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Alan Watts
He Spent a Lifetime Defying the Western Tradition…
By his own statement, Alan Wilson Watts was half charlatan, hald shaman ‒ this book shows him in both roles. A slender, life-oriented Englishman, Watts advocated free love, free wine, free spirit and NOW ‒ shich he called Zen Buddhism. Thousands upon thousands of students began to buy Watts' books to try to understand what this erudite man was saying about the mysterious Eastern World and how the ideas of Eastern cultures could be assimilated into the avenues of the Western lifestyles.
HeHis were fine and attractive words to a youth troubled by War and the Bomb, and Watts found himself in the right place at the right time for a man of his ideas and accomplishments. His teaching flourished and his incredible ability to translate the mysteries of Zen and Oriental intellectualism into terms understandable and acceptable to a consciousness-seeking twentieth century youth earned Watts the status of chief guru to the young American masses. His place in our social history is established.
Whether you've participated in the counterculture or observed it, you'll want to read this knowing biography og the man/legend who was quite literally the high proest of the movement.
By his own statement, Alan Wilson Watts was half charlatan, hald shaman ‒ this book shows him in both roles. A slender, life-oriented Englishman, Watts advocated free love, free wine, free spirit and NOW ‒ shich he called Zen Buddhism. Thousands upon thousands of students began to buy Watts' books to try to understand what this erudite man was saying about the mysterious Eastern World and how the ideas of Eastern cultures could be assimilated into the avenues of the Western lifestyles.
HeHis were fine and attractive words to a youth troubled by War and the Bomb, and Watts found himself in the right place at the right time for a man of his ideas and accomplishments. His teaching flourished and his incredible ability to translate the mysteries of Zen and Oriental intellectualism into terms understandable and acceptable to a consciousness-seeking twentieth century youth earned Watts the status of chief guru to the young American masses. His place in our social history is established.
Whether you've participated in the counterculture or observed it, you'll want to read this knowing biography og the man/legend who was quite literally the high proest of the movement.
- GenresPhilosophy
250 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1976
3 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 16, 2022
The writings of Alan Watts charmed, informed, and impressed me. And arguably, for English-speaking readers, he may have been the foremost popular interpreter of the major Far Eastern (and some of the South-Asian) spiritual traditions. Watts had a broadly inquiring mind and generally benevolent attitude. He was regarded by some as a poet at heart.
Monica Furlong’s biography of Watts seemed, at least in part, intended to "out" Watts’s closeted psychological difficulties and highlight his foibles and lamentable habits and dependencies. (In his autobiography Watts made rather vague reference to "my wayward spirit," and elsewhere he wrote "my philosophy has not saved me from vast amounts of human folly".) Watts admitted that he'd gained something of a disreputable image. Given that, in the 20th century, Zen was associated with Japan, I think he was consoled that alcoholism was quite common in post-war Japan (still a very male-dominated society condoning of a good-natured sot).
Here, with Stuart's approach & style of writing, we have a portrayal that's is just as astute while more vivid, witty & playful than Furlong's. Years before writing this book, David Stuart had spent much more time in the Far East than Watts ever did, and there Stuart had gained some first-hand experience of its philosophies. Yet Stuart, while acknowledging the sad alcoholism toward the end of Watts’s life, inclines less than Furlong to fault-finding—he seems fascinated by Alan Watts the adventurous autodidactic scholar, the epicurean bon vivant, the onetime Episcopalian priest, the eloquent popularizer of Asian spirituality & concepts, the entrancing speaker, the (as Stuart puts it) “multi-faceted man.”
Stuart appropriately renders the social/historical context that welcomed an Alan Watts and afforded him success. He appreciates Watts's ongoing intention to benefit the Western world via insights & attitudes engendered in the East. As well, he addresses how Watts's understanding did or didn't benefit Watts himself. Stuart can't ignore the man's issues and personal demons; Watts had them, but who is without them? Stuart explained an ingredient in his motivation to research & write the book: “Where there is anomaly and conflict, there is interest.” To his credit, Stuart turned up nuggets of Watts’s life that aren’t to be found in either Furlong’s biography or Watts’s autobiography. David Stuart’s book paints a readable warts-and-all portrait of an intriguing and influential man of the twentieth century.
