“You’re trying to straighten out a wiggly world—no wonder you’re in trouble.” —Alan Watts
In an age when all knowledge is at our fingertips, Alan Watts reminds us that wisdom is something else entirely. He invites us to rediscover the vitality, spontaneity, and deep unity that underlies everything.
Alan Watts was not just a philosopher and entertainer; he was a bridge between worlds. Drawing from the spiritual traditions of both East and West, Watts illuminated ancient truths in language that is reverently irreverent and still remarkably fresh and clear half a century later.
Originally published in 1977 as The Essence of Alan Watts, this collection is based on Watts’ acclaimed 1971 television series and includes, for the first time, the original introductory talk from the show.
With characteristic humor and sharp insight, Watts explores existential questions about topics like God, ego, and death alongside practical dilemmas like meditation and our relationship with time, work, and play, challenging our most basic assumptions about language, self, and reality.
This is not a book of instructions or dogma, but a provocative call to wake up—a timeless voice reminding us that the wisdom we seek is not somewhere else, but already within us.
Whether you’re new to Alan Watts or revisiting his work to learn how his teachings speak to the challenges of today, this collection distills his most powerful ideas into one accessible volume that can reconnect you with the deep simplicity at the heart of life—not as a concept, but as an experience. It is an invitation to meet the world with curiosity, to play with ideas, and to remember the wisdom that is always available to us in the present moment.
ALAN WATTS (1915–1973) was a British-born philosopher, writer, and speaker renowned for interpreting and popularizing Eastern philosophy for Western audiences. Born in Chislehurst, England, he moved to the United States in 1938 and began Zen training in New York. He received a master’s degree in theology from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary and served as an Episcopal priest before leaving the ministry in 1950. Watts then moved to California, where he joined the faculty of the American Academy of Asian Studies (now the California Institute of Integral Studies). He authored more than 25 books, including The Way of Zen and The Wisdom of Insecurity, and became a prominent lecturer, introducing millions to Eastern thought through his writings and broadcasts. His work influenced a wide range of thinkers, artists, and spiritual teachers, including John Lennon, Ken Wilber, Van Morrison, Spike Jonze, and Bruce Lee.
“You’re trying to straighten out a wiggly world—no wonder you’re in trouble.” —Alan Watts
In an age when all knowledge is at our fingertips, Alan Watts reminds us that wisdom is something else entirely. He invites us to rediscover the vitality, spontaneity, and deep unity that underlies everything.
Alan Watts was not just a philosopher and entertainer; he was a bridge between worlds. Drawing from the spiritual traditions of both East and West, Watts illuminated ancient truths in language that is reverently irreverent and still remarkably fresh and clear half a century later.
Originally published in 1977 as The Essence of Alan Watts, this collection is based on Watts’ acclaimed 1971 television series and includes, for the first time, the original introductory talk from the show.
With characteristic humor and sharp insight, Watts explores existential questions about topics like God, ego, and death alongside practical dilemmas like meditation and our relationship with time, work, and play, challenging our most basic assumptions about language, self, and reality.
This is not a book of instructions or dogma, but a provocative call to wake up—a timeless voice reminding us that the wisdom we seek is not somewhere else, but already within us.
Whether you’re new to Alan Watts or revisiting his work to learn how his teachings speak to the challenges of today, this collection distills his most powerful ideas into one accessible volume that can reconnect you with the deep simplicity at the heart of life—not as a concept, but as an experience. It is an invitation to meet the world with curiosity, to play with ideas, and to remember the wisdom that is always available to us in the present moment.
Author
ALAN WATTS (1915–1973) was a British-born philosopher, writer, and speaker renowned for interpreting and popularizing Eastern philosophy for Western audiences. Born in Chislehurst, England, he moved to the United States in 1938 and began Zen training in New York. He received a master’s degree in theology from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary and served as an Episcopal priest before leaving the ministry in 1950. Watts then moved to California, where he joined the faculty of the American Academy of Asian Studies (now the California Institute of Integral Studies). He authored more than 25 books, including The Way of Zen and The Wisdom of Insecurity, and became a prominent lecturer, introducing millions to Eastern thought through his writings and broadcasts. His work influenced a wide range of thinkers, artists, and spiritual teachers, including John Lennon, Ken Wilber, Van Morrison, Spike Jonze, and Bruce Lee.
