Items related to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry...

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

  • 3.78 out of 5 stars
    237,862 ratings by Goodreads
 
9780060589462: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values

Synopsis

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 powerful, moving, and penetrating examination of how we live . . . and 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.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Review

In his now classic Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig brings us a literary chautauqua, a novel that is meant to both entertain and edify. It scores high on both counts.

Phaedrus, our narrator, takes a present-tense cross-country motorcycle trip with his son during which the maintenance of the motorcycle becomes an illustration of how we can unify the cold, rational realm of technology with the warm, imaginative realm of artistry. As in Zen, the trick is to become one with the activity, to engage in it fully, to see and appreciate all details--be it hiking in the woods, penning an essay, or tightening the chain on a motorcycle.

In his autobiographical first novel, Pirsig wrestles both with the ghost of his past and with the most important philosophical questions of the 20th century--why has technology alienated us from our world? what are the limits of rational analysis? if we can't define the good, how can we live it? Unfortunately, while exploring the defects of our philosophical heritage from Socrates and the Sophists to Hume and Kant, Pirsig inexplicably stops at the middle of the 19th century. With the exception of Poincaré, he ignores the more recent philosophers who have tackled his most urgent questions, thinkers such as Peirce, Nietzsche (to whom Phaedrus bears a passing resemblance), Heidegger, Whitehead, Dewey, Sartre, Wittgenstein, and Kuhn. In the end, the narrator's claims to originality turn out to be overstated, his reasoning questionable, and his understanding of the history of Western thought sketchy. His solution to a synthesis of the rational and creative by elevating Quality to a metaphysical level simply repeats the mistakes of the premodern philosophers. But in contrast to most other philosophers, Pirsig writes a compelling story. And he is a true innovator in his attempt to popularize a reconciliation of Eastern mindfulness and nonrationalism with Western subject/object dualism. The magic of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance turns out to lie not in the answers it gives, but in the questions it raises and the way it raises them. Like a cross between The Razor's Edge and Sophie's World, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance takes us into "the high country of the mind" and opens our eyes to vistas of possibility. --Brian Bruya

From the Publisher

The extraordinary story of a man's quest for truth. It will change the way you think and feel about your life.

"The cycle you're working on is a cycle called 'yourself.'"

"The study of the art of motorcycle maintainence is really a study of the art of rationality itself. Working on a motorcycle, working well, caring, is to become part of a process, to achieve an inner peace of mind. The motorcycle is primarily a mental phenomenon." -- Robert M. Pirsig

"Profoundly important... full of insights into our most perplexing contemporary dilemmas... It is intellectual entertainment of the highest order." -- The New York Times

"It lodges in the mind as few recent novels have... The book is inspired, original... As the mountains gentle toward the sea--with father and child locked in a ghostly grip--the narrative tact, the perfect economy of effect defy criticism... The analogies with Moby Dick are patent. Robert Pirsig invites the prodigious comparison... What more can one say?" -- The New Yorker

"It's a miracle.. sparkles like an electric dream. Freshness, originality... that seduces you into loving motorcycles, as tender in their pistons as the petals in the Buddah's dawn lotus." -- The Village Voice

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

  • PublisherMariner Books
  • Publication date2006
  • ISBN 10 0060589469
  • ISBN 13 9780060589462
  • BindingMass Market Paperback
  • LanguageEnglish
  • Edition number1
  • Number of pages540
  • Rating
    • 3.78 out of 5 stars
      237,862 ratings by Goodreads

Buy Used

Condition: Good
Book is in good condition and may... View this item

Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.

Destination, rates & speeds

Add to basket

Search results for Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry...

Seller Image

Pirsig, Robert M
Published by Mariner Books, 2006
ISBN 10: 0060589469 ISBN 13: 9780060589462
Used Softcover

Seller: Zoom Books Company, Lynden, WA, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Condition: good. Book is in good condition and may include underlining highlighting and minimal wear. The book can also include "From the library of" labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys, dvds, etc. . We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service. Seller Inventory # ZBV.0060589469.G

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 4.42
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 7 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Pirsig, Robert M
Published by William Morrow Paperbacks, 2006
ISBN 10: 0060589469 ISBN 13: 9780060589462
Used Softcover

Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Condition: Very Good. Very Good. Seller Inventory # 00082248030

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 4.72
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 4 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Pirsig, Robert M
Published by William Morrow Paperbacks, 2006
ISBN 10: 0060589469 ISBN 13: 9780060589462
Used Softcover

Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Condition: Acceptable. Very Good. Seller Inventory # 00081228567

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 4.72
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 4 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Pirsig, Robert M
Published by William Morrow Paperbacks, 2006
ISBN 10: 0060589469 ISBN 13: 9780060589462
Used Softcover

Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Condition: Good. Very Good. Seller Inventory # 00082573096

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 4.72
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Seller Image

Pirsig, Robert M
Published by Mariner Books, 2006
ISBN 10: 0060589469 ISBN 13: 9780060589462
Used Softcover

Seller: Zoom Books Company, Lynden, WA, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Condition: acceptable. Book is in acceptable condition and shows signs of wear. Book may also include underlining highlighting. The book can also include "From the library of" labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys, dvds, etc. . We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service. Seller Inventory # ZBV.0060589469.A

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 4.74
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Pirsig, Robert M
Published by Mariner Books, 2006
ISBN 10: 0060589469 ISBN 13: 9780060589462
Used Softcover

Seller: Goodwill of Colorado, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Condition: Good. This item is in overall good condition. Covers and dust jackets are intact but may have minor wear including slight curls or bends to corners as well as cosmetic blemishes including stickers. Pages are intact but may have minor highlighting/ writing. Binding is intact; however, spine may have slight wear overall. Digital codes may not be included and have not been tested to be redeemable and/or active. Minor shelf wear overall. Please note that all items are donated goods and are in used condition. Orders shipped Monday through Friday! Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Orders shipped Monday through Friday. Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Thank you!. Seller Inventory # 466SUS0037Z6

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 5.09
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Pirsig, Robert M
Published by HarperTorch, 2006
ISBN 10: 0060589469 ISBN 13: 9780060589462
Used Mass Market Paperback

Seller: ThriftBooks-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Mass Market Paperback. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.61. Seller Inventory # G0060589469I5N00

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 6.20
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: Over 20 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Pirsig, Robert M
Published by HarperTorch, 2006
ISBN 10: 0060589469 ISBN 13: 9780060589462
Used Mass Market Paperback

Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Mass Market Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.61. Seller Inventory # G0060589469I3N10

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 6.20
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Pirsig, Robert M
Published by HarperTorch, 2006
ISBN 10: 0060589469 ISBN 13: 9780060589462
Used Mass Market Paperback

Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Mass Market Paperback. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.61. Seller Inventory # G0060589469I5N00

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 6.20
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: Over 20 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Pirsig, Robert M
Published by HarperTorch, 2006
ISBN 10: 0060589469 ISBN 13: 9780060589462
Used Mass Market Paperback

Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Mass Market Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.61. Seller Inventory # G0060589469I3N10

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 6.20
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

There are 41 more copies of this book

View all search results for this book