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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this book - I think. It required a lot of stopping and pondering as I went, but overall it was good.
This book came exactly when I needed it in life. It's always reassuring to find people are spending their hours thinking about the same things one is.
Books are one of the few things that can make me cry, and I sobbed through the last two chapters. Then I read the afterward and cried again for a different reason.
And I laughed. Probably at things only I would find funny, like the fact that I majored in a science, an art, and Religion--so, apparently I actually majored in Quality? Seemed oddly fitting that a roughly equivalent reasoning regarding my three majors had led me to go to seminary rather than a physics PhD.
And I smiled at familiarity and thought deeply about philosophy and got bored reading about motorcycle details. The book has it all, if you're willing to let it and follow it along the ride (pun intended).
I will say three things with regard to comprehension of the book:
1) It just so happened that I read this book such that about 1-2 days of the plot corresponded to an actual day. This, though accidental, turned out to be ideal, for I was following the narrator's Chautauqua in roughly real time. I highly recommend it. I believe the only times I read multiple days were at the beginning and end.
2) I believe, if you are clever and following the book day by day, it may not matter; however, it helps to have a small amount of science, especially physics, and a reasonable helping of philosophy before you begin the book. So many of Phaedrus' philosophical moves hinge on responses to philosophers before him or cosmological analogies that it helps to have the background so that one may follow without stopping to reason, except as the conclusion inspires (rather than the argument itself).
3) I know several friends who claim to have read this book, yet when they speak of it, seem to be talking of another book entirely. Beware attempting to understand the book from within the constructs of traditional reason. You may be able to follow the arguments, but apparently you will conclude that the narrator's path is not to be followed, and the Church of Reason is the only way. I fear this makes you something of a religionist, no matter how much you may detest the claim. Let yourself follow the book outside rationality, or you will not understand why Phaedrus behaves the way he does. Perhaps you fear his fate; yet, surely you can follow him to the borders of rationality and begin to understand what he deconstructs.
It has been said since the book was published (and it is stated in later editions) that Phaedrus means "radiant" rather than "wolf". It seems appropriate somehow, in that deep recognition way he mentions.
Books are one of the few things that can make me cry, and I sobbed through the last two chapters. Then I read the afterward and cried again for a different reason.
And I laughed. Probably at things only I would find funny, like the fact that I majored in a science, an art, and Religion--so, apparently I actually majored in Quality? Seemed oddly fitting that a roughly equivalent reasoning regarding my three majors had led me to go to seminary rather than a physics PhD.
And I smiled at familiarity and thought deeply about philosophy and got bored reading about motorcycle details. The book has it all, if you're willing to let it and follow it along the ride (pun intended).
I will say three things with regard to comprehension of the book:
1) It just so happened that I read this book such that about 1-2 days of the plot corresponded to an actual day. This, though accidental, turned out to be ideal, for I was following the narrator's Chautauqua in roughly real time. I highly recommend it. I believe the only times I read multiple days were at the beginning and end.
2) I believe, if you are clever and following the book day by day, it may not matter; however, it helps to have a small amount of science, especially physics, and a reasonable helping of philosophy before you begin the book. So many of Phaedrus' philosophical moves hinge on responses to philosophers before him or cosmological analogies that it helps to have the background so that one may follow without stopping to reason, except as the conclusion inspires (rather than the argument itself).
3) I know several friends who claim to have read this book, yet when they speak of it, seem to be talking of another book entirely. Beware attempting to understand the book from within the constructs of traditional reason. You may be able to follow the arguments, but apparently you will conclude that the narrator's path is not to be followed, and the Church of Reason is the only way. I fear this makes you something of a religionist, no matter how much you may detest the claim. Let yourself follow the book outside rationality, or you will not understand why Phaedrus behaves the way he does. Perhaps you fear his fate; yet, surely you can follow him to the borders of rationality and begin to understand what he deconstructs.
It has been said since the book was published (and it is stated in later editions) that Phaedrus means "radiant" rather than "wolf". It seems appropriate somehow, in that deep recognition way he mentions.
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I absolutely hated the first ~50 pages. The book wasn’t what I expected, the narrator was obnoxious, and some dated vocabulary that is uncomfortable.
Pushing past that, to continue reading through to the end of the book… It has had a profound impact. I’ll be thinking on it for a long, long time.
