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Zen Effects: The Life of Alan Watts
The first and only full-length biography of one of the most charismatic spiritual innovators of the twentieth century. Through his widely popular books and lectures, Alan Watts (1915-1973) did more to introduce Eastern philosophy and religion to Western minds than any figure before or since. Watts touched the lives of many. He was a renegade Zen teacher, an Anglican priest, a lecturer, an academic, an entertainer, a leader of the San Francisco renaissance, and the author of more than thirty books, including The Way of Zen, Psychotherapy East and West and The Spirit of Zen. Monica Furlong followed Watts's travels from his birthplace in England to the San Francisco Bay Area where he ultimately settled, conducting in-depth interviews with his family, colleagues, and intimate friends, to provide an analysis of the intellectual, cultural, and deeply personal influences behind this truly extraordinary life.
264 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 1985
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About the author
Monica Furlong
43 books231 followersMonica Furlong was a British author, journalist, and activist, regarded as one of the Church of England's most influential and creative laypersons of the post-war period.
Her work often focused on religion and spirituality, with notable biographies of figures such as John Bunyan, Thomas Merton, Thérèse of Lisieux, and Alan Watts. She also explored subjects like the spiritual life of aboriginals, medieval women mystics, and the Church of England. Furlong was also known for her children’s novels, including the Wise Child series, which consists of Wise Child, Juniper, and Colman.
Furlong began her writing career in 1956 as a feature writer for Truth magazine and later worked as a religious correspondent for The Spectator and Daily Mail. She became an advocate for religious reform, particularly supporting women’s rights within the Church of England. In her first book, With Love to the Church (1965), she championed an inclusive Church. She continued to support the ordination of women in the 1980s and pushed for the appointment of women to senior Church positions.
Her autobiography, Bird of Paradise (1995), provides insights into her life and career. Furlong’s controversial experiences with LSD were shared in Travelling In (1971), which was banned from Church of Scotland bookshops. Throughout her career, Furlong wrote extensively on spirituality, reform, and religious figures, becoming a well-respected voice in both religious and literary circles.
Her work often focused on religion and spirituality, with notable biographies of figures such as John Bunyan, Thomas Merton, Thérèse of Lisieux, and Alan Watts. She also explored subjects like the spiritual life of aboriginals, medieval women mystics, and the Church of England. Furlong was also known for her children’s novels, including the Wise Child series, which consists of Wise Child, Juniper, and Colman.
Furlong began her writing career in 1956 as a feature writer for Truth magazine and later worked as a religious correspondent for The Spectator and Daily Mail. She became an advocate for religious reform, particularly supporting women’s rights within the Church of England. In her first book, With Love to the Church (1965), she championed an inclusive Church. She continued to support the ordination of women in the 1980s and pushed for the appointment of women to senior Church positions.
Her autobiography, Bird of Paradise (1995), provides insights into her life and career. Furlong’s controversial experiences with LSD were shared in Travelling In (1971), which was banned from Church of Scotland bookshops. Throughout her career, Furlong wrote extensively on spirituality, reform, and religious figures, becoming a well-respected voice in both religious and literary circles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 13, 2014
This biography reads as a well-researched, objective and balanced account of Alan Watts's life. It makes good use of a variety of source material and doesn't shy from contradicting or filling in the blanks that Watts was reluctant to disclose in his own autobiography, as well as offering sound reasons for why he had done so.
This book is balanced almost to a fault. It neither blindly reveres Watts for his unprecedented popularisation of Eastern philosophy in the West, nor does it strictly damn him for his numerous extra-marital affairs or alcoholism; It simply documents the life of the man and seeks to reconcile the two sides of his character in as fair and methodical a manner as possible.
As to how I feel about Watts now having read this? Much the same really. Despite the affairs and the drinking, this publication ratifies that Watts was undoubtedly a man of fierce intelligence, well-read in his subject matter inside-out, and thoroughly genuine in his commitment to the betterment of peoples lives and the spreading of these revelatory ideals. The fact that he suffered these vices simply makes him more human and relatable to me, unlike some who feel this has a whiff of hypocrisy about it (indeed Watts enjoyed using terms for himself such as 'Genuine Fake', perhaps highlighting his inability to keep to the ideals he so thoroughly believed in), it often takes someone whose suffering the slings and arrows of human experience to really construct an authentic and useful dialogue for how others may deal with it.
