Where History Is Not as It Seems
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

Though it boasts its share of high-tech gadgetry, the landscape depicted in “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” is in many ways sweetly old-fashioned. The plot hinges on one man’s quest to preserve the good name of his great-great-grandfather. The titular treasure is cherished not for its monetary value, but because, as one character exclaims, “This is going to give us incredible insight into pre-Columbian history!” Just as many clues come from dusty history books as from Google. And the president takes an enormous political risk based solely on his insatiable intellectual curiosity. Yes, this is a fantasy world, but it’s an appealing one.
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