Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

One of the most influential and provocative books of its generation, Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance continues to attract and inspire readers of all ages with its intriguing blend of ancient and Eastern philosophy, cultural criticism, and scientific inquiry.

“"Profoundly important...full of insightsinto our most perplexing contemporarydilemmas." -- "New York Times""The book is inspired, original...the narrative tact, the perfect economy of effect defy criticism. The analogies with "Moby-Dick" arepatent." -- "The New Yorker""A miracle ... sparkles like an electric dream."-- "Village Voice""An unforgettable trip."-- "Time"”

Robert M. Pirsig was born in 1928 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He studied chemistry and philosophy (B.A., 1950) and journalism (M.A., 1958) at the University of Minnesota, pursued graduate work in philosophy at the University of Chicago, and attended Benares Hindu University in India, where he studied Oriental philosophy. He is also the author of a sequel to this book, "Lila".

A narration of a summer motorcycle trip undertaken by a father and his son, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance becomes a personal and philosophical odyssey into fundamental questions on how to live. The narrator's relationship with his son leads to a powerful self-reckoning; the craft of motorcycle maintenance leads to an austerely beautiful process for reconciling science, religion, and humanism. Resonant with the confusions of existence, this classic is a touching and transcendent book of life.This new edition contains an interview with Pirsig and letters and documents detailing how this extraordinary book came to be.This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.

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