It's a very interesting book about a fantastic and enlightened lady. It is a brilliant introduction to Theosophy I think! And I am also impressed by how Sylvia Cranston wrote this biography. For me it is inspiring and there are also a sort of beauty in her way to express her self who H.P. Blavatsky was (they address her with Madame) In this magnificently researched biography, with materials never printed before.
Sylvia Cranston tells the remarkable story of the founder of the Theosophical Movement. She tells us in a style so you feel that you are back in the days when she lived 1831-1891.
Is it truth or fiction? If I didn't know of her before I would have that feeling. For she is so remarkable. I even also realize today more than ever before that she more than any other person, was responsible for the introduction of Eastern religious and spiritual thinking into Western religion, science, psychology, art, music, and literature. As I see it maybe the greatest woman since this book avoids speculation and instead shows the documented facts of the life of this outstanding woman.
It is maybe the best and most objective biography of Helena P. Blavatsky. This book has she advantage of being written near the end of the twentieth century when interest in her works such as Isis Unveiled and The Secret Doctrine is increasing specially in Eastern Europe, where they have a free press today!

PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY THEOSOPHY

The last section of the book also discusses H.P. Blavatsky's great influenc  on the arts and humanity. Great poets and writers such as W.B. Yeats, George William Russell, Jack London, E. M. Forester, D.H. Lawrence, T.S. Eliot, James Joyce, Thornton Wilder and others are mentioned as being influenced by Theosophy, and their writings acknowledge a belief in reincarnation. An idea first intro educed to the West by Blavatsky- in modern time. The occult dynamic of Theosophy is also visible in the paintings of Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Piet Mondrian, and Nicholas Roerich. Some of them e.g. Kandinsky and Mondrian had great photos of HPB in their workroom.
Even musician like Scriabin, Sibelius and Mahler would not have written without the inspiration of Theosophy. Einstein the scientist had The Secret Doctrine on his desk. Thomas A. Edison was a member in the early days of Theosophy. Elvis Priesley always had the book; The Voice of Silence in his pocket. Gorbachov [and his wife] are really devoted to Theosophy.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

The first objective of Theosophy is to demonstrate that the one- ness of all life is a fact in nature and to form a universal brotherhood. To help to create better understanding among all people and encourage to the study of ancient and modern religions, sciences, and philosophies. Further investigating and sharing these truths --- the spiritual, psychological, and material laws and powers found in the cosmos and in the human being. Each person, being a portion of the whole. The Society is, however, against seeking psychic powers for selfish purposes. Those will in the evolution of time arise naturally. Cultivating such powers distracts from the deeper goals and can lead to imbalances in your consciousness.

WHAT SHE DID

First showed that all major religions are derived from one original religious philosophy. Started the Theosophical Movement and calling her message Theosophy. Introduced knowledge of eastern religions to the West - including the ideas of karma and reincarnation. Demonstrated that the ancient wisdom was still known. Presented a portion of that ancient wisdom. Performed phenomena not explainable by "known" laws of science. Gave the logical basis for morality and brotherhood. Required that the first objective of the Theosophical Movement be Universal  Brotherhood without regard to race, creed, sex, caste, or color. Claimed that there are Masters who have reached to a height we can't even imagine and that those so called Masters inspired and helped her to write her books!

MADAME BLAVATSKY- WHO WAS SHE?

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky was born on August 12, 1831, at Dnepropetrovsk, today Ekaterinoslav, Ukraine, daughter of Colonel Peter Alexeyevich von Hahn and novelist Helena Andreyevna (née de Fadeyev). She was born with gifts - psychic powers. They were so fantastic that you will not believe me if I write it down on this page! In 1849 she married N. V. Blavatsky, and shortly thereafter began more than 20 years of extensive travel [See Her life in figures,] bringing her into contact with mystic traditions the world over. Madame Blavatsky was a very controversial figure. Some people feel she was a prophet, others feel she was a fraud. Whatever one's opinion, there is no doubt that Blavatsky was an important figure in modern history. Her founding of the Theosophical Society reintroduced many ideas into Western civilization that had been forgotten for centuries. In 1873 Blavatsky arrived in New York from Paris where, impelled by her teachers, she began her work. At first she attempted to interest the Spiritualists in the philosophy be hind phenomena but they resented her refusal to accept their standard explanations. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, along with Col. Henry Steel Olcott, founded The Theosohical Society in 1875. At about the same time that the Society began, she started to write her first major work, Isis Unveiled, and after its publication in 1878 she and H. S. Olcott left for India. There they worked to reestablish Oriental philosophical and religious ideas, largely through the pages of The Theosophist, a magazine which Blavatsky founded and edited.
In 1884, while Blavatsky was traveling in Europe, disgruntled TS employees in India went to the missionaries with "forged documents", bringing charges of fraud against her. She had contact with Theosophical Leaders- in letters that came to her and even to other members. Not from any postman!  No, they could lie for instance on her desk with guidance Indian Theosophists even got such letters when she was in Europe! The Society for a Mr. Richard Hodgson to investigate the charges, and published an unfavorable report. The English government saw her as a spy - she was Russian [from 1878 American citizen] - and that she compete with the Christian missionaries with their mission. And as we know the Englishmen were very puritan at that time- more than to day. In 1986 the SPR published an analysis [a hundred years after this incident…] of the Hodgson Report by Dr V. Harrison. An SPR member expert in forgery and handwriting analysis, who concluded that the Hodgson Report was biased, unscientific, and completely unconvincing. "I apologize to her [Blavatsky] that it has taken us one hundred years to demonstrate that she wrote truly. "- The Society for Psychical Research in England. In 1885 she left India for Europe, where she continued to write The Secret Doctrine, her masterpiece. In 1887 she settled down in London, and began a new magazine Lucifer - "Light-bringer". In 1888 The Secret Doctrine was published and, in the same year, aided by W.Q. Judge, she formed an Esoteric [Secret] Section of the Theosophical Society. Shortly afterwards she wrote The Key to Theosophy and The Voice of the Silence.
She died in London on May 8, 1891.

