 Nothing Else Like It Available - More of an Encyclopedia or Reference Manual Though, Than an Instruction Book
There really is nothing else out there like this. It's an occult classic. It's interesting - I was recently reading Mitch Horowitz's Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation, which provides some background on Hall and the time in which this book was written. It's still somewhat of a mystery as to how Hall, at the age of 27, was able to compile, organize and analyze such a wealth of information on so many different historical occult traditions and produce this amazing volume. Supposedly Hall himself said of it 'It is easier to know something than to know how you know it' (or along those lines anyway.)
Other reviewers have outlined the subject matter and commented on the images, so I won't repeat that here. The images certainly are much better than another edition I checked out from the library. Of course, some of the material in this book is now dated - for example, we have many more texts translated from various Eastern Buddhist and Hindu traditions available to us now in the West, which makes Hall's presentation of those traditions seem limited. But overall, it is such an amazing compilation, and had such a profound impact on the development of Western mystic/occult/spiritual thinking, that it is a must-have for any serious student of those topics.
 Get the October 2003 version
Just started reading this book. But I just wanted to comment on the graphics. The illustrations are not that good in this version. I saw the 2003 version at borders ($25) and the graphics in that one is in color and is easier to see. I am purchasing the 2003 version for my library.
This is the version to get - clear pictures and an index
Having been disappointed with the first version I ordered (the other new, blue-covered edition from Wilder Publications) as the illustrations are so bad, I'm writing this review to save others wasting their money in a similar way. One can always return a book, but when it's shipped from another continent, it costs a fortune in postage. Both texts are identical of course, but this version also has an index at the back which the Wilder Publications version sadly lacks, which is very frustrating when trying to look up information. The pictures in this book are well-copied and every detail can be seen, which is important when the illustrations are under discussion in the text. Having said that, the paper used is not of a particularly high quality. In this single aspect, the version with the poor pictures wins with better paper, but it costs near $10 extra at the moment second-hand. As they say, you can't win 'em all.
like an in depth summary of everything since the beginning of time
originaly many volumes(so this is a this is a bit like cliff notes..but still thick as a brick in size and scope)-Hall wrote this when he was only 27..that alone will blow your mind.
It is brilliantly dumbed down enough for anyone with an IQ over 110 to "GET IT".
Everything you need to know
Manly P. Hall, adept, sage, philosopher, Freemason, and intellectual, has given the world this amazing encyclopedic overview of the world's most important esoteric traditions and philosophical schools of thought. The reading is not light, but the reader will come away enlightened if they put the time into truly comprehending Mr. Hall's words - that is to say the teachings of antiquity. Anyone who wants an introduction to esoteric traditions need look no further. "Secret Teachings" is widely regarded as one of, if not the best books on the subject matter. Whether you decide to read it cover to cover or pick and choose from the dozens of chapters/subjects; purchase this tome and you will not be disappointed.
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