Reviews - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values

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1.62k reviews for:

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values

Robert M. Pirsig

3.53 AVERAGE

geekpaladin's review against another edition

3.5

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

pizazz's review against another edition

3.0

Took me a couple of attempts. While this book can be quite dense and tough going - the kind that led me to find myself regularly re-reading the same line over and over as my mind wandered - the content is incredibly fascinating. Stick with it to about halfway through, when the main character visits the old school he used to attend/work at... at which point the book's philosophy starts BLOWING YOUR MIND.

As someone who hasn't done any philosophical reading before, I found it not very accessible, and like I said, it was tough going. But the perspectives it offers on life are worth the effort.

thucydides_groupie's review

1.0

somehow, i know even less about zen or motorcycles than i did before

yoder's review against another edition

5.0

When I picked up this book I knew nothing about it. This book is a philosophy book masquerading as a novel. That said the novel aspect ties in quite well with the philosophy aspect. There is also this underlining aspect of mental health to the entire story. This book made me put it down several times to ruminate over its pages, and I had to tell those around me about some of the more interesting concepts.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance will not be for everyone, but I loved this book.

jchettinga's review against another edition

3.0

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

An interesting book with a strange and thought-provoking relationship centering on a father and son's disconnection. A lot of the philosophy about quality went over my head and seemed a little disconnected from the actual story. The classical-romantical duality was interesting and enlightening, however.

While I enjoyed the read and following the story of this motorcycle trip across the country, it felt over done and pretentious at times.