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This is an interesting overview what it means to be Gnostic, and presents as well as the history of a variety of Gnostic endeavors and personages. Many different gospels are discussed, most of which are from the Nag Hammadi trove, but others are presented as well. Much attention is given to how the theological conceptions of these gospels differ from each other, but most importantly, how they differ from mainstream conceptions of Jesus and his relationship to 'God'.

Although the treatment of this appears late in the book, it was interesting to see considerations given to more modern Gnostics such as Blake and Goethe. The book also repeatedly brings Carl Jung into discussion, although the treatment of Jung's connection to Gnosticism never gets adequately covered.

One of the things that surprised me in the book was the dualistic nature of Gnosticism. I had thought that Gnosticism was strictly oriented around experiential personal unification (without a mediator) with the divine, which indeed it is, but apparently Gnosticism still strongly presupposes active divine agent/forces of "good" and "evil" in the world. These spirits are ranked differently by Gnostics, as is what is considered to be "good" and "evil". The consideration given to the Manicheans and Cathars as Gnostics is in line with this dualism.