One of the most important and influential books written in the past half-century, Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a powerfully moving and penetrating examination of how we live, a breathtaking meditation on how to live better. Here is the book that transformed a generation, an unforgettable narration of a summer motorcycle trip across America's Northwest, undertaken by a father and his young son. A story of love and fear--of growth, discovery and acceptance--that becomes a profound personal and philosophical odyssey into life's fundamental questions, this uniquely exhilarating modern classic is both touching and transcendent, resonant with the myriad confusions of existence and the small, essential triumphs that propel us forward.
Editorial Reviews
“An unforgettable trip.” —Time
“The book is inspired, original....The analogies with Moby-Dick are patent.” —The New Yorker
“Strange and wonderful...It meditates on those grand philosophical problems that were first addressed in this country by the likes of Thoreau and Melville...It seems as fresh and compelling as it did [decades] age.” —New York Times
“It is filled with beauty...a finely made whole that seems to emanate from a very special grace.” —Baltimore Sun
“A miracle...sparkles like an electric dream.” —The Village Voice
About the Author
Robert M. Pirsig (1928-2017) studied chemistry and philosophy (B.A., 1950) and journalism (M.A., 1958) at the University of Minnesota and also attended Benares Hindu University in India, where he studied Oriental philosophy. He is also the author of this book's sequel, entitled Lila.
