The author’s idea is that the “East” is not some far-off foreign culture but that East and West are aspects that make up the whole of the human mind, rather like masculine and feminine, and that in the West we need to rediscover this lost facet of ourselves. This is rather like the idea that men need to rediscover our lost or repressed feminine aspect and vice-versa. He also notes that in the orient, Western outlook and behaviour also became popular in the 20th century. The book has three sections:

The Way of the Body
The Way of Emptiness
The Way of Things
The Way of the Body is examined in its manifestation in Indian art, especially sculpture. The Way of Emptiness is seen through the eyes of Chinese poets and artists, with some amazingly modern-looking illustrations from so many centuries ago. The Way of Things is discussed in terms of Japanese, especially Zen philosophy and art.