In my own way: an autobiography 1915-1965

In this new edition of his acclaimed autobiography long out of print and rare until now Alan 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 defy convention and think for themselves. From early in this intellectual life, Watts shows himself to be a philosophical renegade and wide-ranging autodidact who came to Buddhism through the teachings of Christmas Humphrey and D. T. Suzuki. Told in a nonlinear style, In My Own Way wonderfully combines Watts own brand of unconventional philosophy and often hilarious accounts of gurus, celebrities, psychedelic drug experiences, and wry observations of Western culture. A charming foreword written by Watts father sets the tone of this warm, funny, and beautifully written story of a compelling figure who encouraged readers to follow your own weird something he always did himself, as his remarkable account of his life shows.