Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig [Premium Books]

Book summary:
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a philosophical novel that blends a cross-country motorcycle journey with deep reflections on life, technology, and the nature of Quality. As the narrator travels with his son and friends, the story moves between present experiences on the road and memories of his earlier self, a brilliant but troubled thinker named Phaedrus. Through discussions of classical versus romantic modes of understanding, rationality, and values, the book questions how modern society separates reason from meaning. Thought-provoking and introspective, it ultimately explores how to live well by uniting analytical thinking with personal experience.

About the author:
Robert M. Pirsig was an American writer and philosopher best known for Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which became one of the most influential philosophical books of the twentieth century. Educated in philosophy and creative writing, Pirsig drew on his own struggles with mental illness and academic life to shape his ideas. His work is celebrated for making complex philosophical questions accessible to a broad audience and for its lasting impact on discussions about technology, values, and the search for meaning.