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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
Definitely a thinker. Slower to get through but will stay with me.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization
I was introduced to this book in high school. It was much hyped, and an assigned reading. At the time, I had tried with all my being to like this book, but didn't succeed. The writing style was the biggest obstacle. It's dull and overly contrived. The actual content of the book is unnecessarily overdeveloped - considering the relatively simple theme. Anyway, my experience tells me this is one if those hit or miss books. You will either love it or be indifferent to it.
I really struggled with parts of this book and really enjoyed other parts. I think I’ll need to reread it at some point to fully understand how I feel about it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It started off intriguing but soon became “meh” to me. So much of the writing was going around in circles and I didn’t really like the narrator. So, meh. Not worth the finish. Unless someone I really love tells me I HAVE to finish it.
reflective
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
I first read this book some 30 years ago, on the recommendation of a high school guidance counselor who was a bright light in my otherwise unremittingly bleak high school years.
In the time since then, I pursued advanced degrees in philosophy myself, taught it at the university level, went to law school and practiced law, fell in love a few times, stood up and asserted my identity, and so many other things.
I’ve changed a lot and lived a lot and this book certainly strikes me differently than it did all those years ago. But it’s still worth reading, as much for its descriptions of the road and of academic life and intrigues as for the philosophy of “quality,” about which i have doubts as I did then (albeit on a different level). There’s no doubt he is an egoist in some ways, that there is some culpable lack of rigor here, and he certainly was a product of his time in terms of misogyny, which bothers me. There are errors, at times serious, in his summation of western philosophers.
Still, I’ll probably come back to this in another 10 years or 20 or so. It’s evergreen like that. I’ll probably also read the sequel to this book, which I never did back then.
In the time since then, I pursued advanced degrees in philosophy myself, taught it at the university level, went to law school and practiced law, fell in love a few times, stood up and asserted my identity, and so many other things.
I’ve changed a lot and lived a lot and this book certainly strikes me differently than it did all those years ago. But it’s still worth reading, as much for its descriptions of the road and of academic life and intrigues as for the philosophy of “quality,” about which i have doubts as I did then (albeit on a different level). There’s no doubt he is an egoist in some ways, that there is some culpable lack of rigor here, and he certainly was a product of his time in terms of misogyny, which bothers me. There are errors, at times serious, in his summation of western philosophers.
Still, I’ll probably come back to this in another 10 years or 20 or so. It’s evergreen like that. I’ll probably also read the sequel to this book, which I never did back then.
Many people like this book and swear by this book. I for one, did not. I felt like the topic of "meta physics of quality" was dragged into the pages of this book and ruminated endlessly. Rumination is the right word I could describe how I felt this book was. While discussing with my friends about this book, I found some of them had really liked it and had found a philosophical beacon through this book. We concluded that the time we read these kind of book matters. Late teen or early twenty when you are exploring all the ideas and trying to weight on the ideas, this book presents a good one on "quality" and thus people may like it. I had already crossed that path and had perhaps settled down ideas that I will pursue and I had known topics that will naturally interest me. I am open minded to receive new ideas and that is the reason I took this book. But when I found the same concept chewed endlessly, it became a bit boring to me and I wanted to finish it as soon as possible by flipping through the pages.
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes