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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
1.62k reviews for:
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values
Robert M. Pirsig
3.53 AVERAGE
Anche la manutenzione della motocicletta può insegnarci che prendersi cura delle cose è un modo per prendersi cura di se stessi.
Pirsig affronta diversi temi tra cui la dualità e soprattutto la qualità, qualcosa a cui non riesce a dare un significato, perché la qualità non sembra qualcosa che di può definire, ci avete mai pensato?
Il protagonista è uno studioso di filosofia che affronta le domande e prova a trovare delle risposte attraverso gli scritti di Euclide, Aristotele, Platone e Socrate. Tutto questo a cavallo di una motocicletta insieme al figlio mentre attraversano kilometri e kilometri di deserto e montagne cercando se stessi, chi sono e chi saranno.
Non è assolutamente una lettura facile, in alcuni punti diventa difficile da leggere se non si è particolarmente attenti. In altri invece è molto scorrevole.
Pirsig affronta diversi temi tra cui la dualità e soprattutto la qualità, qualcosa a cui non riesce a dare un significato, perché la qualità non sembra qualcosa che di può definire, ci avete mai pensato?
Il protagonista è uno studioso di filosofia che affronta le domande e prova a trovare delle risposte attraverso gli scritti di Euclide, Aristotele, Platone e Socrate. Tutto questo a cavallo di una motocicletta insieme al figlio mentre attraversano kilometri e kilometri di deserto e montagne cercando se stessi, chi sono e chi saranno.
Non è assolutamente una lettura facile, in alcuni punti diventa difficile da leggere se non si è particolarmente attenti. In altri invece è molto scorrevole.
challenging
informative
reflective
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
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can’t believe I read all this. There was several times where I thought about not finishing. But I powered through.
I think this book irritates me. And it’s because it reads as pseudointellectual, and the narrator is honestly very arrogant. I do think the narrator makes some interesting points, but he often overgeneralizes or comes to conclusions I won’t have. He also sometimes does not give enough context to make his points, so you end up lost, and try to reread over and over certain sections (or in my case, research the context for yourself). Also, I hate his anti-science take. Also, I didn’t understand why he seemed to despise the concept of rhetoric? Or maybe he was okay with it? Idk.
And it was real confusing trying to parse what he was trying to say about Quality; he kept defining it and then re-defining, and then claiming it should be undefined. It honestly was a little stupid and felt like a waste.
The ending was interesting though. I’m not sure how I feel about it, but seeing the narrator’s descent into madness is truly sad, especially as he struggles to stay with his son, and not become divided by it. But damn, he was such an awful father; he basically has no sympathy for his son, so it was hard to even believe it was struggle.
I could probably go on and on about other aspects of this book; he delves into stuff like “classical vs romantic” understanding; and tries to give advice on how to get “unstuck” or how to deal with “gumption traps” as he calls it. But I don’t have enough time for that. Maybe I’ll write an essay in my free time and post it somewhere, idk.
But overall, I’m not the biggest fan. This book, I feel, is only for the author and no one else; like it's his unfiltered thoughts, and he hasn't even formed his own conclusion from them.
I keep bouncing between a 1 star to 2 stars; ultimately, I rounded up because it, at the very least, it got me thinking and researching (despite its convoluted, pretentious nature).
I think this book irritates me. And it’s because it reads as pseudointellectual, and the narrator is honestly very arrogant. I do think the narrator makes some interesting points, but he often overgeneralizes or comes to conclusions I won’t have. He also sometimes does not give enough context to make his points, so you end up lost, and try to reread over and over certain sections (or in my case, research the context for yourself). Also, I hate his anti-science take. Also, I didn’t understand why he seemed to despise the concept of rhetoric? Or maybe he was okay with it? Idk.
And it was real confusing trying to parse what he was trying to say about Quality; he kept defining it and then re-defining, and then claiming it should be undefined. It honestly was a little stupid and felt like a waste.
The ending was interesting though. I’m not sure how I feel about it, but seeing the narrator’s descent into madness is truly sad, especially as he struggles to stay with his son, and not become divided by it. But damn, he was such an awful father; he basically has no sympathy for his son, so it was hard to even believe it was struggle.
I could probably go on and on about other aspects of this book; he delves into stuff like “classical vs romantic” understanding; and tries to give advice on how to get “unstuck” or how to deal with “gumption traps” as he calls it. But I don’t have enough time for that. Maybe I’ll write an essay in my free time and post it somewhere, idk.
But overall, I’m not the biggest fan. This book, I feel, is only for the author and no one else; like it's his unfiltered thoughts, and he hasn't even formed his own conclusion from them.
I keep bouncing between a 1 star to 2 stars; ultimately, I rounded up because it, at the very least, it got me thinking and researching (despite its convoluted, pretentious nature).
I would probably give this a 3.5 out of 5 stars if I could. Mostly because I feel Pirsig was certainly knowledgable on a variety of subjects and had some valid points. I can't bring myself to give it 4 stars because the main thing that made this hard to get through at times was his sense of self-importance. He kept talking about his pursuit of "Quality" as some lofty, never before touched goal that was worthy of sainthood. I don't doubt his genius, but he doesn't really write for the lay person and his section on Poincare's dissection of geometry was especially hard to get through. If Pirsig wasn't so sanctimonious he might have won me over. But he never really pursued anything with a higher ideal in mind...it was always because he had an axe to grind and wanted to make others look foolish. Hardly lofty pursuits.
I would caution anyone looking to read this that it will not be what you expect. It made me think hard on these subjects, so I stuck with it. But it is absolutely not light reading. The motorcycle trip (which is given the appearance of the plot in the synopsis of the book) is really just a framing device. This is by no means a light read.
I would caution anyone looking to read this that it will not be what you expect. It made me think hard on these subjects, so I stuck with it. But it is absolutely not light reading. The motorcycle trip (which is given the appearance of the plot in the synopsis of the book) is really just a framing device. This is by no means a light read.
This could have been titled “Overthinking Things.” I know it’s a classic and I apppreciate his efforts to document his experience but a few hundred pages of musings on the essence of Quality was too much for me.
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced