Afterthoughts

"The Lost Symbol," Dan Brown's sequel to "The Da Vinci Code," is a suspenseful labyrinth of plots, subplots, sub-subplots, codes and mysteries set in Washington, D.C. An enigma wrapped in a dilemma, wrapped in a health-care bill.

The characters dash from one D.C. landmark to another, including the beautiful Masonic Temple, which houses the world's largest collection of mason jars.

Masonry plays a big part in the book, and it is pointed out that our first 10 presidents were Masons, as were James Mason and Jackie Mason.

The main character, Robert Langdon, is in constant danger while carrying around a small pyramid, which contains the ancient secrets: George Washington was born in Kenya; Rosebud is the sled, etc.

Admittedly, none of this makes sense unless you have read "The Lost Symbol." However, if you have read it — it will make even less sense.