by Robert M. Pirsig
from William Morrow & Company
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Editorial ReviewOne of the most important and influential books written in the past half-century, Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a powerful, moving, and penetrating examination of how we live . . . and a breathtaking meditation on how to live better. Here is the book that transformed a generation: an unforgettable narration of a summer motorcycle trip across America's Northwest, undertaken by a father and his young son. A story of love and fear -- of growth, discovery, and acceptance -- that becomes a profound personal and philosophical odyssey into life's fundamental questions, this uniquely exhilarating modern classic is both touching and transcendent, resonant with the myriad confusions of existence . . . and the small, essential triumphs that propel us forward. In his now classic Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig brings us a literary chautauqua, a novel that is meant to both entertain and edify. It scores high on both counts. Phaedrus, our narrator, takes a present-tense cross-country motorcycle trip with his son during which the maintenance of the motorcycle becomes an illustration of how we can unify the cold, rational realm of technology with the warm, imaginative realm of artistry. As in Zen, the trick is to become one with the activity, to engage in it fully, to see and appreciate all details--be it hiking in the woods, penning an essay, or tightening the chain on a motorcycle. In his autobiographical first novel, Pirsig wrestles both with the ghost of his past and with the most important philosophical questions of the 20th century--why has technology alienated us from our world? what are the limits of rational analysis? if we can't define the good, how can we live it? Unfortunately, while exploring the defects of our philosophical heritage from Socrates and the Sophists to Hume and Kant, Pirsig inexplicably stops at the middle of the 19th century. With the exception of Poincaré, he ignores the more recent philosophers who have tackled his most urgent questions, thinkers such as Peirce, Nietzsche (to whom Phaedrus bears a passing resemblance), Heidegger, Whitehead, Dewey, Sartre, Wittgenstein, and Kuhn. In the end, the narrator's claims to originality turn out to be overstated, his reasoning questionable, and his understanding of the history of Western thought sketchy. His solution to a synthesis of the rational and creative by elevating Quality to a metaphysical level simply repeats the mistakes of the premodern philosophers. But in contrast to most other philosophers, Pirsig writes a compelling story. And he is a true innovator in his attempt to popularize a reconciliation of Eastern mindfulness and nonrationalism with Western subject/object dualism. The magic of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance turns out to lie not in the answers it gives, but in the questions it raises and the way it raises them. Like a cross between The Razor's Edge and Sophie's World, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance takes us into "the high country of the mind" and opens our eyes to vistas of possibility. --Brian Bruya
Customer Reviews:
- Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
- A Pseudo-intellectual Classic
A pseudo-intellectual classic for people who can't handle real philosophy. I met a woman years ago who thought that metaphysics was the study of "ESP and stuff." She had just entered a graduate program in philosophy. Zen and the Art would be perfect for her. For those interested in reading real philosophy, I recommend Martin Heidegger's The Fundamental Concepts of Metaphysics: World, Finitude, Solitude (Indiana University Press, 1995). Don't worry about reading Being and Time right away, just enjoy The... more info
- Appreciate the clarification of ideas in writing
I have marked several pages in this book where the author succinctly wrote about ideas that I have had but were unclearly conceived in my own mind. A problem many of us have is with language itself being of such abstract nature, often our feelings or impressions of things are either unclear or incomplete as a result. Pirsig has the ability to express complex ideas clearly and often used examples, metaphors, or paraphrasing to facilitate that.
- Neat
For those who are unfamiliar with philosophy, this is a very accesible book with some nice insights.
It reads like a train (although you might want to pause once in a while to think about some paragraphs).
It is a bit outdated, and I have some personal remarks concerning a few topics.
- Couldn't put it down.
This was a thought provocing and very enjoyable read. Although it isn't "action packed" or anything, that isn't the point. The author's naration tells the tale of his philosophical journey cross country with his son on his motorcyle. Not only was this book inspirational, but provides new insight in terms of how one sees the world around them. A must read!
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