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posted by Fnord666 on Tuesday April 25 2017, @07:25PM   Printer-friendly

Robert M. Pirsig, whose "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," a dense and discursive novel of ideas, became an unlikely publishing phenomenon in the mid-1970s and a touchstone in the waning days of the counterculture, died on Monday at his home in South Berwick, Me. He was 88.

According to the New York Times.

This was one of those books that more or less defined an era. I would recommend it, but I know from experience that it does not resonate the way it did in the '70's. A philosophy professor I knew said he used to use the novel to introduce philosophy, but one year, in the early '80's it just stopped working. Nonetheless, it is worth a read, even though,

In a foreword to the book, Mr. Pirsig told readers that despite its title, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" should "in no way be associated with that great body of factual information relating to orthodox Zen Buddhist practice."

He added, "It's not very factual on motorcycles either."

But it does have a rather long discussion of Plato's Phaedrus and quite a lot about a certain motorcycle shop in Miles City, Montana. And the novel is much better than the movie, which of course was never made. Open roads, and may your handlebars never come loose, Robert!


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  • (Score: 2) by edIII on Tuesday April 25 2017, @09:15PM

    by edIII (791) on Tuesday April 25 2017, @09:15PM (#499585)

    I think the bigger question is why is EH reading philosophy books?

    I'm sure that he hasn't read it, and that it is just another attack on the people he hates.

    Remember, EH gets his reading material from people in pointy hoods.

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