Monica Furlong’s biography of Watts seemed, at least in part, intended to "out" Watts’s closeted psychological difficulties and highlight his foibles and lamentable habits and dependencies. (In his autobiography Watts made rather vague reference to "my wayward spirit," and elsewhere he wrote "my philosophy has not saved me from vast amounts of human folly".) Watts admitted that he'd gained something of a disreputable image. Given that, in the 20th century, Zen was associated with Japan, I think he was consoled that alcoholism was quite common in post-war Japan (still a very male-dominated society condoning of a good-natured sot).
Here, with Stuart's approach & style of writing, we have a portrayal that's is just as astute while more vivid, witty & playful than Furlong's. Years before writing this book, David Stuart had spent much more time in the Far East than Watts ever did, and there Stuart had gained some first-hand experience of its philosophies. Yet Stuart, while acknowledging the sad alcoholism toward the end of Watts’s life, inclines less than Furlong to fault-finding—he seems fascinated by Alan Watts the adventurous autodidactic scholar, the epicurean bon vivant, the onetime Episcopalian priest, the eloquent popularizer of Asian spirituality & concepts, the entrancing speaker, the (as Stuart puts it) “multi-faceted man.”
Stuart appropriately renders the social/historical context that welcomed an Alan Watts and afforded him success. He appreciates Watts's ongoing intention to benefit the Western world via insights & attitudes engendered in the East. As well, he addresses how Watts's understanding did or didn't benefit Watts himself. Stuart can't ignore the man's issues and personal demons; Watts had them, but who is without them? Stuart explained an ingredient in his motivation to research & write the book: “Where there is anomaly and conflict, there is interest.” To his credit, Stuart turned up nuggets of Watts’s life that aren’t to be found in either Furlong’s biography or Watts’s autobiography. David Stuart’s book paints a readable warts-and-all portrait of an intriguing and influential man of the twentieth century.
August 16, 2016
Alan Watts was an interesting guy. His life's work was making the religion and philosophy of the East accessible to the West, yet he considered himself a "religious entertainer" rather than a guru or master.
August 12, 2025
David Stuart's 1976 biography, Alan Watts, offers a fascinating and often critical look at the life of the influential philosopher and "chief guru of the counterculture." Published shortly after Watts's death, the book provides an early perspective on the man who was instrumental in popularizing Eastern philosophy for a Western audience. It's a valuable read for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of Watts's life beyond his public persona.
Stuart's book paints a picture of Watts that is both compelling and controversial. It explores the contradictions in his character, presenting him as a man of great intellect and charm who also had significant personal flaws. The biography delves into Watts's personal life, including his multiple marriages, his complex relationship with his children, and his struggles with alcoholism. Stuart doesn't shy away from portraying Watts as a "lovable rogue" who, in the author's view, sometimes prioritized his own pleasures and reputation over his responsibilities.
For fans of Alan Watts, this biography can be a challenging read. Stuart is not an uncritical admirer. He questions whether Watts's accessible and entertaining style of presenting Zen and other Eastern philosophies may have at times oversimplified them, reducing them to what some critics called "potato-chip religiosity." The book suggests that Watts, for all his genius, was a showman who was acutely aware of his public image and the commercial potential of his ideas.
The book is particularly strong in its historical context, placing Watts squarely in the center of the Beat Generation and the emerging counterculture. It shows how Watts's timing was perfect, as he offered a spiritual alternative to a youth disillusioned with traditional Western religion and society.
While some readers feel the biography is motivated by a certain resentment toward Watts's popularity, others appreciate it for providing a more balanced and "rounded" view of the man. Stuart's biography serves as a counterpoint to Watts's own autobiography, *In My Own Way*, which naturally presents a more curated version of his life.
In conclusion, “Alan Watts” by David Stuart is an essential, albeit flawed, read for anyone interested in the life of Alan Watts. It's a candid and sometimes harsh look at a man who was both a brilliant philosopher and a deeply human figure. It forces the reader to confront the disconnect between the public messenger and the private man, and in doing so, offers a more complete understanding of one of the 20th century's most iconic spiritual figures.
