#zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance

Rating this book out of five stars does not seem appropriate somehow. It is a thought provoking book, a book designed to make you think, question, and think again. I got bogged down a bit in the endless discussion of Quality, the “high country of the mind,” and the discussions of Plato and Aristotle. I’ve never liked classical philosophy much.

I thought there were some excellent points about education, the Church of Reason, and the romantic and classical modes of understanding. I certainly fall under the heading of “romantic,” but I make an effort to appreciate the classical. Pirsig’s meditations on these ideas resonated with my own thoughts, and articulated them far better. I’m glad I read this book, though it’s hard to say I “liked” it.

I recommend this book to readers with patience, an appreciation for detail, and a willingness to read with the entire mind. I will probably read it again someday, this time with a pen, and annotate in the margins. It’s the kind of book that invites discussion with the text.