BOOK REVIEW: Become What You Are by Alan Watts

Become What You Are by Alan Watts
Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

Pages: 146, Kindle Edition

First Published on:  1955

Cover Rating: 4/5

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This not the first Alan Watts book I have read. To read this one, I made myself familiar with his writing and philosophy by reading his other books such as The Wisdom of Insecurity (on someone’s recommendation in past) and listening to his teachings in past few weeks. It’s important to know your subject in most cases. In this case, even if you aren’t familiar with Watts’ philosophy, I’d suggest you to go ahead. However, a bit of familiarity only embraces curiosity. The title is the essence of this book, might point to another domino piece in the self-help genre but I can assure you that this text which was first published in 1955 holds the same amount of value and wisdom today as it did back then.

Watts touches various philosophical concepts and offers some practical wisdom to cope up with the life of a human being. He discards the toxic idea of ego among other mental models such as self-consciousness and the illusion of self-control in which we think that there is a need to control and manipulate everything. He offers the perfect meaning of the word Tao and how is it related to every other human being. Much emphasis is given on the Changing nature of life.

It might sound challenging but I urge you to read this book. It has a lively effect on my thinking process and I am sure it will have some amount of the same effect on yours. The way reality works and how it should work (a production of an individual’s thoughts) does not have a thin line in between but rather a large gap that needs to be acknowledged in order to maintain it. The writing is witty and plain. Easy to grasp if you follow along the pace of the book. The ideas discussed here, as I mentioned are contemporary and will continue to do so. I think this book is close to be a basic introduction to the genesis of human nature. That much amount of wisdom it offers.

On reading this book I can suggest that it does not fall into the category of self-help genre completely. With some flavour of Easter philosophy Watts refers the context in more of a generic manner of human nature and the “Way of living”. Written in a manner of concise essays, I’d suggest you tackle each as a chapter in continuation. Wisdom through written words in the previous knowledge does form a basic understanding to various concepts such as Zen and Tao.

I recommend this book to everyone, and especially to those who are forming their own paths.

5 out of 5! Highly recommended.

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