon, it will be gone. So, cherish it. Christmas is the time I look forward to sending my well wishes to my dearest friends, family and relatives; but of course, it's not the only time of the year that I would do that. It's just that everyone gets extremely happy and excited on Christmas day. For instance, I have so many smses just in 21 mins and I believe that more will come in...thanks for your cards, sms greetings people. Merry Christmas to you too. May your wish come true.
Nowdays, as Christmas becomes more commercialised, it seems to me that people have already forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. It seems like a must to make a trip to Orchard and buy something for your friends or family. To me, a card or even a simple Merry Christmas will mean a whole lot to me! And to be honest, I really couldn't be bothered to go down to Orchard and squeeze my way through the crowd. I would devote this special time to my family and my beloved. Wait, don't be mistaken. This "beloved" here refers to my books. By the way, I had just bought Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code yesterday. Been thinking of this book way before school closes. Now, I finally get my hands on it. Will start reading as soon as I finsh John Grisham's The Client. Erm, I think the Christmas season is overwhelming. I so excited that I just can't sleep. Perhaps I should go and finish up on Grisham. Merry Christmas once again!

Had been spending these few days with myself and my family. Friends? Nope. I'm really guilty to say that. But I'm really too tired to even reply their smses, msg and even blog! What more spend time and go out with them. I mean, it's not a chore to do that, it's just that I'm simply too exhausted to move. Plus, I'm down with a flu. It's really horrible. I think I'll soon use up every single piece of tissue that I can find in my house. Later, I'm going to play a game of Monopoly with my brothers. They have been monopoly-crazy these few days. Kept on playing monopoly until late into the night. I don't think I'm in the best condition to play(you know, with the flu and the dizziness). I think one of them will win tonight's game. Guess that I'm going to be the BIG TIME LOSER(in their words) tonight. But, losing just a single game is not something to be shameful of. Afterall, I've won a couple of games...better not let my bros read this...if not they are going to say:" Losing to such a worthy opponent is nothing".
Anyway, better be serious these 2 weeks, cos school is going to start in 2 weeks time... the J1s will be coming in...it seems like it's only yesterday that I've started college. And now, in 2 weeks tine, I'll be a J2! Looking forward to it? You bet. But come j2, I'll have to study real hard. Certainly look forward to the challenges ahead.

It's really a busy day...(but it's worthwhile, tell you why later). Fill in the feedback form in the morning and went for lunch at "somewhere far", Jurong East at exactly noon. Since we had quite a long time before 2.30, when we had to go NUS to collect our posters, we walked to IMM to shop. We were all so tired, drained out...
It started raining on our way back. So, we decided to take the NUH bus instead as the place is just next to NUH. Since our poster was not laminated or whatsoever, we had to use the plastic covers meant for wet umbrellas to wrap up our posters to prevent them from the splashing rain. We must have look stupid to the security guard...but well...It was raining so heavily that we could not run to the bus-stop. We waited for the rain to stop before we went back. Soon, after about 30 mins of waiting, the rain stoppped. We then made our way to the bus-stop to take the bus back. When we returned, everyone in the lab were admiring our posters. Yes, the researchers. They made comments like, "Nice poster", "so many diagrams, I never had so many pictures for my project before". And we are not the ones who are proud. Our mentors were the ones.
Soon after we returned, we were told that we need a mounting board. We then rushed to Holland Village to get in. Btw, it was drizzling and the walk was quite long. Horror of all horrors, we counldn't find the mounting board there. We were so desperate for the mounting board as we don't want to come tomorrow. And so, we took a cab to Jurong East. After getting our mounting boards and other materials, we took a cab back. We quickly mounted the posters and went down to the admin to give our posters, logbooks,...We were given a shock when we were told that we need to fill in a clearance form. We were keeping our fingers cross that our mentors will be in. Thankfully, they were. Before we left, there were a couple of " Goodbyes", "Good luck" and "visit us some time". Don't worry, we will.

To everyone at AGP lab:
Thanks for everything all of you had given to me during these 5 weeks. Thanks for the jokes, laughter and teachings. Thanks for the wonderful memories. Because of you, I realise that research work is not-all-so boring and monotonous. Have a good Christmas holiday and May God Bless all of you.

*I DReam* By TAufiK BatisAh


Verse 1:
In my mind
I can climb
All the mountains that surround me
My spirit's there, where eagles dare to fly


In my heart
There's a spark
That can light the world around me
An open door, where I am sure dreams are


Bridge 1:
It doesn't matter if I win
Or the colour of my skin
Cause the race is all about
Believing in yourself


Chorus 1:
And I dream
I can run
Like the wind
And be strong
When my heart just wants to give in
I dream
I can be
The hero that's in me
When I dream, I dream


Verse 2:
If there's a time
In your life
When the odds are so against you
There's no defeat, if all you keep is pride
First or last
Slow or fast
There's a dignity that makes you
Keep driving on, when worlds have come apart


Bridge 2:
It doesn't matter rich or poor
Or the things you've done before
Cause the race is all about
Believing in yourself


Chorus 2:
And I dream
I can run
Like the wind
And be strong
When my heart just wants to give in
I dream
I can be
The hero that's in me
When I dream, I dream


Middle 8:
I dream
Of a moment
That forever will be golden
When the torch is passed
Only dreams will last
That are shared by everyone


Chorus 3 & 4:
And I dream
I can run
Like the wind
And be strong
When my heart just wants to give in
I dream
I can be
The hero that's in me
When I dream, I dream

My poster...final version... 

The apoptotic cells are those whose nuclei are stained fluorescent blue...pretty, isn't it?  

