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

By Robert M. Pirsig

Published in 1974

Nonfiction

"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values" is a book of philosophy for those easily intimidated by philosophy. Likewise, author Robert M. Pirsig is a philosopher for those who want an author a little more personable than Aristotle and Marx.

The book, based on events in Pirsig's life, begins with the narrator taking a motorcycle trip to Montana. Accompanying him on the ride are his 11-year-old son Chris and two friends, John and Sylvia.

There is a hint of conflict between the narrator and John and Sylvia. This is because they exist in two different realities, he says, one governed by romantic reasoning, the other by classical reasoning. This disharmony creates different opinions on quality.

The nature of quality, and how to achieve and maintain it, is a truth he is seeking. The writer decides to transform the trip into a Chautauqua, a traveling tale in which he will search for that truth.

Quality, he decides, exists in everything, and it can be maintained with persistence and patience. A failure to recognize quality does not mean it was never there in the first place. A fast-paced life leads to assumptions and sloppy workmanship, and thus a loss of quality.

"When you want to hurry something, that means you no longer care about it and want to get on to other things," the narrator says in the book.

In his search, he explores Eastern, Western, ancient and contemporary philosophy in a conversational tone.

While struggling with the duality of thought, he also struggles with the duality in his own mind.

His pursuit of quality is in part an attempt to bury the ghost of Phaedrus, the man he became after he suffered a mental breakdown. The roads he is traveling, both the concrete highway and the abstract trail of thought, are paths already traveled by Phaedrus.

The narrator's ruminations are long-winded, and it's practically necessary to pause after every chapter to process the material. This is not burdensome, however, because the narrator is such an intriguing character, and there is a sense that his quest for the ultimate truth is universal.

When reading this, I felt like a confidant, privy to the author's most private thoughts, becoming so acquainted with him that finishing the book became a bittersweet farewell to an old friend. The final chapter contains devastating news, but the author is far from hopeless.

There are a few passages that should be skimmed or skipped entirely. He spends four pages methodically listing every single item that is essential to a successful motorcycle trip.

The most appealing aspect of the book is how practical the philosophical concepts are. They can be applied to situations in everyday life. They are not mired in jargon, too wrapped up to be of use to anyone.

Overall, the instances of monotony are rare, and are overshadowed by the moments of clarity.

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