In addition to this, it's important to bear in mind that this was taking place in the latter 50s and throughout the 60s - and in this socio-historical context Watts by the standards of the time was pretty tame in terms of being 'far out'. Indeed, as the biography observes, Jack Kerouac, among others, took to mocking Watts for his comparatively 'straight-laced' nature while everyone else was getting messed up on drugs.
In all, it was a nice little volume that helps enlighten readers to the chronology of Watts's life and what life-events prompted or informed his writing and lectures at any given time.
This book is balanced almost to a fault. It neither blindly reveres Watts for his unprecedented popularisation of Eastern philosophy in the West, nor does it strictly damn him for his numerous extra-marital affairs or alcoholism; It simply documents the life of the man and seeks to reconcile the two sides of his character in as fair and methodical a manner as possible.
As to how I feel about Watts now having read this? Much the same really. Despite the affairs and the drinking, this publication ratifies that Watts was undoubtedly a man of fierce intelligence, well-read in his subject matter inside-out, and thoroughly genuine in his commitment to the betterment of peoples lives and the spreading of these revelatory ideals. The fact that he suffered these vices simply makes him more human and relatable to me, unlike some who feel this has a whiff of hypocrisy about it (indeed Watts enjoyed using terms for himself such as 'Genuine Fake', perhaps highlighting his inability to keep to the ideals he so thoroughly believed in), it often takes someone whose suffering the slings and arrows of human experience to really construct an authentic and useful dialogue for how others may deal with it.
In addition to this, it's important to bear in mind that this was taking place in the latter 50s and throughout the 60s - and in this socio-historical context Watts by the standards of the time was pretty tame in terms of being 'far out'. Indeed, as the biography observes, Jack Kerouac, among others, took to mocking Watts for his comparatively 'straight-laced' nature while everyone else was getting messed up on drugs.
In all, it was a nice little volume that helps enlighten readers to the chronology of Watts's life and what life-events prompted or informed his writing and lectures at any given time.
March 30, 2014
I was very interested in reading about the life of Alan Watts, because of his words of influence and philosophical entertaining. He was an amazing speaker and scholar, who brought a wide variety of Eastern ideas to the West in his own original way. This book has its good and bad to say about Alan Watts, the man. It resounds deeply against the dualism that he often spoke about. There were things that at first might be upsetting to learn about a hero, but when I think about grasping the full message of his ideologies, I realize how foolish it would be to expect anything else. Alan Watts never claimed to be a prophet, guru, holy man or the like; he simply had a handful of ideas that he enjoyed and he wanted to share them so that we could enjoy them as well. This biography goes about as deep into his life as anything you can read, including Watts's own autobiography. I feel the author is pretty unbiased and is not afraid to tell the truth. This always makes for an impeccable biography.
July 19, 2016
A mediocre biography of a man that was anything but. Furlong's "psychological insights" come across as highly presumptuous, concluding passages with what she sees as Watts' underlying motives, though, if based on sources, she doesn't clue us in.
The writing style is simple and accessible, with many long quotes of Alan's throughout the text. Touches on many episodes in his life, but paints a somewhat incomplete portrait, with a seemingly rushed ending. Still recommend it if you're interested in Watts' life and no little-to-nothing of the man, the text being a decent shallow-end introduction of his life and ideas.
The writing style is simple and accessible, with many long quotes of Alan's throughout the text. Touches on many episodes in his life, but paints a somewhat incomplete portrait, with a seemingly rushed ending. Still recommend it if you're interested in Watts' life and no little-to-nothing of the man, the text being a decent shallow-end introduction of his life and ideas.
May 5, 2008
Before I start reading in a subject (this time, Buddhism), I like to read a biography of a person who is noted for writing in the field. Imagine my surprise, that not only was he an alcoholic, but he did not meditate! Meditation is essential in Buddhism and other mystic, going-within, esoteric practice. It reiterates to me that change in oneself is the most difficult.
