At a glance
- Paperback
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Author: Alan W. Watts — former priest, master's in theology, doctorate of divinity
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Subject: how the intuition of Eastern religion, Zen Buddhism in particular, can be incorporated into Western Christian doctrine
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Praised by Deepak Chopra and F.S.C. Northrop
- Watts wrote some twenty books on the philosophy and psychology of religion, published in many languages
- Best known as an interpreter of Zen Buddhism and of Indian and Chinese philosophy
How to read it
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Read it slowly. Watts writes clearly, but the argument is metaphysical and rewards a second pass.
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Bring your own tradition with you. The book is most useful to readers with a live relationship, or a live quarrel, with Christianity.
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Pair it with The Way of Zen if you want Watts on the Buddhist side of the bridge.
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Mark it up. This is a book people return to years later and read differently.
✨ Temple Tip — Watts is a bridge, not a destination
He is the finest interpreter many readers will meet, and interpretation is still interpretation. Let him introduce you to Zen and to the Christian mystics, then go and read them directly.
Questions we get asked
What is the book arguing?
That mystical religion is necessary, and that traditional Western doctrine can be reconciled with the intuitive religion of the East.
Do I need to be Christian to read it?
No, though readers with some relationship to Western Christian doctrine will recognise more of what Watts is responding to.
Who was Alan Watts?
A writer who held a master's degree in theology and a doctorate of divinity, best remembered as an interpreter of Zen Buddhism and of Indian and Chinese philosophy. He wrote some twenty books and hosted the television series Eastern Wisdom and Modern Life.
What did reviewers say?
F.S.C. Northrop regarded it as the only first-rate book in recent years in the field of religion. Deepak Chopra called it the perfect guide for a course correction in life.
What else did he write?
Around twenty books on the philosophy and psychology of religion, including the bestselling The Way of Zen.
The priest who went looking, and wrote down what he found. #TempleOfDesire
