Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Bodhidharma

This is one of the most famous and highly regarded books of the past 35 years, loved by all and inspiring to those who read it. Well thats the claim on the reviews anyway.
I had heard of this book prior to reading it and so i was looking forward to reading it. It combines three of my main interests, Zen Buddhism, Bikes and reading, so this was ideal for me right
Wrong. I hated this book. It was so boring and never goes anwhere. The people in it are all totally unlikeable and its really long. Now, here is my point. Am i totally wrong? Am i missing something? i am not a stupid person so i dont think i missed anything, but why is it so popular. Can you tell me what you thought.

Earthhorse

Personally, I found this book really impenetrable and a tough read.

There were two good parts in it. One, where he is describing giving a class in English and advising a student on how to go about writing, and another, where he compares the difference between travelling on a bike, in the open air, and in a car, sealed off from the world.

It was one of those books that had its moment and it doesn't really seem too highly regarded in literary circles these days. A cult classic if ever there was one.

jrey1981

A friend recommended it to me a few years back, but I found it boring and without direction too...I thought there was something I wasnt getting, but I am glad to see I am not the only one.

I thought perhaps there was something wrong with me!

There was just something about it that I could not take to...and I have read books that most people would say are alot heavier-going, on politics and philosophy that I had no such problem with...

C Fodder

This book is not to be read quickly but it reads on two levels. On the surface its a simple story of a father and son road trip and underneath, a deep visit into the dark soul of mental illness. Re-read slowly again in a few months time and then judge it. I usually don't like this type of writing but this one has stayed with me for years, a true classic.

Amazotheamazing

C Fodder wrote:

This book is not to be read quickly but it reads on two levels. On the surface its a simple story of a father and son road trip and underneath, a deep visit into the dark soul of mental illness. Re-read slowly again in a few months time and then judge it. I usually don't like this type of writing but this one has stayed with me for years, a true classic.

Yeah I got all that but still thought it was a poor book. Maybe I was too old when I read it but it seemed like the kind of book you'd think was great when you were 15 but be embarassed by by the time you were 21.

There was some great concepts in the book, and some lovely passages of writing but overall I was less than impressed.

finlma

I didn't like it either. An ex got if for me as a present so I felt I had to see it through. It was a stuggle to finish and I didn't really get anything from the book except a sense of time wasted.

hepcat

I never finished this book, it was nice for a while but I just could not persist to the end. I do think it is over-rated, but I'll probably give it another go when I get stuck for something to read. Must say, most people I've discussed it with also agree it can be tough going.

beans

I seem to remember him making a very good running point about 'Quality', and the effortless efficiency of someone doing a good job for a good jobs sake.

I enjoyed the book, but agree that it's a slow burner and tough in places. Like running a marathon, but i must have hit the wall at one point cos i enjoyed it on the whole.

Edit - to the OP, one of the most enjoyable books i've read on Zen is titled "The Tao of Philosophy" by Alan Watts. All of Watts' stuff makes good thought-fodder

Feu

I jsut had this conversation with someone recently. We were both saying how we didn't enjoy it, but people are inclined to hail it as a classic, even, and especially, when they haven't read it!

In a book like that you have to tread a fine line between getting your ideas across, writing in an accessible way, and being completely up yourself. For me, he only achieved the third option.....


Still like mentioned, some interesting ideas, and nice passages, but altogether, doesn't pull it off.

manonthemoon

Earthhorse wrote:

There were two good parts in it. One, where he is describing giving a class in English and advising a student on how to go about writing, and another, where he compares the difference between travelling on a bike, in the open air, and in a car, sealed off from the world.

QUOTE]


I agree. To be honest, I didnt finish it. Tried to get back into it a couple of times, but it wasnt happeningd. I essence I thought the author completely dissappeared up his own arse!

Goodshape

One of the best books I've ever read

I can understand why people might not enjoy it but personally for me it was exactly what I needed to read when I read it. It was a road-trip of a book.. accross america, accross the mind and.. well, a bit of a 'trip' too. I felt it was something I could read a chapter or a few pages of at a time and fully enjoy for their own merit, while not feeling I just had to find out whats happening next. Which was an important point in the book :

Zen and the Art... wrote:

"Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow done. You climb the mountain in an equelibrium between restless and exhaustion. Then, when you're no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn't just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visable, even though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. To live only for some future goal is shallow. It's the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow."

It's full of little [cliched?] notions like that.

It may have helped that it wasn't too hyped for me before I read it. The only person who has recommended it to me is my dad many years before I eventually got my hands on a copy... the combination of his enthusiastic recomendadion, how I eventually found it and how it fitted in so well with my own thoughts at that time (which wouldn't have neccessarly been the case if I had read it when he first told me to) all added to my enjoyment.

I'm surprised to see so many people here don't think too highly of it. I suppose that's where it merits it's "cult" status.

starn

II've tried forthe last Five years to read this book. I never seem to get past page 42

Lanfear

C Fodder wrote:

This book is not to be read quickly but it reads on two levels. On the surface its a simple story of a father and son road trip and underneath, a deep visit into the dark soul of mental illness. Re-read slowly again in a few months time and then judge it. I usually don't like this type of writing but this one has stayed with me for years, a true classic.

I agree - you can't read this book quickly - it requires frequent stopping and thinking about what you've just read. I bought the book because I have bikes and love reading, wasn't too bothered about the zen part! A couple of people had recommended it as an 'interesting' read.

I enjoyed the book in a masochist sense. It was hard work, but I thought it was worth it. It was depressing, frightening, and sad at different times, and sometimes all three at once. I'm glad I finished it, I found some really interesting concepts and self dialogues and some of the pieces are very eloquent.

I don't think the author is up his own, I believe it to be a true account of the actual thought processes from sanity and down into insanity, that was the frightening part - that some of the reasoning he used seemed logical and sane yet quite clearly were not.

It was quite emotional for the reader at the end too, so I realised I had 'connected' with the character in some way or I wouldn't have cared what happened in his life at all.

Tried reading the follow up Lila a few times and got only a third through, there always seems to be another book calling for me to read it (for the last 4 and a half years )

Kazujo

I too got this book after a friend of mine who has read it a number of times recommended it to me.

I'm about half way through and reading it between other books. It's very tough going but I enjoy the discussions on quality. Intersting stuff but too much to take all at once.

I will hopefully finish it eventually.