November 30, 2022
This book contains a lot of details about the life of Alan Watts that are difficult to find elsewhere. It was eye-opening learning about all the nuances that created this interesting man, and that lead him to an early death.
While the book is thoroughly researched, I do not appreciate the author's conclusions based on her findings. They seem somewhat forced, based on her preconceived worldview. I think if the author shared less of her opinions, there would be more space left for the readers to form their own conclusions.
A very interesting read nonetheless.
While the book is thoroughly researched, I do not appreciate the author's conclusions based on her findings. They seem somewhat forced, based on her preconceived worldview. I think if the author shared less of her opinions, there would be more space left for the readers to form their own conclusions.
A very interesting read nonetheless.
November 15, 2018
For the first 50 or so pages I've had the impression that you need to study English language in order to read it without a dictionary, but once Monica's list of exotic words was exhausted the book became very pleasurable and I was sucked into the story completely. (I'm not an English native speaker though.)
Alan's life was nothing like I expected, knowing him only from his lectures, and for people who like his talks a lot I think it is a very good read.
Alan's life was nothing like I expected, knowing him only from his lectures, and for people who like his talks a lot I think it is a very good read.
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January 21, 2009Ferris Beuller, you're my hero. I love Alan Watts even more.
January 11, 2023
Alan Watts attended my Episcopal seminary in Chicago, back in the 1940s. He served as chaplain of a campus ministry that, decades later, still exists and has dealt with recent instances of misconduct, which makes me wonder if its organizational DNA can be traced back to the misconduct of Watts and his wife, who both had affairs with students. Despite this, Watts is hard to dislike - he was warm and wicked smart. He read EVERYTHING. He had insights into and challenging critiques of mainline Christianity that much (MUCH) later actually became part of the norm, especially in the Episcopal Church and other mainline denominations, in terms of mysticism, contemplative worship, and nondualistic theology. I wish it was even more the norm, in fact. Prophets and charismatic leaders bring change, but they are also complicated. A man born in 1915, Edwardian England, who became a leader of the counterculture in California - that's pretty insane. No wonder he smoked and drank himself to death. He said himself, according to Furlong, that it was a price he was willing to pay. I liked Furlong's accessible biography of Thomas Merton and although this biography in some ways only scratches a surface with Watts, it's still an important window. In fact, this is the only biography of Alan Watts out there, so far as I can see. And Furlong understood religion and complicated personalities in religious life. This biography is based mostly on interviews with family, friends, lovers, and colleagues, as well as letters, which makes it sometimes very personal, and sometimes biased in terms of which members of the family or which friends were telling the story. Still, a valuable text.
January 12, 2022
The book delves very deep (perhaps too deep in parts, for my taste) into Alan Watts' life, including the early childhood. It's a good source of practical information about his background. I appreciated the fact that the author didn't shy away from mentioning and taking a look at parts of Watts' life he might've been ashamed of - it made him seem more human to the reader. Unfortunately, I felt as if the extraordinary ideas of his didn't get enough spotlight. The book was kind of dull - which is in stark contrast to the life of the man it is trying to chronicle.
Once in New York he took them to the zoo and
bought helium balloons for all three of them. While the children
happily clutched theirs, Watts deliberately released the string of
his and watched it float up into the sky - an act that made a deep
impression on the children.
May 24, 2011
Interesting view of Watts and the amazing number of people he helped while not being able to apply some of his philosophy to his own problems. The people in his life including Dr. Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, Thomas Merton, Timothy Leary as well as the hippies and the beats (Watts was not impressed with Kerouac's "hip" Zen) make it a fascinating journey. Furlong did a nice job of balancing the impressive (Leary said that Watts could communicate and out teach any tenured professor he had known) and the depressive (womanizing and alcoholism) in her obviously well researched book. If interested in Watts, I highly recommend it
August 5, 2020
Interesting enough but felt like there was ambiguity left concerning some of the most controversial aspects of his life and I didn't find Furlong's interpretations of his real motives that insightful most of the time. It did seem like a balanced account of the man's life.
