Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - anyone read it?

[ElectraBunny]

This book has been recommended to me and I think it looks like the kind of thing that would appeal to me.

Was wondering if anyone has read it & what you thought?

[pointydog]

I've read it.

I liked the motorcycling, freedom, relationship bits. The philosophy stuff was very heavy-going in parts. Is the author a philosopher who had a mental breakdown? Or maybe the heaviness of the book just made me think that.

I have a poor memory for books.

[totalmisfit]

pointy - most philosphers have had breakdowns along the way, comes with the territory.

i haven't read it, but i will definitely put it on my list of things to read as everyone speaks well of it.

[ElectraBunny]

It seems like an obvious thing for me to read at the moment because the issues are ones that I think of all the time.

[pointydog]

I can sort of understand that, misfit. you know, the older I get the less I want to look into things too deeply.

well try and read a little comedy on the side too

[nlondondad]

"most philosphers have had breakdowns along the way, comes with the territory."

Um.

Not sure whether that is true. Tho' we could get into an argument as to what a "philosopher " is.

One can be a student of Philosophy without being a Philosopher. (in the same way one can be a student of literature without being an author. Or even more to the point enjoy music without being a composer. )

Anyway.

I enjoyed the book which I actually *(shows age) read when it came out. The book is about a journey (oddly by motercycle) by the narrator and his son. It is plain pretty quickly that part of the purpose of the journey is to rebuild a father son relationship. (Why is so much american literature about this? ) as part of this journey a third character whom he calls Phaedrus is introduced. We dont meet him. He is talked about. He haunts. Through discussing Phaedrus the narrator advances a theory which is the author's own. Like many philosophical propositions it is easy to state but difficult to fathom.

Have a go. See what you make of it.

[AnnVan]

I read most of this while on holiday a couple of years ago. It's quite good, but yes the philosophy bits can be hard work. Love that he ties the idea of the buddha into every aspect of modern life - The buddha in motorcycle maintenance etc. Really should finish reading it some time. BTW Phaedrus represents the author's past persona, the one that had the breakdown. He may have reformed, but his past (Phaedrus) still haunts him. Half the result of his physical journey is having to confront his past.

[pointydog]

It's coming back to me a bit. All that phaedrus stuff was very hard-going

[lucy5]

My dh loved it, I was so annoyed by it that I only read a few chapters.

[sfxmum]

I still have a copy about not sure if dh's or mine, read it over 20yrs ago seem to remember liking it

[Tnog]

I read it years ago and still have a copy knocking around the house somewhere.

I can't remember much about it, so may try re-reading it.

[ElectraBunny]

Thanks for replies - I will try it.

[reikizen]

I've read it 3 times over the past 15 years or so and each time I enjoy it a bit more and understand it a bit more. It's also where my interest in Zen was sparked, so I think it's a good place to start for that too. Charlotte Joko Beck writes some great stuff on Zen which would enhance the reading of Zen and the art I think.

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

It's one of the books I hated that everyone else seemed to love - I found it self-righteous and pretentious.
The sequel, 'Lila - an enquiry into morals' is even worse.

[ElectraBunny]

lol