Rating: 
Summary: A very entertaining philosophical investigation
Review: This is undoubtedly one of the best books available
for the reader who is seeking to broaden their
understanding of basic philosophical issues. Pirsig
is very clever at weaving in and out of complex
investigations into the basic assumptions which tie
down and restrict our thought processes. He does this
by means of a compelling storyline and an accessible
writing style. I read this book in my junior year in
college and it was provided me with more insight to
the foundational questions upon which many belief systems
are based then any other book which I read during college.
Pick it up. This book is for the type of person who enjoys
an intellectual challenge.
Rating:
Summary: An Assignment That Paid Off....
Review: For those of you who have just joined us, this is a review of the book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". It was written by Robert M. Pirsig. The book was published by HarperCollins Publishers. Mr. Pirsig also wrote "Lila : an inquiry into morals". Anyways, now to the point.If you are going to read this book, make sure you want to do some serious thinking. If it is big actions sequences that you are looking for; this is a direct hit. However, the action doesn't play out on the pages, instead it is in your head. The book takes place on a trip Mr. Pirsig takes with his child and his friends (His son stays with him the entire time; however, his friends are only around for part of the book). During the trip he thinks of both his past, present, and future. Mr. Pirsig has had a very interesting life to say the least. Pirsig spends much of the book using the motorcycle maintance analogy to relate to your life and how you take on certain tasks. I guarentee this book will change the way you think. I didn't say whether or not that was a good or a bad thing, but it will change the way you think. Many people will find this book to be to dry. The book doesn't have much action as I said before. However, if you go into the book with an open mind you may get a lot out of it. The focal point of this book is your thinking about what is said, and really that would be the only problem. If you don't feel like thinking there are a million other books out there. But if you want to re-access the world around you, sort of put things into perspective, this is your book. I think this book is well worth a look. I was given a list of books to read by my professor and I chose this one (some of my friends had read it). Basically, I know I made the right decision. At first I was a bit weary. I had only a couple days to go and I had barely gotten to the 100th page. I started to turn on the book. Then, in the middle of all my cramming, my view of "when is this damn thing going to end" suddenly changed to "wow...this guy is right.." and when the book ended suddenly seemed to be an imminent downer. When it did finally end I was very happy with my decision to read it and I highly recommend it. I have already suggested it to a few of my friends and I plan to re-read it again shortly.
Rating:
Summary: Adventure ride
Review: What begins as a fairly harmless seeming story becomes more and more of an intellectual adventure as the protagonist rides through America on his motorcycle and shares current thoughts and fragments of his former life. A classic!
Rating:
Summary: Metaphysical inquiry is not supposed to be easy
Review: As to the hinting around mentioned in another review, I can stop that. This book DID change my life. I was headed for a business career in which little if any philosophical discussion would be had. After reading ZEN, I went to college and graduated in philosophy, and am now headed to law school to study ethical political theories. All the "sappiness" of the tale about Chris only made the story readable for me. It did not bore or disgust me. It made the tough-to-chew metaphysics easier to understand and digest. I certainly allow that one not interested in metaphysical concepts would probably not enjoy ZEN, but no one can deny that ZEN has had noticable impact on the lives of many others -- particularly those who reread it. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Impact
Review: This book has fundamentally changed the way I think. Since reading it (2001) I have quit my law degree (undergraduate) and re-applied for various philosophy courses, in order to pursue Pirsig's 'metaphysics of Quality'. I'm not suggesting that the book will have the same effect on anyone who reads it, but it will nevertheless challenge your preconceptions and I think that my experience should give rise to at least a little curiosity.....
Rating: 
Summary: Pay Attention
Review: This book taught me to "pay attention when life goes awry." In some ways, this is a mysterious book because it is not so much fiction as it is the author's life. Not your average sort of book - it's wise, honest and solid. I also highly recommend "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life: A Book of Eastern Wisdom" by Taro Gold. Excellent.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible book!
Review: I was forced to read this junk as an English assignment in college. The experience was pure torture. It's amazing how much drible can come out of someones mind that means absolutely nothing and isn't the least bit entertaining. This book will take you in all kinds of crazy directions and you will feel like you are lost. Then, all of a sudden, something positive will crop up, only to be lead down a different path to obscurity. I can remember my Professor ranting about this book and I could not understand why...I think the guy was slightly off and he was definetly on some kind of intellectual trip.
Rating: 
Summary: I tried
Review: Wow... where to begin. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of books I've started but not finished. It's just not something I do. However, I quit on this book about half-way through. Some of the reasons were the author's fault; no doubt some were mine. I don't know that I was fully prepared for what this book ultimately is... a deep, drenching immersion into philosophy, metaphysics, quality of life, and personal self-worth. Writing about those things is a fine and admirable endeavor, but for me reading Pirsig's tortuous and complex prose just didn't work a majority of the time. He would sporadically grab me with a particular line of thought, only to veer off and lose me (interest-wise) for pages on end. I was far more attentive to the cross-country motorcycle trip than I was to his meandering "Chautauqua". In the end what made me put this book down was that I just wasn't interested enough in the subject matter. So, before you begin this book be sure of what you've undertaken.
Rating:
Summary: Intense, Perplexing, Rewarding
Review: You won't remember every word you read in this book. I know this, because I tried. Pirsig's novel is an autobiographical musing on quality and a study of the reconciliation of technology and man. Every page is frustratingly thoughtful, and I've read it over and over again in order to gleam what I can from it. I won't even begin to delve into the lessons this book provides. That would cheapen the narrator's physical and philosophical journey, and rob you the benefits of a thorough examination. But please, follow the example that Phaedrus provides early on. Step back, and allow yourself to perceive the benefits of the book. While it is certainly complex and requires massive amounts of attention, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance provides excellent insight on both perspective and our personal search for understanding.
Rating:
Summary: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Review: "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", by Robert Prisig just didn't click with me. After I completed the book I checked Amazon.com and browsed through some of the recent reviews. Many of the reviews were favorable. Some even hinted that the book was life changing. Personally I felt the book was extremely boring and at times I even found myself thinking, what the.... Well you know the rest. It wasn't until about three-quarters of the way through the book that I found anything interesting or meaningful in the story. For those of you who found meaning in Mr. Pirsig's book I appauld you. If not may I suggest another book with a simmiliar title called Zen and the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel.
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