Pushing past that, to continue reading through to the end of the book… It has had a profound impact. I’ll be thinking on it for a long, long time.
slow-paced
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
I hate to give this book a low rating, as I don’t believe my personal rating does much to encapsulate the stories that occur between these pages. As many have noted, this book is an amalgam of three stories in one, and I lack some of the required knowledge and patience to understand the philosophical musings that encapsulate much of the 400 pages in ZMM. However, I enjoyed what I could understand and look forward to the time when I will revisit the book with new eyes and experiences, however long that may be. For now, I can ruminate on what I absorbed and it will keep me satisfied until I’m curious for more.
I will need to think on this book for a while to really grasp all of the layers, but it's one of those that I think about consistently after I put it down. It was not an easy read, but as Pirsig describes it, it is a "culture-bearer." Throughout the book, I found myself feeling empathetic, engaged, bored, interested, frustrated, sad, and happy (sometimes all at once). I like books that do this to me. I often found myself sad for Pirsig, sad for his life and the things that happened to him, but mildly envious of his ability to find depth in concepts most people don't consider for any significant length of time. I especially liked the afterward and Q & A with Pirsig at the end -- it helped tie things together for me. One of my favorite reviews of the book summarizes things nicely and says: "What Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance tells us is that we won't get to the truth about life through pursuing answers through the rational mind only. The narrator hungered for a rational explanation for everything, but in the end found that both science and philosophy are just maps of the truth. But in love of another person, or in the experience of nature or in a feeling of closeness to God, we can access truths that can't be broken down. The book makes you think about the technological culture we live in and where we can find room in it for 'quality' and things of the spirit. It shows how a life drained of gumption is not really a life."
“Mental reflection is so much more interesting than TV it’s a shame more people don’t switch over to it. They probably think what they hear is unimportant but it never is.”
I could read about a cross country road trip between a father and son all day long, and I really did learn a thing or two about motorcycle maintenance. More than anything this book illuminated the importance of communication, mutual understanding, and taking care of your mental health. There’s a lot to unpack here with Robert M. Pirsig and Chris. While it was a quite dense read and a bit repetitive to give a 4 star, it absolutely deserves more than a 3, so I’ll settle with a 3.5.
Maybe someday I’ll get that 48 special after all.
I could read about a cross country road trip between a father and son all day long, and I really did learn a thing or two about motorcycle maintenance. More than anything this book illuminated the importance of communication, mutual understanding, and taking care of your mental health. There’s a lot to unpack here with Robert M. Pirsig and Chris. While it was a quite dense read and a bit repetitive to give a 4 star, it absolutely deserves more than a 3, so I’ll settle with a 3.5.
Maybe someday I’ll get that 48 special after all.
A lot of people give this book bad reviews, but I choose to think that's because they read it at the wrong time. If this book had been required reading, I more than likely would have hated it, also. If I read it even a year ago, I wouldn't have enjoyed it because I'd be too busy thinking I already knew everything there was to know. Instead, I read it at the exact right time in my life - and for those who didn't enjoy it, it might be worth trying again at a later time.
There's a narrative of a father and son going on a motorcycle trip, but hidden beneath that is the story of the father trying to remember his past, which includes a stint as a professor and a PhD candidate, and ends in his going insane, back in the times where electroshock therapy was the answer. If the title seems daunting to you, don't be scared - part of the author's note reads: "..It should in no way be associated with that great body of factual information relating to orthodox Zen Buddhist practice. It's not very factual on motorcycles either."
There's a narrative of a father and son going on a motorcycle trip, but hidden beneath that is the story of the father trying to remember his past, which includes a stint as a professor and a PhD candidate, and ends in his going insane, back in the times where electroshock therapy was the answer. If the title seems daunting to you, don't be scared - part of the author's note reads: "..It should in no way be associated with that great body of factual information relating to orthodox Zen Buddhist practice. It's not very factual on motorcycles either."
I know it’s a classic, and for good reason, but as with any book regarding the human psyche and some advanced philosophy it is quite a hard read. And the constant changes between travel story, biography, and philosophical textbook are not always as easy to navigate. So take your time when reading Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. For if you do so, it is extremely enlightening and even possibly helpful in daily life. But as daily life, the book can be a struggle.