Who am I? Why am I here? What is the nature of the world around me? Alan Watts examines these funda- mental questions from a Taoist perspective-learning to appreciate not just the bowl but the empty space within the bowl. With down-to-earth, authentic writing he reveals our direct connection to the natural world and reminds us that we are not so much born into this world as grown out of it.

Alan Watts was born in England in 1915. He wrote his first book, The Spirit of Zen, in 1935 and went on to write more than twenty others including The Way of Zen. Dr. Watts was an Episcopalian priest, professor, graduate school dean and research fellow of Harvard University. Although he died in 1973, he is one of the most accessible philosophers of our time, whose work continues to be a source of wisdom and inspiration for new generations of readers.