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In 1994, an Italian journalist discovered an old manuscript, filled with watercolors, in a library in Rome. As she studied the book, she found a surprisingly familiar name inscribed inside: Michel de Notredame, otherwise known as Nostradamus. For hundreds of years, this book had been hidden—most likely held at the Vatican—before finding its way to the Roman library. The circumstances surrounding the book were a mystery—but if this really was the lost book of Nostradamus, it could have significant value.
The History Channel documentary, Lost Book of Nostradamus takes a look inside the long-lost manuscript. It discusses both sides of the debate regarding the book’s authorship, and it gives viewers a look inside its pages—at the more than 80 watercolor images it contains. While some argue that the images couldn’t possibly be the work of the famous 16th-century seer, others contend that not only is the book the work of Nostradamus but it also contains very important prophecies about the current times—as well as the troublesome days ahead.
As it discusses the manuscript—and the scientific methods used to try to determine its authorship—the documentary also talks about Nostradamus’s life and prophecies.
Ever since the September 11 attacks once again brought attention to Nostradamus and his prophecies, I’ve been fascinated by what he had to say. That doesn’t mean, however, that I wasn’t skeptical. And, after watching this documentary, I still am.
Lost Book of Nostradamus is definitely an intriguing documentary—one that goes into remarkable detail about Nostradamus’s life and prophecies. And the idea of this possible “lost book” is fascinating. Still, the cynic in me just wanted someone in the documentary to prove it—to show me that there’s some kind of proof that he really did foresee the attacks on the Twin Towers. I wanted someone to explain to me without a doubt that Nostradamus was predicting the things that everyone says he was. But I can’t say that I’m convinced. I’m not convinced that the eight-spoked wheel pictured in the watercolor images really means what the symbolist in the documentary says it does. I’m not convinced that the world is going to end when the scholars claim that Nostradamus’s images predict it will. I still find it all a little hard to believe—especially when the prophecies/images are all so cryptic that no one seems to be able to figure out what they mean until after the events he “predicted” actually take place.
At the same time, though, I was mesmerized by this frighteningly eerie documentary. And, to be totally honest, it creeped me out just a little bit. The images are so striking—and the experts’ explanations seem so plausible—that it’s impossible not to get caught up in all the doom and gloom and hocus-pocus of it all. So while I don’t intend to start planning for Armageddon quite yet, I was fascinated by this eye-opening and thought-provoking film. If you’re curious about Nostradamus and his prophecies, I recommend checking it out.
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