Alan Watts

Alan Wilson Watts (January 6, 1915 – November 16, 1973) was a philosopher, writer, speaker, and expert in comparative religion. He wrote over twenty-five books and numerous articles on subjects such as personal identity, the true nature of reality, consciousness and the pursuit of happiness, relating his experience to scientific knowledge and to the teachings of Eastern and Western religions or philosophies (Zen Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Hinduism). Beyond this, he was sensitive to certain new leanings in the West, and was in a position to be a proponent for certain shifts in attitudes regarding society, the natural world, lifestyles, and aesthetics. Alan Watts was a well-known autodidact. He was most renowned as an interpreter of Asian philosophies.

Books

• 1936 The Spirit of Zen
• 1937 The Legacy of Asia and Western Man
• 1940 The Meaning of Happiness
• 1944 Theologica Mystica of St. Dionysius, (translation from Greek of pseudo-Dionysius, now available online)
• 1948 Behold the Spirit:A Study in the Necessity of Mystical Religion, Vintage ed. 1972, ISBN 0394717619
• 1950 Easter - Its Story and Meaning
• 1950 The Supreme Identity, Vintage ed. 1972, ISBN 0394718356
• 1951 The Wisdom of Insecurity, Vintage ed. 1968, ISBN 0394704681
• 1953 Myth and Ritual in Christianity, Beacon Press 1971, ISBN 0807013757
• 1957 The Way of Zen, Vintage Spiritual Classics 1999, ISBN 0375705104
• 1958 Nature, Man, and Woman, Vintage reissue 1991, ISBN 0679732330
• 1960 "This Is It" and Other Essays on Zen and Spiritual Experience, Vintage reprint 1973, ISBN 0394719042
• 1961 Psychotherapy East and West, Vintage ed. 1975, ISBN 0394716094
• 1962 The Joyous Cosmology - Adventures in the Chemistry of Consciousness
• 1963 The Two Hands of God - The Myths of Polarity
• 1964 Beyond Theology - The Art of Godmanship, Vintage 1973, ISBN 0394719239
• 1966 The Book - On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are, Vintage reissue 1989, ISBN 0679723005
• 1967 Nonsense
• 1970 Does It Matter?: Essays on Man's Relation to Materiality, Vintage ed. 1971, ISBN 0394716655
• 1971 Erotic Spirituality - The Vision of Konarak
• 1972 The Art of Contemplation
• 1972 In My Own Way - An Autobiography 1915-1965, Vintage 1973, ISBN 0394719514
• 1973 Cloud-hidden, Whereabouts Unknown: A Mountain Journal, Vintage 1974, ISBN 0394719999
• 1975 Tao: The Watercourse Way, Pantheon 1977, ISBN 0394733118
• 1987 The Early Writings of Alan Watts
• 1990 The Modern Mystic: A New Collection of Early Writings

In addition, a number of books have been published since his death that contain transcripts of recorded lectures and/or articles not included in the above. They include:

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• 1974 The Essence of Alan Watts, Celestial Arts 1977, ISBN 0-89087-210-4
• 1976 Essential Alan Watts
• 1978 Uncarved Block, Unbleached Silk: The Mystery of Life
• 1979 Om: Creative Meditations
• 1982 Play to Live
• 1983 Way of Liberation: Essays and Lectures on the Transformation of the Self
• 1985 Out of the Trap
• 1986 Diamond Web
• 1994 Talking Zen
• 1995 Become What You Are, Shambhala Expanded ed. 2003, ISBN 1570629404
• 1995 Buddhism: The Religion of No-Religion
• 1995 The Philosophies of Asia
• 1995 The Tao of Philosophy, edited transcripts, Tuttle Publishing 1999, ISBN 0804832048
• 1996 Myth and Religion
• 1997 Taoism: Way Beyond Seeking
• 1997 Zen and the Beat Way
• 1998 Culture of Counterculture
• 1999 Buddhism: The Religion of No-Religion, edited transcripts, Tuttle Publishing, ISBN 080483203X
• 2000 Still the mind : an introduction to meditation, New World Library, ISBN 1577312147
• 2000 What is Zen?, New World Library, ISBN 0394719514
• 2000 What is Tao?, New World Library, ISBN 157731168X