Stuart's book paints a picture of Watts that is both compelling and controversial. It explores the contradictions in his character, presenting him as a man of great intellect and charm who also had significant personal flaws. The biography delves into Watts's personal life, including his multiple marriages, his complex relationship with his children, and his struggles with alcoholism. Stuart doesn't shy away from portraying Watts as a "lovable rogue" who, in the author's view, sometimes prioritized his own pleasures and reputation over his responsibilities.
For fans of Alan Watts, this biography can be a challenging read. Stuart is not an uncritical admirer. He questions whether Watts's accessible and entertaining style of presenting Zen and other Eastern philosophies may have at times oversimplified them, reducing them to what some critics called "potato-chip religiosity." The book suggests that Watts, for all his genius, was a showman who was acutely aware of his public image and the commercial potential of his ideas.
The book is particularly strong in its historical context, placing Watts squarely in the center of the Beat Generation and the emerging counterculture. It shows how Watts's timing was perfect, as he offered a spiritual alternative to a youth disillusioned with traditional Western religion and society.
While some readers feel the biography is motivated by a certain resentment toward Watts's popularity, others appreciate it for providing a more balanced and "rounded" view of the man. Stuart's biography serves as a counterpoint to Watts's own autobiography, *In My Own Way*, which naturally presents a more curated version of his life.
In conclusion, “Alan Watts” by David Stuart is an essential, albeit flawed, read for anyone interested in the life of Alan Watts. It's a candid and sometimes harsh look at a man who was both a brilliant philosopher and a deeply human figure. It forces the reader to confront the disconnect between the public messenger and the private man, and in doing so, offers a more complete understanding of one of the 20th century's most iconic spiritual figures.
July 25, 2022
I loved this biography. I had very little knowledge of Alan Watts except that he’s widely referenced and quoted in the new-age/Buddhist adjacent communities, and this book hit the spot, so to speak.
The book was published in the late 70s, and takes a balanced look at Alan Watts as a person. I think it fairly tears him down and builds him up at the same time. I’m no Watts expert, but I am leaving this book knowing about who we was as a person, what he wrote, when he wrote it, and the approaches he and his community used to live their lives. He is acknowledged as a leader in philosophy, as well as a showman who didn’t know as much as people assumed he did.
I’m walking away from the book better able to understand what inspired some of Watts’ beliefs, what his faults were (and by extensions, reasons to be wary), and with some particular Watts works I’d like to dig into more.
The book was published in the late 70s, and takes a balanced look at Alan Watts as a person. I think it fairly tears him down and builds him up at the same time. I’m no Watts expert, but I am leaving this book knowing about who we was as a person, what he wrote, when he wrote it, and the approaches he and his community used to live their lives. He is acknowledged as a leader in philosophy, as well as a showman who didn’t know as much as people assumed he did.
I’m walking away from the book better able to understand what inspired some of Watts’ beliefs, what his faults were (and by extensions, reasons to be wary), and with some particular Watts works I’d like to dig into more.
May 21, 2018
A semisubmersible.
No, a /sensible/ look at Mr Watts and his philosophy.
The author assumes the role of the curious outsider. Not imperious to Watts’ charm, but not blind to some of the harsher realities of his life and teachings.
Overall, a relatively positive view of Watts the man, but not without it’s raised eyebrows here and there.
Works to ground the disembodied voice of ‘hip’ spirituality found alive today in many a YouTube video.
No, a /sensible/ look at Mr Watts and his philosophy.
The author assumes the role of the curious outsider. Not imperious to Watts’ charm, but not blind to some of the harsher realities of his life and teachings.
Overall, a relatively positive view of Watts the man, but not without it’s raised eyebrows here and there.
Works to ground the disembodied voice of ‘hip’ spirituality found alive today in many a YouTube video.
March 11, 2007
There is interesting material in this book but it takes a lot of work to find it given the author's awkward and inconsistent writing style. This could be a valuable book if you have read other material about Alan Watts and just have to know more - even if you have to labor through a lot of opaque writing.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews