Vastly underrated and tragically out of print, _Psychotherapy East and West_ is Alan Watts' greatest work, and is one of the greatest works of psychology/philosophy of the twentieth century written in English. This book is also an ideal introductory course to the psychology of Carl G. Jung. Anyone who wants to read Jung should read this first (even though it came later) because it encompasses all of Jungs key concepts in an ultra-concentrated yet remarkably readable form. That is not to say that Jung is unreadable, because he most certainly is a great, easily translatable writer. But Alan Watts had the advantage of writing in English, and for this reason I believe _Psychotherapy East and West_ is THE ULTIMATE introduction to psychology for the Anglo-American reader. It represents the new wave of fusion psychology/philosophy/religious Asian cusine. No longer should all these fields be separated. Alan Watts and Carl Jung together have succeeded in combining the fields of psychology, philosophy, theology, and anthropological mythology. This is the new wave of generalized spiritual enlightenment which is also unbiased, critical, sceptical and truthful. It has spawned such other great authors as Julian Jaynes and Terrance McKenna. The best thing about this new kind of psychotherapy is that it is not cold and pretentious with regard to religion, but is tolerant and advocating of any type of belief system which enhances people's well being and mental health. Because it is nevertheless rigorous in uncovering the truth, it resembles Eastern Buddhism. Keep in mind that Buddhism makes no firm and unverifiable claims regarding the existence of God or an afterlife; it is simply a stategy for living one's life in the most enjoyable way possible, and _Psychotherapy East and West_ does an excellent job in making this way of life accessable to Americans. This book is the ultimate alliance of belief, spirtuality, psychotherapy, and mental well-being on the one hand, and truthful, critical philosophy on the other. It does not wish to insulate people from spiritual crises and keep them suspended in naive belief, but introduces us to a new wave of spiritualism that is hardened by scepticism and impervious to doubt. While some philosophy might pride itself on debunking unverifiable beliefs, it does not provide a solution to man's broken and neurotic psychological condition due to his lost spirituality. _Psychotherapy East and West_, on the other hand, is respective of truth, critical and sceptical, yet provides firm answers as to how we can avoid the neuroses and depression that might result from an upending of our spiritual beliefs. Unconditionally recommended. One of my top five books of all time, of any genre.

Alan W. Watts' excellent looks into the world of psychotherapy, in particular those dealing with schizophrenia, and a world of Eastern religion; Hindu, Buddhist, Zen, Tao. The main topic of psychotherapy the author reaches is on the subject of the "double-bind" where one is forced to do two things at once. And the only way a human can do two things at once is to split into two people. Thus we have the psychological break. Discussing the writings of such known authors as Norman O. Brown, Wittgenstein, Freud as well as J. Haley, Erickson, Laing, Reich, Watzlawick, and Greagory Bateson. Noting mainly that the result of psychotherapy is that of the East in their liberation. Liberation and a successful therapeutic treatment are one in the same. The individual is free from binds, either double or singular, yet, now and again able to relate to the others world, as well as the world of the self. Watts "dances" about saying that to be therapeutic, one must also initate a double-bind so the patient can struggle to break it by "being himself." In which, as the subject refers to, to "be spontaneous" (which is in itself a paradox, as if someone were controlling you to do something without thinking). Watts concludes in his classic style discussing the liberation from the self in which words are constantly changing no matter where you are going or coming from. Vernaculars and lexicons are part of the moment, not something to be restricted in time; like all things to be - live in the moment. Reccomended for the theoretical psychologist as well as the Eastern frame of mind reader.

I have many books covering the eastern mental and behavioral teachings; taoist, buddhist, zen, meditation,including DT Suzuki, Watts, Trungpa, the Dhali Llama, Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, and have snaked through almost all of Castaneda's books. This particular book by Watts slams the topic down with intense clarity, with more power and direct, practical relevance than most books that cover eastern thought. It is intense, challenging, and Watts plows through relentlessly, viewing many cultural habits, and vindicating his central thesis with precision, humour and always good intentions. I have highlighted, re-read, dog-eared and referenced this book the most. Where Lao Tzu could seem overly refined and get vague, Watts turns the table and gets to the nitty gritty with powerful rewards, yet never losing the scope, the reflections, the principle and process that blend with the product. In addition to Edward De Bono and Carlos Castaneda arguing the same point, Watts here also gives intense support to the value and practical applications of HUMOUR in our lives. I love this freedom. If I died tomorrow, and someone wanted to know what my top 50 books list was, this one would be in the top 5.

Alan Watts (1915-1973) was a great explicator of the Oriental way of being. This is the fifth volume in the Love of Wisdom Library edited by his son Mark. In these lectures given between 1968 and 1973, he examines Taoism.

The anxiety, the body tension, and the constant stress of our lives in the West is partly the result of trying to make things happen and to control outcomes. The antidote is "Wu Wei" (don't force it). Or as Watts notes, "When you force a lock, you usually bend the key, so instead, jiggle gently."

Instead of fighting the external world, adopt the watercourse way of Taoism - go with the flow. By following the course of least resistance, we keep the door open for spontaneity and surprise. Watts also talks about art as a controlled accident, the wisdom of accepting yin and yang (the constant interplay of differences), and the value of following intuition. These lectures seem as relevant to our times as when they were first presented over 25 years ago.

Brilliant, insightful, and occasional gentle humor are the hallmarks of this commentary on the Tao Te Ching. The Tao is not an easy book for a Westerner to understand, but Watts picks a few key concepts, ones that are repeated often, and focusses on them. The result is a Tao that makes sense, if not always in one's (logical) head, then at least in one's intuitive heart.

There were a few passages which really stood out for me. As a Catholic, I have reflected often on the meaning of Beatific Vision. Being an impatient soul, I am not quite content to wait until the heavenly hereafter to find out what it is all about. Watts does not address this topic, irrelevant to Taoism, but what he says (p.56)about oneness and individuality apply: "There is enormous differentiation inside the body, desite the fact that it is a single, distinct organism. I use the word 'distinct' rather than 'separate' because by 'separate' I mean "disjointed" or "cut off from," but by 'distinct I mean something I recognize as a distinguishable pattern perceived as a whole. So, something can be distinct without being separate, in just the same way as back and front can be very different and yet inseparable." Yes, of course, that's exactly it: the Mystical Body of Christ here, the Beatific Vision hereafter.

His game of "Vish" sounds like fun and is a really good example of how language works.

This book has gotten me to thinking about art in a new way. I am coming to recognize the difference between what transcends and what is merely mechanical performance. It may be that, even though I cannot produce music or sculpture or anything that is usually termed a "work of art" in the usual sense, I can do other things that fit his description, baking bread for one thing. We can all be artists in our own way.

This book is destined to last through the centuries. Not guessing here, I know this for a fact. How, you may wonder? Well, four hundred years from now, Mr. Spock will say "A difference which makes no difference, is no difference." A very good paraphrase of the lines at the bottom of pp. 64-65. Guess Vulcans read Alan Watts, too!

I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a better understanding of the Tao Te Ching.

This is the best book on Taoism that i've read. Illuminates beautifully that seemingly murky yet wonderfully simple philosophy; full of wit, great examples and metaphors, inspiring and original ideas, and above all the slippery glint of truth, like catching sight of a fast fish moving in a stream. (hmm...) His appropriately 'flowing' style is all the more flowing due to the fact that these are talks that he gave, recorded by Mark Watts.

This is possibly my favorite of all Watts' books, and according to his autobiography In My Own Way (another of his best), he considered this one his best-written (not that he was putting down the content, either).

Although clearly directed to a male audience, I as a woman found much of interest here -- in the application of a Taoist/Zen approach both to love and life in general. A deeply thought and well-articulated book, the scope of Watts' topic is wide but well-supported both logically and factually. A deeply satsifying read with profound implications.

This was the first of a baker's dozen of Alan Watts books which I have read in the past year and, looking back over this reading project, I think I like this one best of all, even over Tao the Watercourse Way and some others which so greatly impressed me at the time I read them.

There is no question that Watts was an intellectual giant and this book is evidence of that. The articles are well-researched and presented with clarity and detail. There is more scholarship here than in some of his other books.

I especially liked his extended discussion of Pure Land Buddhism and its relation to Mahayana. Pure gold here!

It was this book also which introduced me to the quote on the omnipresence of God from F.W. Faber (page 227) which has made a great impact on my life. Everything changed from the moment I read that.

If you have read any of my other reviews on his books, you will see that my initial enthusiasm turned eventually to boredom with his predictability, but none of that includes Seeds of Genius. I have read it several times now and have greatly enjoyed it. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. I am glad to have been introduced to Alan Watts and Seeds of Genius and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in philosophy and religion, whether or not you agree with his own philosophical stance.

Generally speaking, Alan Watts "did his own thing" with the themes and thoughts of Eastern philosophy, often in such a way that "square" Buddhists and others sought to distance himself from him. In this book, where most of the selections are taken from when he was still in his early twenties, he is seen engaging the ideas of Zen, Taoism, Krishnamurti and other topics, for the first time, in a way that is more orthdox, yet also contains his fresh insights. Also of interest is a section of political writings, since Watts is generally veiwed as apolitical.

I feel that this is the most important book I have ever read in my life. This is only the second Alan Watts book I've read so far, so I'm new to his philosophies. I have to go buy more of his books now. If you only read one book this year, make it this one.

On the one hand, there was very little in this book that I haven't found in other books by Watts, so that was a little disappointing. If you have read many of his works, you might consider skipping this one. On the other hand, I enjoy his writing so much, even though I really don't share his worldview, that I don't mind a re-run. On the third hand, the new material I did find, was very enlightening.

