Book Mention: The Conspiracy Book

Subtitled A Chronological Journey Through Secret Societies and Hidden Histories.  Sure, you've heard of lots of these: the Pythagorean Brotherhood, the Hell-Fire Club, Skull and Bones, the Thule Society, etc.  You can go down all kinds of ratholes sorting out what is what.  Or... you can let John Michael Greer do the in-depth reading and then enjoy his mercifully brief one-page summaries.  Probably all you need or want to know about most of this stuff.  One page each, with a very nicely illustrated opposing page on each topic.  Also, the binding and design have a deluxe feel, so skip the e-book and get this one in hardback.

While each topic is presented on its own here, there is substantial cross-referencing to show how some of these conspiracies fed into others.  It all makes for an easy episodic read, but there's enough linkage to encourage further research if you are so inclined.

Finally and worth mentioning, there's been a rift between the author and publisher detailed here.  If you are having trouble finding at your local book store, there's a link to the author's Bookshop web site at the link.