Freemasonry Universal: a new guide to the Masonic world, Vol 2 – Africa, Europe, Asia & Oceania By Kent Henderson & Tony Pope, Global Masonic Productions. PO Box 332, Williamstown, Victoria 3016, Australia. 438 pages.

Any doubts that Freemasonry is indeed universal is cleared up with this excellent follow-up to Volume One, which covered The Americas. There is for example, 49 countries covered under Africa. And if you thought Freemasonry did not flourish in, for example, Burkina Faso, then this book will put you right.
    Anyone who is contemplating visiting Masonic constitutions overseas (not forgetting that vital call to United Grand Lodge of England to see if it is Regular) will find this an invaluable treasure.
    That there are 21 countries in Eastern Europe – largely those formerly in the communist bloc – shows how Freemasonry is expanding now that a more liberal society prevails in that region.
    However, the problems that face Freemasons in some parts of the world are grimly underlined in this volume. Iran for example, banned Freemasonry after the Islamic revolution, and its Grand Lodge is now in exile in California. Only four of its former 43 Lodges are active. This quartet meets in Boston, Massachusetts.
    Given the arguments raging in the UK at present on registration of Freemasons who are part of the judiciary and police service, the book points out that Freemasons and other bodies in Malaysiahave to disclose membership and other details to the Registrar of Societies under the Societies Act.
    However, this law was not aimed specifically at Masons. Good relations, says the book, are maintained between the Craft and the Malaysian government.
    The authors are to be congratulated on being able to put so much information together. Where available, web sites are also given – a very useful addition.
    In his foreward to the book the Reverend Neville Barker Cryer, a well-known masonic author, says that Freemasons need to known what masonry is today "and here is one of the tools for doing just that."
    Even for Masons who may not travel outside their own jurisdiction, it is comforting to know just how global Freemasonry is. But how do you find out? This is an essential work in understanding the geographical expanse of Freemasonry, enabling the reader to embrace the fraternity worldwide.
    The book provides a wealth of information, including a brief history of Freemasonry in each area, details of governing Masonic bodies in the area and, in many instances, how to communicate with them.
    There is a particularly useful section on notes for visitors, and in some cases, details of Lodge meeting times and places. While any such volume will, of necessity, never be totally up-to-date, I cannot think of a better volume as a starting point to understand masonry universal.