challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was a pretty interesting book. The references to Zen are minimal, but contrasted with Western thought, especially through the lens of the main character's experience.

I really wanted to love this book but I could barely finish it.
challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is a book that requires multiple read-throughs. I went into this blind, and had to struggle through the first 80 pages or so completely lost, but it was worth getting through to arrive at the central conflict of the narrative. I am biased towards the structure of parallel threads used here, and it certainly adds to the philosophical themes being explored. That said, as a philosophy, I'm not yet sure I know what to think about it. But as literature, it's a unique work that practices what it preaches about Quality.

Another book that I didn't actually finish. I really like the fact that this book is set in the 70's, before the time of cell phones and all the other technology we think we need. It was a fascinating point of view, but apparently not fascinating enough because it didn't keep my attention. The person who recommended this book to me said "It's not actually about motorcycles." No, it actually is.

The book has sold 5 million copies, so obviously there is something there. It just isn't for me. I was really into it in the first 50 pages or so, but then it just gradually became a tirade of pop philosophy. And yes, I realize that's sort of the point, but it just felt unbalanced and self-indulgent to me. Sorry Phaedrus.

I bought this book on a recommendation from my friend Betsy. I read about 70 pages of it on a road trip, really enjoyed it, but then put it down and never picked it back up. Years later, my eyes fell on it, and I remembered enjoying it, so I started from the beginning again, and got about just as far but then stopped for some reason. Perhaps someday I'll get through it.

arjunpi's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH

Get to the point man

Esta va a ser una reseña un poco rara.

Creo que hay un montón de ideas, conceptos, filosofía y demás escondidos en este libro, pero me ha costado un mundo acabármelo. Soy consciente de que posiblemente muchas de estas cosas hayan permeado en mi, pero el libro funciona a dos velocidades y hay que tener mucha predisposición y cintura para pasar de las crónicas del viaje (mucho más llevaderas, como es lógico) a toda la parte de disertación filosófica.

Creo que hay que aproximarse a él no solo con un poco de conocimiento de filosofía previo, sino con la mentalidad de que el libro puede ser en ocasiones obtuso. No es un libro para aproximarse, pero gran parte de las ideas sobre el zen y la Calidad que están enterradas entre sus páginas son muy especiales no solamente para leerlas, sino para aplicarlas. Pero no es un libro divulgativo, ni mucho menos, sino un tratado de filosofía escondido tras símiles con el viaje, la reparación y mantenimiento de una moto, y de hecho ese probablemente haya sido mi error a la hora de pensar en él.

Es un libro muy recomendable si se tiene una experiencia previa con la filosofía y sus conceptos, pero hay que manejarlo con cuidado si uno no quiere perderse entre sus páginas y acabar agotado. Acabarlo ha sido para mi una mezcla entre las ganas de saber más y la fuerza de voluntad de completarlo por no dejarlo a medias, cuidado que no os pase lo mismo.

Dense and philosophical, but it is thought provoking and an intriguing set of nested and interwoven narratives.