Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

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

One of the most important and influential books of 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 meditation on how to live better. The narrative of a father on a summer motorcycle trip across America's Northwest with his young son, it becomes a profound personal and philosophical odyssey into life's fundamental questions. A true modern classic, it remains at once touching and transcendent, resonant with the myriad confusions of existence and the small, essential triumphs that propel us forward.

Average Customer Rating:

Neat	Customer Rating:
For those who are unfamiliar with philosophy, this is a very accesible book with some nice insights. It reads like a train (although you might want to pause once in a while to think about some paragraphs). It is a bit outdated, and I have some personal remarks concerning a few topics.

Couldn't put it down.	Customer Rating:
This was a thought provocing and very enjoyable read. Although it isn't "action packed" or anything, that isn't the point. The author's naration tells the tale of his philosophical journey cross country with his son on his motorcyle. Not only was this book inspirational, but provides new insight in terms of how one sees the world around them. A must read!

About this book	Customer Rating:
I re-read this book after about 15 years and enjoyed it just as much as the first time, but I got something different out of it this time too. This book has a great calming effect on me. It's so interesting on so many subjects, and so accesssible. This is such a relevent read.

A book about overcoming intellectualism and becoming whole

Customer Rating:

Despite the high brow reviews by self proclaiming philosophers and intellectuals who think this is a book about philosophy, it is not. It is also not a "how to" manual on maintaining a motorcycles. This is a book about overcoming intellectualism and becoming whole. If you are contemplating reading this book please disregard the reviewers who flex their imaginary philosophical and intellectual muscle and just read it. Yes, there will be parts that seem to endlessly pursue some thought or idea but by the end of this book you will be very glad and satisfied you read it. ...of course if you have ever ridden a motorcycle, experienced the landscapes temperature changes, sounds and elements and/or struggled with and beat mental illness this book will take on a special dimension.

Self-Absorbed, Self-Pitying Rubbish

Customer Rating:

I agree with many of the other one-star reviews, this is actually the worst book I have ever read, out of thousands read, in my entire life. The worst book designation goes to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance because it is extremely, extremely, over-rated. I found it to be one of the most self-absorbed, self-pitying, whining complaints I had ever been exposed to - and I know about those, because I'm a former junior high school teacher. Not only did it not contain any philosophical insights whatsoever, the book is just plain boring and badly written. The only book I have ever thrown in the garbage can - it's just rubbish, and that's where it belongs. I'm sure the author is a fine human being. I just think he wrote a very, very, bad book. Please don't waste your time on this book.