I'm left still seeing him as a tragic figure and very human after reading the details of what I had previously been heard alluded to. He had great insight to offer despite his personal failings and at least doesn't seem to have pretended he was some perfect enlightened being. Neither did he seem to have taken disciples and start his own religion like is often the case with this pattern of behavior.
I'm left still seeing him as a tragic figure and very human after reading the details of what I had previously been heard alluded to. He had great insight to offer despite his personal failings and at least doesn't seem to have pretended he was some perfect enlightened being. Neither did he seem to have taken disciples and start his own religion like is often the case with this pattern of behavior.
June 24, 2009
Well, well, well, this great thinker and un-guru had real human problems. Not surprising. He was kind of a jerk to his kids. This is a pretty tame and (I think) fair survey of Alan Watt's life focusing most on his family relations and less on his personal scholarship. The book gave me some of the info I was looking for but really was quite short and simple.
This is not for those unfamiliar with Alan Watts.
This is not for those unfamiliar with Alan Watts.
December 27, 2011
This is an extraordinary biography, frank and compassionate, of a brilliant and idiosyncratic man, who in many ways made a mess of his life, and yet had such an infectious and childlike eagerness, sense of play, and to an extraordinary degree a kind of deeply wise rascality. Although I have not read Watts' autobiography, this appears to cover much of the material that was left out of it (either because it was too painful, too scandalous, or would hurt his (then living father).
September 20, 2010
Fills in a lot of the blanks from his autobiography. Ironic, his autobiography is ' In My Own Way ' , which is exacty was this guy was, in his own way. He couldn't get out of his own way and that's what destroyed him.
December 13, 2021
3.5 stars
From a review on the Amazon website with which I agree:
“A mediocre biography is better than no biography…
There is minutia that is covered in quite dry detail (especially in the chapters on Watts's early life), yet the very obvious and interesting stories are glossed over”
From a review on the Amazon website with which I agree:
“A mediocre biography is better than no biography…
There is minutia that is covered in quite dry detail (especially in the chapters on Watts's early life), yet the very obvious and interesting stories are glossed over”
December 22, 2009
Alan Watts (1915-1973)
April 10, 2016
I wonder if anyone could really take Alan Watts very seriously after reading a biography on him
August 5, 2024
A SOMETIMES SHOCKING BIOGRAPHY OF THE "SPIRITUAL ENTERTAINER"
Alan Wilson Watts (1915-1973) was a British-born philosopher, writer, and speaker, best known as a popularizer of Eastern philosophy. He and his then-wife left England for America in 1938 on the eve of WWII, and he became an Episcopal priest---but he left the priesthood in 1950 and moved to California, where he became a cult figure in the Beat movement of the 1950s and later.
Biographer Monica Furlong notes in this 1986 "authorized" (by the family) biography about critics of his first book ('The Spirit of Zen'), "At his age, they wondered, what did he know of wisdom, of suffering, or mystical experience? Where was his apprenticeship to a guru, his initiation, his gradual growth into God-consciousness? Wisdom demanded that the disciple should work away faithfully until crisis-point or breakdown was reached... yet here was young Alan Watts claiming that you could get there without the agony... instead of making the long, painful journey by foot or camel. Who did he think he was?" (Pg. 75)
Of his time as a priest, she observes, "it is difficult not to feel a twinge of cynicism about this scheme. A young man who has been Buddhist for the past ten years ... suddenly decides to become a Christian priest... because, to put it bluntly, it provides a convenient way of earning a living... knowing that he knows a great deal about religion, and that he is a natural speaker, singer, and theologian... he adds all of these considerations together and decides that switching religions may be the answer." (Pg. 78) She adds, "Watts's daughter Joan suggests another reason for Alan's 'conversion'. In 1941 he was in danger of being drafted, and having escaped the war in England he did not propose to have it catch up with him in America. As a minister he would be safe from the draft. It is not a reason he mentions in his autobiography." (Pg. 79-80) Of his leaving the priesthood, Furlong wrote, "Watts had shown no sign of wishing to leave until his position became impossible---he had taken the Church's money and preached its accepted wisdom only moderately critically... it seems too striking a coincidence that the Church's value in general seemed to decline in Watts's eyes just at the moment that it rejected him." (Pg. 109)