HER LIFE IN FIGURES

1831 Born August 12 In HPB; childhood she had remarkable psychic powers.
1849 She Married Nikifor Blavatsky.
1849-50 Left him and traveled in Turkey, Greece, Egypt, and France.
1851 Met her Master in London. (In Theosophy they believe that such beings who have "finished" go back into reincarnation again. They live in another sphere, but can sometimes go back to the earth like they did at her time. in the last century).
1852 Sailed for America and via the Cape to Ceylon and India.
1853 With her Masters in Tibet. Returned to England via Java.
1854 Went back to America again, crossing the Rockies with a caravan of immigrants.
1855 Left for India late in that year. She also visited Japan.
1856-57 Traveled throughout India. Then she left for Tibet and Burma.
1858 Returned to Europe. Stayed in France and Germany. Then returned to Russia.
1860-65 Left for the Caucasus early in the year, where she traveled around.
1866-67 Left Russia again and traveled in the Balkans, Egypt, Syria, Italy.
1867 Returned to Italy and paid a short visit to southern Russia.
1868 Went to India and Tibet with her Masters.
1870 Returned to Greece.
1871 Sailed for Egypt and was shipwrecked near the island of Spetsai.
1871-72 Settled in Cairo. Traveled to the Middle East. Even to Russia.
1873 After travels in Eastern Europe went to Paris in spring. Left for New York in July.
1874 Met Henry Steel Olcott in Vermont (The cofounder of the Theosophical Society).
1875 September 8, founded the Theosophical Society, together with H. S. Olcott, William Q. Judge and others.
1875 November 17. This date is when the Society officially started!
1877 Published her first great work, Isis Unveiled.
1878 Became an American citizen. Left for India with Olcott in December (Bombay).
1879 Started her first magazine, The Theosophist - in October.
1882 New headquarters in Adyar, Madras, India on December 19.
1884 Left for Europe (Nice, Paris, London and Germany). Sailed to India in December.
1885 In March, leaving India for good. Settled at Wurzburg, Germany.
1886 Moved to Ostend and Elberfeld.
1887 In London; established the Blavatsky Lodge, and her second magazine, Lucifer.
1888 Published The Secret Doctrine.
1889 Published The Key to Theosophy and The Voice of the Silence.
1890 Established European headquarters of the Theosophical Society, at 19 Avenue Road, London, England.
1891 Where she also died May 8 1891. This day celebrated as:
The White The Lotus Day.


- All men have spiritually and physically the same origin, which is the fundamental teaching of Theosophy. As mankind is essentially of one and the same essence, and that essence is one --- infinite, uncreated, and eternal, whether we call it God or Nature --- nothing, therefore, can affect one nation or one man without affecting all other nations and all other men.
This is as certain and as obvious as that a stone thrown into a pond will, sooner or later, set in motion every single drop of water therein.
H.P. BLAVATSKY


WHAT SHE WROTE

1877 Isis Unveiled - Over 1300 pages. (Sold out first day in print).
1879 The Theosophist - Monthly magazine started in India, Bombay.
1887 Lucifer - Monthly magazine, Light Bringer, started in London.
1888 The Secret Doctrine - Her masterwork - over 1500 pages.
1889 Transactions of the Blavatsky Lodge. Answers to student questions.
1889 The Voice of the Silence - For the more devoted persons.
1889 The Key to Theosophy - An introductory book.
1892 Theosophical Glossary - It's among her papers they found after her death.
1966 Collected Writtings - Articles, notes, and personal correspondence
during her life. In XIV volumes, 600 pages/volume.

Although it's more than hundred years since she wrote those books! The book does not characterize the Theosophical Movement as a "New Age" fad, but makes an attempt to bring Theosophy (Latin; Divine Wisdom) into our ages and it is in all world religions and  mature philosophy.
The chapters on Theosophy and modern science in Sylvia Cranstons book are fascinating, because they do show what Theosophy is; like it's essence, a scientific attempt to understand religions, and also a religious attempt to spiritualism science. Another interesting part of the book is the conclusion in which Blavatsky's influence on the "Reincarnation Renaissance" and "New Age" is discussed.
Regarding science, for example, the book cites the ideas of the atom, and the matter of energy, which were predicted in the first volume of The Secret Doctrine [p. 519-20] (It was maybe because of that that Einstein had this book). Blavatsky never claimed to be the inventor or discoverer of these ideas, but declares they have long been a part of esoteric [secret] science in occult teaching.


Theosophical Terminology Word mention of in the text

Karma: Its Sanskrit´for "to do", "to make". Be not deceived. Whatsoever man soweth, that he shall also reap.
Letters: In the early days of theosophy the Mahatmas communicated with their pupils with letters by precipitate in front of them. Such letters you can see in the British Museum called The Mahatma Letters. You have to ask them if you could see those letters. Maybe something for you the next time you are in London?
Mahatma: Sanskrit; great soul. One who has passed through one or more stages of occult Initiation.
Man: According to theosophy man is looked upon as a pilgrim who must gain experience through innumerable rebirths and have an immortal part called Atma-Buddhi-Manas. It's the threefold division in Christianity.
Occultism: It was derived from the mystical philosophers of the Middle Ages in Europe. Such as Robert Bacon, Magnus of Germany and Christian Rosicrucian. It simply meant something hidden from common man.