Customer Reviews (1)

An Exquisite Journey Into Mental Illness
Robert M. Pirsig begins his quest for truth and the 'why' of existence by taking the reader on a trip across America with his young son, Chris. To be honest, I thought this book was going the director of "On The Road"- the protagonists of both books travelling the country and learning a lesson at the terminus. But this novel has a deeper purpose, which Pirsig explains through his digressions throughout the book which divulge the details of his dissent into mental illness. I was mesmorised by the amount of detail Pirsig puts into the novel- from the descriptions and subsequent explanations of his dreams to the relative triviality of his cross-country trip. A note of warning- this book is not for the faint-hearted. If philosophy is not your thing, then steer clear of this novel. Even though philosophy is one of my favourite subjects, I found the book a bit tedious at times. That said, Pirsig is an excellent writer and does a superb job of transporting the reader right into his mind during every step of his descent into madness. "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is a must-read on the subjects of philosophy and mental illness. ... Read more