His first wife Eleanor reports, "Over the years of his marriage his pornographic interests and phantasy, while more attractive to him than the normal marriage relationship, lost some of their power to stimulate him and he began to seek stimulation from women outside his marriage." (Pg. 102) In 1950 she had their marriage annulled on the grounds that "her husband had concealed from her that he was a 'sexual pervert.'" (Pg. 106)
She observes, "He was drinking heavily, vodka mostly... He tried to insist that he was a 'philosophical entertainer'... 'a genuine fake'... perhaps to help him endure the sense of hypocrisy that fame gave him." (Pg. 133) She adds, "Film taken of him in 1969 shows him looking seedy, ill and older than his 54 years; friends were concerned about his obvious fatigue and about his heavy drinking." (Pg. 166) In 1968 his doctor warned him that he had an enlarged liver and must give up drinking, but he did only for a few months. (Pg. 167) Jungian analyst June Singer "was saddened to see how heavily he was drinking. On one occasion she visited him in hospital where he was suffering from delirium tremens, and she realized that he knew how destructive the habit had become." (Pg. 175) His son Mark once asked him, "Dad, don't you want to live?" and Watts replied, "Yes, but it's not worth holding on to." (Pg. 177)
I am one of those who benefited greatly in my younger days from Watts' writings and recorded talks; it was sad to discover about the tragic turns his life took. (He was still a wonderful writer and speaker, though!)
Alan Wilson Watts (1915-1973) was a British-born philosopher, writer, and speaker, best known as a popularizer of Eastern philosophy. He and his then-wife left England for America in 1938 on the eve of WWII, and he became an Episcopal priest---but he left the priesthood in 1950 and moved to California, where he became a cult figure in the Beat movement of the 1950s and later.
Biographer Monica Furlong notes in this 1986 "authorized" (by the family) biography about critics of his first book ('The Spirit of Zen'), "At his age, they wondered, what did he know of wisdom, of suffering, or mystical experience? Where was his apprenticeship to a guru, his initiation, his gradual growth into God-consciousness? Wisdom demanded that the disciple should work away faithfully until crisis-point or breakdown was reached... yet here was young Alan Watts claiming that you could get there without the agony... instead of making the long, painful journey by foot or camel. Who did he think he was?" (Pg. 75)
Of his time as a priest, she observes, "it is difficult not to feel a twinge of cynicism about this scheme. A young man who has been Buddhist for the past ten years ... suddenly decides to become a Christian priest... because, to put it bluntly, it provides a convenient way of earning a living... knowing that he knows a great deal about religion, and that he is a natural speaker, singer, and theologian... he adds all of these considerations together and decides that switching religions may be the answer." (Pg. 78) She adds, "Watts's daughter Joan suggests another reason for Alan's 'conversion'. In 1941 he was in danger of being drafted, and having escaped the war in England he did not propose to have it catch up with him in America. As a minister he would be safe from the draft. It is not a reason he mentions in his autobiography." (Pg. 79-80) Of his leaving the priesthood, Furlong wrote, "Watts had shown no sign of wishing to leave until his position became impossible---he had taken the Church's money and preached its accepted wisdom only moderately critically... it seems too striking a coincidence that the Church's value in general seemed to decline in Watts's eyes just at the moment that it rejected him." (Pg. 109)
His first wife Eleanor reports, "Over the years of his marriage his pornographic interests and phantasy, while more attractive to him than the normal marriage relationship, lost some of their power to stimulate him and he began to seek stimulation from women outside his marriage." (Pg. 102) In 1950 she had their marriage annulled on the grounds that "her husband had concealed from her that he was a 'sexual pervert.'" (Pg. 106)
She observes, "He was drinking heavily, vodka mostly... He tried to insist that he was a 'philosophical entertainer'... 'a genuine fake'... perhaps to help him endure the sense of hypocrisy that fame gave him." (Pg. 133) She adds, "Film taken of him in 1969 shows him looking seedy, ill and older than his 54 years; friends were concerned about his obvious fatigue and about his heavy drinking." (Pg. 166) In 1968 his doctor warned him that he had an enlarged liver and must give up drinking, but he did only for a few months. (Pg. 167) Jungian analyst June Singer "was saddened to see how heavily he was drinking. On one occasion she visited him in hospital where he was suffering from delirium tremens, and she realized that he knew how destructive the habit had become." (Pg. 175) His son Mark once asked him, "Dad, don't you want to live?" and Watts replied, "Yes, but it's not worth holding on to." (Pg. 177)
I am one of those who benefited greatly in my younger days from Watts' writings and recorded talks; it was sad to discover about the tragic turns his life took. (He was still a wonderful writer and speaker, though!)
