The Book

On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

By: Alan Watts

Narrated by: John Lee

A revelatory primer on what it means to be human and a mind-opening manual of initiation into the central mystery of existence, by “perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West" (Los Angeles Times).

At the root of human conflict is our fundamental misunderstanding of who we are. The illusion that we are isolated beings, unconnected to the rest of the universe, has led us to view the “outside” world with hostility, and has fueled our misuse of technology and our violent and hostile subjugation of the natural world. To help us understand that the self is in fact the root and ground of the universe, Alan Watts provides us with a much-needed answer to the problem of personal identity, distilling and adapting the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta.

©1966 Alan Watts (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of ‘writing beautifully the unwritable.’”—Los Angeles Times

"[Watts is] the perfect guide for a course correction in life." —Deepak Chopra

A Must Read!

Alan Watts has done it again. This book will help remove the vail placed on our concept of self by society. If you are on a journey of discovery and spirituality, this book is a must read!

Concise

This is a book that takes large wide ranging concepts and compacts them down. Enough to give you something to think about. It is so simple and eloquent. Though it’s worthy to revisit. The narration is buttery and nice.

Oh wow

Profound, clarifying, freeing. I will be returning to this book for years to come. So much truth.

Another one of those Bedside Pickup Daily Books

Watts has created one of those valuable Reference Books whose role is to remind you to practice being who you are by telling you not to try so hard.

Don’t let yourself be put in a box by Parents, School. Corporation, or Society. Or even by his Books that you might have read.

This is the ultimate Zen or Tao “Bible”. Four Stars. **** It would have been Five but his teachings come at you so fast that you have to go back and hear them over and over.

Must read for everyone, everywhere

The clear and simple honesty combined with wit and wisdom. This book should be on all people’s reading list and especially those who profess to teach others anything.

Loved it...

Will listen to this again. Deep...... Worth listening to. I have the book in physical form but might as well abuse this new age technology for what it's worth. To bad these phones don't give bJ as they read to you. RIP AW

New View

Like the authors approach to the reality of life and how it should be viewed.

Impossible to understand de pronunciation

To be honest, this book is too good to have been produced with the pompous pronunciation of this blighty. It is incomprehensible. I say this as a non-English speaker.

Sounds like an unconscious talk of a stunned hippie

Pointlessness, boringness, and common places like “there’s no light without the darkness” etc. was amazed how pointless this book sounded

Don't waste your time or money

If you are a fan of Alan Watts, and you have read his actual books, and listened to his lectures, there is nothing new in this short book. The narration is average at best, I say this because you can hear these same ideas presented by the man himself on YT for free! And let's face it, very few are as entertaining an captivating as Alan Watts himself.
Unfortunately this is not some hidden never before told insights from the charismatic philosopher priest. No, sadly it is just a blatant money grab with poorly rehashed ideas presented in a boring and uninspiring way.