Dreaming of You
Franne Gold & Tom Snow





Late at night when all the world is sleeping
I stay up and think of you
And I wish on a star that somewhere you are
Thinking of me too

Cause I'm dreaming of you tonight
Till tomorrow I'll be holding you tight
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be
Than here in my room dreaming about you and me

Wonder if you ever see me
And I wonder if you know I'm there
If you looked in my eyes
Would you see what's inside
Would you even care?

I just wanna hold you close
But so far all I have a dreams of you
So I wait for the day
And the courage to say how much I love you
Yes I do!

I'll be dreaming of you tonight
Till tomorrow I'll be holding you tight
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be
Than here in my room dreaming about you and me

Corazón
I can't stop dreaming of you
No puedo dejar de pensar en ti
I can't stop dreaming
Cómo te necesito
I can't stop dreaming of you
Mi amor, cómo te extraño

Late at night when all the world is sleeping
I stay up and think of you
And I still can't believe
That you came up to me and said "I love you"
I love you too!

Now I'm dreaming with you tonight
Till tomorrow and for all of my life
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be
Than here in my room dreaming of you endlessly

Dreaming of you tonight
Till tomorrow I'll be holding you tight
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be
Than here in my room
I'll be dreaming of you tonight
Endlessly
And I'll be holding you tight
Dreaming...with you...tonight!

Oh my! I really can't describe my feelings right now...lost for words...can i say that I'm feeling happy, delighted, cheery, buoyant, elated, ecstatic, exhilarated, enruptured, exburerant, over the moon, triumphant,...opps, did I just say that I'm lost for words? Anyway, the reason is as simple as this: The research attachment is going to end NEXT WEEK! After next week, I'll be able to do anything i want! The only sad thing is that I've only 2 more weeks before school starts. If only time would stop on 18th Dec...
Enough of the impossible...the time spent today is quite...i would say, well spent... did my second draft of the report (which SK said it was quite good) and made a few changes to my poster (which SK hasn't gone through). I think I'm most likely going to print my poster on Tues or Wed...Left at around 5.45 to queensway to photocopy something...By the time I reach home, I'm exhausted, both mentally and physically...
Now, after 9 hours of sleep, my energy are replenlished and I'm all ready to start doing what I'm supposed to be doing...you all too...stop reading now and start work!

I Turn To You
Written by Diane Warren

When I'm lost, in the rain
In your eyes I know I'll find the light
To light my way
When I'm scared, losing ground
When my world is going crazy
You can turn it all around, yes

And when I'm down you're there
Pushing me to the top
You're always there giving me all you've got
For a shield, from the storm
For a friend, for a love to keep me safe and warm
I turn to you
For the strength, to be strong
For the will to carry on
For everything you do, for everything that's true
I turn to you, yes

When I lose, the will to win
I just reach for you and I can reach
The sky again, I can do, anything
'Cause your love is so amazing
'Cause your love inspires me
And when I need a friend
You're always on my side
Giving me faith taking me through the night, yeah

For a shield (for a shield), from the storm (from the storm)
For a friend, for a love to keep me safe and warm
(For a love to keep me safe and warm)
I turn to you (I turn to you)
For the strength (for the strength), to be strong
For the will to carry on, uh
For everything you do
I turn to you, yeah, ohhh

For the arms to be my shelter through all the rain
For truth that will never change
For someone to lean on
For a heart I can rely on through anything
For the one who, I can run to, ohh I...
Turn to you...ohhh yeah

For a shield , from the storm
For a friend, for a love to keep me safe and warm
(To keep me safe and warm, yeah)
I turn to you (I turn to you)
For the strength (for the strength), to be strong
For the will to carry on, oh ohh
For everything you do (everything you do)
For everything that's true
For everything you do, ohh
For everything that's true
I turn to you

Have been considerably quite a long time since I last blog. Well, perhaps not really. It's just that nowadays, when I reach home, I'm too tired to do anything. Even watching TV and reading magazines. Sometimes, I just wish that time will past more quickly.
Woke up feeling unusally happy today. Maybe it could be because the attachment is coming to an end. 9 more days. You can be assured that I'm certainly looking forward to it. Oh, I just received an e-mail from Aida! I did not expect it, seriously speaking. Her e-mail really made my day. Haven't been in contact with her since she left. And I really don't know what to reply! But, I eventually manage to when I started thinking back, recalling the time we had together. I've known her since I was Sec 2. She was a jovial, cheerful girl. Always laughing and chattering. Really miss her after she left. Come to think of it, I've actually quite a number of friends from St Margs. It's like the potential "life-long" friendships were forged there. It's really a forgetable 4 years. Though life goes on and everyone is moving on with life, the memories remain up there in my head. Even though I may have made friends in JC, they are simply not the same. At least, to me, they aren't.

Christmas is coming! I just bought the Christmas cards yesterday. 21 more days to Christmas. Previous years, I would have been done writing the cards. But this year is exceptional. All because of the research attachment. By the way, the cards are really cute. Hallmark. So cute...You will know what I mean when you all receive the cards. I think it's so funny to send cards to people whom I have not met since Sec 1...It's like I've forgotten how they look and all that...but, we still send cards to each other during Christmas. Weird, isn't it?
2 more weeks till the end of the research attachment. Really glad that it's going to be over soon. I really don't want to repeat any of the experiments that I've done. I rather write my report and do the poster. But 2 weeks is quite a long time to do the report and poster, given my efficency. Never mind about all that. Things will work out when the time comes. Better study and do my tutorials now.