July 13, 2021
The book is a solid, editorial portrait, but seems to come up short on answers on the driving force behind the path and decisions he made. I would guess Alan Watts achieved satori through reading books. His career, relationship, and family decisions seem confusing and contradictory. If you want to be a free spirit, why get married 3 times? Through this, a certain smugness or selfishness comes through, as he considers himself the smartest guy in the room. All gurus are flawed and Alan definitely was as well. This should not cloud his amazing gift to talk Zen in a way people can understand and not feel alone. I would have liked more discussion about his overall impact after his death.
August 8, 2018
In my opinion, the best biography of Alan Watts. A good approach to a better understanding of Watts is to read this book first then his autobiography, "In My Own Way" to get a better perspective of this complicated and thoughtful man.
July 19, 2025
…Gary Snyder, no pushover, revered him, perhaps because Watts helped Snyder’s early forays into Japan. He certainly had followers, if now largely forgotten, despite alcoholism and a host of other personal problems. Prophet or conman - the reader will have to decide for his or herself. Maybe both.
March 21, 2022
I need to break down and just buy this book instead of checking it out all the time.
February 28, 2024
An extensively researched, well written and no holes barred account
February 16, 2017
I don't usually appreciate biography and this is no exception.
January 2, 2020
Genuine Fakes is a truly wonderful book. As the book progresses it actually gets better and better. Lydia Pyne starts with things like Andy Warhol, after he died. Someone located the acetates that were used by Warhol. Acetates are the negatives used in silk screening. They then used them to make reproductions using the original negatives and admitted to it. Are they any less real? The examples are also used to make you think and also to laugh at some of the "fake originals" like a Banksy that he placed in the Bristish Museum on his own and that was not discovered for 3-4 days. Several years later the British Museum asked to borrow it back for an exhibit they were having.
I really enjoyed it and I hope that you take this out and have lots of deep thoughts. I did.
I really enjoyed it and I hope that you take this out and have lots of deep thoughts. I did.
July 13, 2024
Alan Watts was a philosopher, open thinker, greatly influenced by Eastern spiritual teachings. He was also complex, troubled, contradictory. He died at 58 from a heart attack supposedly exacerbated by his drinking.
I had had no idea how much his philosophy permeated the thinking around me as I was questioning man's relation to the greater universe. He influenced many of the sensitive verbal conversations during the 60s. I was very lucky to have begun my explorations at that time and continue on that curious course.
Monica Furlong has written an entrancing biography of this entrancing character. It is a wonderful addition to a long road of enjoying life.
I had had no idea how much his philosophy permeated the thinking around me as I was questioning man's relation to the greater universe. He influenced many of the sensitive verbal conversations during the 60s. I was very lucky to have begun my explorations at that time and continue on that curious course.
Monica Furlong has written an entrancing biography of this entrancing character. It is a wonderful addition to a long road of enjoying life.
August 7, 2011
How interesting to read about a man I heard about in my teens, but had completely forgotten. The life of Alan Watts is an adventure in itself and very well written by Monica Furlong. It leads you through how the religions of England and the Americas changed and incorporated the Zen or Spiritual quality of the East. But, it is really about a man, his journey in life and how it affected California and then the world. Good book and easy to read.
June 5, 2008
I like biographies, but this one is more who instead of why he is important. I want to move from this to more of his writings.
August 30, 2008
A great insight into the life of one of my two favorites. Can't wait to dig back into some of his stuff again after learning about the man behind the words.
July 25, 2013
A well researched book on the life of Alan Watts. I loved him, I hated him, I related to him and in the end i pitied him.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews