A pseudo-intellectual classic for people who can't handle real philosophy. I met a woman years ago who thought that metaphysics was the study of "ESP and stuff." She had just entered a graduate program in philosophy. Zen and the Art would be perfect for her. For those interested in reading real philosophy, I recommend Martin Heidegger's The Fundamental Concepts of Metaphysics: World, Finitude, Solitude (Indiana University Press, 1995). Don't worry about reading Being and Time right away, just enjoy The... more info
Appreciate the clarification of ideas in writing:
I have marked several pages in this book where the author succinctly wrote about ideas that I have had but were unclearly conceived in my own mind. A problem many of us have is with language itself being of such abstract nature, often our feelings or impressions of things are either unclear or incomplete as a result. Pirsig has the ability to express complex ideas clearly and often used examples, metaphors, or paraphrasing to facilitate that.
Neat:
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 It is a bit outdated, and I have some personal remarks concerning a few topics.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.:
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!
