Comments on: Revisited: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 00:27:42 +0000

Hello Henry,

It’s an honor to have a renowned scholar of “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” comment on Scooter in the Sticks. I’m looking forward to working through the extensive ZMM content on your site. I’m ready to read ZMM again but will educate myself a bit before that happens.

I’ve updated the broken link in the comment.

Again, thanks so much for providing the new link.

Steve Williams

By: Henry S Gurr

Henry S Gurr — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 01:20:49 +0000

In reply to abraxas.

Thanks to “ScooterInTheSticks”, for a very nice WebSite!!

Especially like how readers like Robert Pirsig’s ZMM Book and also Mark Richardson’s Book “Zen and Now”

ATTENTION the link above is broken. Please go to the below

Sincerely Henry S Gurr ZMMQ Site Master

http://venturearete.org/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/

By: Ale-

Ale- — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:30:15 +0000

I read it many many years ago and I must admit that I was catched by the philosophy even before than by the riding, and this might be explained by telling that I wasn't a rider at all, then.
I was a boy interested in logics and positively challenged by puzzles and philosophy.
This might have been an advantage.
Today I'm a rider and I can recall parts of that book in what can be considered an easier approach. Just lucky? Oh, no, just think about how many years of riding I missed!

By: abraxas

abraxas — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:45:59 +0000

A very important book on so many levels.
There is an excellent site with all the information relevant to Pirsig and the book, by far the most interesting are the photos from the original journey.

http://venturearete.org/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/Main/HomePage

peace and love

By: Charlie6

Charlie6 — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:14:59 +0000

Steve, I "read" Pirsig's book via an e-book during a period of work when I spent a lot of time in planes going to and from UAL locations. Like you, his more "deep thinking required" topics, were hard for me to grasp without repeated hearings but they are thought-provoking aren't they? Took me the longest time to sort out (I think) who Phaedrus was in relation to Pirsig and vice versa...Zen and Now helps you in that regard for sure.

I did read "Zen and now" cover to cover and found it more enjoyable.

My thoughts don't run in the depths of consciousness pursued by Pirsig but it is interesting what thoughts sometimes pop up while riding.

Thanks for the posting....

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 11:08:24 +0000

Bryce: Stirring thoughts my friend. Life is not a fairy tale. In my youth if I considered it at all I thought the days were laid out ahead in a nearly endless manner. As my 55th birthday approaches I see those days differently and like you know that life is not a fairy tale. There are times it can feel that way but I see those moments as unusual gifts.

Riding has helped me see life as something real and now and the value of each day. Your post just sharpened that knowledge.

Thank you for sharing you thoughts on this.

Brian Clarke: Good luck with the book. Each time I picked it up I got something from it.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 11:02:35 +0000

cpa3485: Your idea of a perpetual struggle with the book certainly indicates some level of meaning at work---some sort of after reading echoing. It works that way with me at times. There are others like that for me. Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey comes to mind. Havasu comes to mind.

Bryan: Thanks for your kind words about my writing being relevant. I suppose all writing may resonate with a reader in the right circumstance. Pirsig's "Zen" certainly has for many. I have attempted it so many times that I have had mixed feelings depending on who knows what.

But Richardson's book, itself excellent, made the latest reading of Pirsig a joy. I got the idea of Quality and see how it might work in my own life.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:54:02 +0000

Cindy: I just checked your blog post on "The Zen of Scooter Riding". Nice blue LX150!

Unitasking. That is exactly what it becomes on the back of a scooter. Wish I could find that place more often at work...

Ike: Reading your description of the book and it's place in your life only reinforces my thought that the book has wide impact that has lasted decades. It is a complex story and certainly not for everyone but when it does click it is amazing.

By: Brian Clarke

Brian Clarke — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:48:21 +0000

Very cool! Thanks for sharing as I didn’t know this book existed. I’ve attempted 1 read of Zen and got 1/3 thru and lost interest. I will for sure try again and then if I fail I will read this book. Heck, I think I’ll read this book either way!

By: Bryce

Bryce — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:52:22 +0000

My copy of said paperback is in worse shape than yours. Probably from riding in the tank bag on an yet unsold Goldwing. It is sort along the lines of Richard Bach's writings, just as vague and just as difficult to comprehend. Maybe tht the problem...
When I was much younger comprehension was not something I could do, maybe that's why I left the church of religions early in my life, I couldn't connect with something I could neither imagine nor see.
And found Zen and Bach's books to, all too much as fairy tales, of life.

Life is not a fairy tale, it is real and when it's over, nothing is real.

Steve's four-legged family member passes; Dan's twenty year old member of the household passes, and we too we too shall all pass, hopefully much much later in our own comprehension of Zen and the Maintenance of our own motorcycle being.