One of the things that I came across here, that I hadn't seen elsewhere, was a discussion on art and music. He had some great quotes: in trying to figure out what some modernist abstraction means, he says, "It always takes the artist to show us the vision, but of course, in the meantime, it is difficult to interpret these things." (pg. 28). He ties that whole discussion into one of my favorite topics, which is pattern, or "li." There was another quote I particularly liked, this time distinguishing between "good" and "bad" music: "Bad music always expresses something other than itself, like the 1812 Overture or the Sunken Cathedral. But good music never refers to anything other than the music. If you ask Bach, "What is your meaning?" he would say, "Listen! That is the meaning." This whole book was filled with essays on meaning and pattern, and I found it a joy to read. Overall, I have really enjoyed all the books I've read in his "The Love of Wisdom Library."

I was simply astounded by the theories put forth in this book. The origins of Man and the greatest wonders on this planet is explained in a clear and detailed manner. Not a book for the religious however, one must read this book with an open mind.I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it has helped me gained a better insight of how vulnerable we are.

This was an excellent book by a man who himself had a UFO experience when he was younger. However, he has studied diligently how these crafts seem to defy physics. He lays out very carefully how electromagentic energy fields behave exactly as the anectdotal evidence seems to show.

Volume II picks up where Volume I left off by concentrating on more current real time rendering and game engine topics. Where Volume I painted a broad sweeping overview of real time graphics topics, Vol. II extends this and ties in more closely with how many of those ideas affect the actual creation of games in a real 3d games engine called 'fly3d2' included on CD with the text (a more current and improved version of 'fly3dsdk' from Vol. I). All source code is included for the engine and can be kept current via the website through downloads as it is steadily updated. ... the complete source code for all engine modules and utilities requires purchase of the book.
Mr. Policarpo the coauthor maintains the site and regularly contributes to threads so support remains current (a real blessing in a rapidly advancing science such as this).

Some of the topic covered include: Gamespace (BSP, PVS...) management, LightMap creation and challenges, Camera control, Collision Detection and Response, Path Planning and AI, Shader and TexureMapping with various effects, Character Animation, Skeletal Mesh Animation and related issues as well as the fly3d2.0 environment and support and tutorials to play with and to make these ideas real...

The book covers most of the features include in the engine and anticipates extensions that may some day be added as well. The engine design is modular and lends itself to the creation of plugins that can leverage classes already included or that are completely new created by the user. Users can design levels, characters, objects, and control how they interact with the engine. Tutorials are included in the book as well as on the website with new ones being added by members of the community quite regularly. The modular design (in C++) and utilities that adapt Microsoft's Visual Studio and Discreet's 3dsmax (as well as Quake level conveter and a few others) allow seamless integration of these tools into the environment for a wealth of creative possibilities.

The text is clearly and concisely written and Mr. Watt demonstrates a commanding expertise in these topics without a lot of gimmicky embellishments or self-aggrandizement common in other more fly-by-night texts. This is a real hardcover edtion made to last by a quality computer technology publisher. Watt obviously maintains a close relationship with coauthor Policarpo the designer of the fly3d engine so writing ties in well with the fly3d platform but is not limited by or to it.

I cheerfully recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning the sometimes difficult and challenging topics of game creation, expansion and maintenance. It is a demanding subject not for the weak of heart that can be difficult and time consuming to master. I've found there are a lot of other books out there that promise to deliver by tempting the potential buyer with the ease and completeness their books will include; however, I have not come across any others as yet that come close to the coverage and approach this (and the previous) volume supplies.

Before I bought this book I already had tried other approaches to learning this material but found the all the books I'd bought offered poor to none of the support and potential that 3d Games Vol. II together with the fly3d platform delivers. To learn this material one needs to be able to play with the ideas and be excited about the possibilities and have the ability to play with real tools in a real games environment. 3d Games Vol. II is concise, helpful, well-written, and enjoys a small but dedicated community available through the website.

....
Mark Carleton Maguire
Boston MA

This is quintessential self-help and empowerment that takes you past the sensationalism of today and into the wisdom of the past, ensuring your accomplishments and happiness in the future.

With the added benefit of containing the deft touch of Mark Watts, this is an invaluable text which shall prove edifying and entertaining for years to come.

This book is filled with the wisdom and humor of Alan Watts, and no body does it better.

If you buy one self-help book this year, make this the one!

An excellent introduction to these fascinating subjects. There are three books by Alan Watts collected in this single volume. The first book, What is Zen draws on both zazen (sitting meditation) and how we can learn to live in teh present moment. It is only in the present that we can experience life directly, free of the clutter and needless thought and preconceptions. Watts suggest the ineffable by pointing towards a truly universal spiritual experience: those times when we transcend the self and feel at one with the universe.

The first edition of this book was exceptionally useful to the forensic psychologist attempting to stay current in both theory and applications in the field of cognition and memory. The second edition is also excellent -- it is readable, relevant, and accessible to the non-specialist in this area.