In my own way an autobiography 1915-1965

Synopsis

Alan Watts was a philosopher, lecturer and the West's foremost popularizer of Asian religion and philosophy. He was one of the main figures responsible for the rise of the 1960s counterculture and eventually the human potential movement, even though he never affiliated himself with any particular group. In this new edition of his classic autobiography, what many consider the finest of his more than twenty books, Watts tracks his spiritual and philosophical evolution from a child of religious conservatives in rural England to a freewheeling spiritual teacher who challenged Westerners to challenge convention and think for themselves. From early in this intellectual life, Watts shows himself to be a philosophical renegade and wide-ranging autodidact, whose unconventional ideas botched a chance to attend Oxford on scholarship. While attending King's College at Canterbury, he becomes interested in Buddhism through his acquaintance with the Buddhist Lodge and the teachings of Christmas Humphreys and D.T. Suzuki. Yet his reputation as an expert in Eastern philosophy ignores his deep knowledge of the Judeo-Christian traditions and his experience as an Episcopal priest, which began in 1945 and ended in 1950 after he had an extramarital affair and his first marriage was annulled. Told in a compelling nonlinear narrative, In My Own Way is a wonderful combination of Watts' own brand of unconventional philosophy and often hilarious accounts of gurus, celebrities, psychedelic drug experiences and wry observations of Western culture. An unusual and charming foreword written by Watts' father sets the tone of this warm, funny, and beautifully written story of one of popular philosophy's most unique and compelling figures. Watts encourages readers to "follow your own weird", leading by example with this remarkable account of his truly individualistic life.