Overview

The Bestselling Philosophy Book of All Time ""Profoundly important. . . . Full of insights into our most perplexing contemporary dilemmas."" --New York Times In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, HarperCollins is proud to present this library of American classics drawn from our storied catalog. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is Robert M. Pirsig's influential book about one man's search for meaning on a motorcycle trip through the American West and an enduring roadmap for living a richer, more purposeful existence. Sometimes it's better to travel than to arrive. Robert M. Pirsig's narrative of a father and son on a summer motorcycle trip 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. With an Introduction by Matthew B. Crawford, bestselling author of Shop Class as Soulcraft.

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9780063481565

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Reviews

""An unforgettable trip."" -- Time ""Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance sold millions of copies and made Pirsig a reluctant hero to generations of intellectual wanderers...Zen was an instant classic -- a work of literature that captured the spirit of its time and retained its appeal long after the hippie movement had faded."" -- Washington Post ""A touchstone. ... Pirsig's plunge into the grand philosophical questions of Western culture remained near the top of the bestseller lists for a decade and helped define the post-hippie 1970s landscape."" -- New York Times ""The truly great road trip novel. ... Many former angsty teens will surely fondly recall their own dog-eared, heavily underlined copies of Pirsig's book, and the initial joy that accompanied reading something that felt so specifically personal and yet so urgently universal. ... Zen's ongoing reprints, its devoted fan base, and the countless road trips and pseudo-spiritual journeys it's inspired are indicative of the book's ongoing appeal."" -- GQ ""Inspired college classes, academic conferences and a legion of 'Pirsig pilgrims' who retrace the anguished, cross-country motorcycle trip at the heart of his novel."" -- Los Angeles Times ""Profoundly important...full of insights into our most perplexing contemporary dilemmas."" -- New York Times ""The book is inspired, original. . . . The analogies with Moby-Dick are patent."" -- The New Yorker ""It is filled with beauty. . .a finely made whole that seems to emanate from a very special grace."" -- Baltimore Sun ""A miracle . . . sparkles like an electric dream."" -- The Village Voice

""An unforgettable trip."" - Time ""Profoundly important...full of insights into our most perplexing contemporary dilemmas."" - New York Times ""It is filled with beauty. . .a finely made whole that seems to emanate from a very special grace."" - Baltimore Sun ""The book is inspired, original. . . . The analogies with Moby-Dick are patent."" - The New Yorker ""Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance sold millions of copies and made Pirsig a reluctant hero to generations of intellectual wanderers...Zen was an instant classic -- a work of literature that captured the spirit of its time and retained its appeal long after the hippie movement had faded."" - Washington Post ""The truly great road trip novel. ... Many former angsty teens will surely fondly recall their own dog-eared, heavily underlined copies of Pirsig's book, and the initial joy that accompanied reading something that felt so specifically personal and yet so urgently universal. ... Zen's ongoing reprints, its devoted fan base, and the countless road trips and pseudo-spiritual journeys it's inspired are indicative of the book's ongoing appeal."" - GQ ""A touchstone. ... Pirsig's plunge into the grand philosophical questions of Western culture remained near the top of the bestseller lists for a decade and helped define the post-hippie 1970s landscape."" - New York Times ""Inspired college classes, academic conferences and a legion of 'Pirsig pilgrims' who retrace the anguished, cross-country motorcycle trip at the heart of his novel."" - Los Angeles Times

Author Information

Robert M. Pirsig (1928-2017) is the author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which has sold more than five-million copies since its publication in 1974, and Lila, a finalist for the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. He graduated from the University of Minnesota (B.A., 1950; M.A., 1958) and attended Benares Hindu University in India, where he studied Eastern philosophy, and the University of Chicago, where he pursued a PhD in philosophy. Pirsig's motorcycle resides in the Smithsonian Institution.

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