H.P. Blavatsky's Secret Doctrine is not easy to read and those brave enough to tackle it often feel lost in a forest of unfamiliar terminology, concepts, and allusions. In order to help find the trees in this forest, it is no wonder that several abridgements have been produced through the years. Franz Hartmann's Outline of the Secret Doctrine could easily be mistaken for one of these were it not for the fact that it is not an abridgement at all. While it does present the Stanzas in sequential order, the accompanying commentary is not merely a shortened version of HPB's explanations but rather a completely new exegesis written by a friend who had spent hours with HPB, listening to her serious teaching and everyday banter while all the time absorbing her views on the nature of the world. As a deep student of Eastern and Western esoteric writings, Franz Hartmann was uniquely qualified to provide a roadmap to The Secret Doctrine. Students who have never read the book, as well as those who are well-acquainted with its content, will find his explanations to be enlightening and thought-provoking. For Hartmann, The Secret Doctrine was not just another interesting book.