Still Frustrated by ZMM? Listen to the Advice of Other Readers!

This page contains Amazon.com Reader Reviews Offering Guidance on How to Avoid Potential Frustration in Reading This Book. Most Especially, You Will Discover What to Expect as YOU Start Reading, and Thus Avoid Frustration and Disappointment.

You will find on this page a selection of the Amazon Book Reviews, concerning ZMM, that offer advice and guidance for the new ZMM reader. I have placed here selected parts of those reviews that I thought were the most relevant. The sentences that offer the bestguidance for the reader I have shown in bold. These reviews have been re-arranged for best presentation of ideas. My own additional thoughts and editing are shown with [brackets]. All reviews may be found at Amazon.com

Click here for a list of ZMM Reviews found most valuable.

The ZMM Reviews Below Said:

1) A Good Book, but You Have to Engage Your Mind to Keep Up With It. You Should Expect to Think!

2) If You Find Yourself Bored or Bogged-Down, Put the Book Down. Come Back Later When Your Mind Is Fresh.

Here Is a Selection of 5-Star Reviews:

Zen Lightening_ (Laguna Beach, Ca) -
This is one of the great pieces of modern literature. Any critic of note agrees, as did the book reading world when it was published. Its success was a bit of a surprise, as it is a deep philosophical ramble for the most part, not your typical best seller....This is one of the best books ever written, period. Not an easy read, but more than worth the effort.

Rob, Fayettville
Those that give it [ZMM] bad reviews probably don't have the patience to sit down and enjoy a novel that requires thought and attention. They're probably the same people who think all bikers are the same. Well, let me tell you - I know at least one of the highest Quality.

Kate Graham_ (Cincinnati, OH) -
Just finished reading ZMM for the third time. Once again, [in each reading] I got something different from this great book. ZMM is inspiring, challenging, difficult, fun, thought-provoking...it requires you to THINK. It isn't an easy read, but it is well worth the effort.

Jack Daniel_ (Princeton, NJ) -
Just pick it up and enjoy it for what it is... not what one was told it is. Sure, some parts lack continuity, but this is a book to read at an enjoyable pace. Don't expect to have a life changing experience, just consider it an opportunity to think with more open-mindedness. It's a satisfying book which you won't soon forget.

Roger_ (Baltimore, MD) -
This book single-handedly rekindled my interest in reading. Through college, I had essentially stopped reading anything except my texts for class, but decided to borrow this from a friend on his recommendation as I traveled through Europe after graduation....
I can't even call it a page-turner, because there were so many times when I just had to close the book and sit there and THINK about the passage I had just read. Sometimes for 15 minutes or more. I went to bed each night of that trip thinking about what I'd read from Zen/Motorcycle earlier that day. The first book I recommend to my traveling friends. It's one of the greatest books I have ever read.

PFK "backfromtheid"_ (LA)
Read it. It's not easy reading, but worth the effort. If you don't like to think too much or be challenged to much, skip it. Also, yes, much or most or all of it can be found in classic philosophical writings, but it's a fresh take and a very personal and powerful one.

"schretz" -
First off, when I finished the book (in a twelve hour reading marathon) I was breathless.... It's that profound involvement that I think sometimes alienates the reader from what is a remarkably difficult piece. But... as I flipped through pages about mathematicians and scientists I never cared about, banging the book on the wall waiting for it all to make sense, I [finally] could NOT put it down. In the end he does not disappoint, but if I hadn't read some passages six times over, I may have been in the dark. It was all worth it, as I mull over in my mind some of the last lines the chills down my spine freeze my fingers. Read it with all your heart or you won't do it or yourself justice.

Ben Hostmark_ (Los Angeles, CA United States)
You won't remember every word you read in this book.
I know this, because I tried. Pirsig's novel is an autobiographical musing on quality and a study of the reconciliation of technology and man. Every page is frustratingly thoughtful, and I've read it over and over again in order to gleam what I can from it.
I won't even begin to delve into the lessons this book provides. That would cheapen the narrator's physical and philosophical journey, and rob you the benefits of a thorough examination.
But please, follow the example that Phaedrus provides early on. Step back, and allow yourself to perceive the benefits of the book. While it is certainly complex and requires massive amounts of attention, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance provides excellent insight on both perspective and our personal search for understanding.

rampant reader "dxystar"_ (Newton, KS USA)
Laing pointed out, to understand the "journey" a person takes into mental illness is not to become lost in their construction of reality but to develop a greater empathy for them and their families. A reading partner may help [with absorbing ZMM], because discussion definitely promotes understanding. [The books has] Philosophy, English literature instruction, Zen, technology, motorcycle nuts and bolts, father-son relationship--read the book for whatever you can get from it--do not write ZMM off as not worth your time.
[Pirsig's ZMM teaches us the important steps for maintaining and improving our contact with the world and the people around us. He also teaches us how to constructively deal with frustrations and set-backs, such as reading a difficult book!! (like ZMM). If we respond to life's problems as he illustrates, we may improve our ability to deal with those problems. If we fail, we go in the opposite direction, and the mentally ill give us a picture of where we will end up. In fact that is one of the main messages of ZMM. Even the mentally ill can benefit from ZMM! HSG]

Churchill_ (Provo, UT United States)
This book taught me how to think. And it taught me I can understand anything if it's written clearly enough and if I'm to put some thought into it…. [Yes, and this applies to any reader!] Everything in this book interconnects...the characters involved, the setting, the philosophy...decoding the connections (such as wind and heights to Phaedrus' appearance) is half the fun.

Paul P. Arnold_ (New York City, NY United States)
A modern masterpiece! Far too many novels these days get away with appearing "deep" by importing some cheap dime-store ponderings (I won't name any names). But this book is different. It is different because it is genuinely "deep". The issues brought up are both sound and interesting. Moreover, the ideas Pirsig toys with are carefully put together. Nowhere in this book is he sloppy or thoughtless. He is in full control of his writing throughout the entire journey.
I recommend that you read this book thoughtfully. Otherwise, you are bound to miss the layered allegories and metaphors that Pirsig works so well within. And, if you have the time, I recommend pulling out the old college textbooks and rereading Plato's' "Phaedrus" and then, if you still have the time, Plato's "Meno". Understanding these venerable texts will give you great insight into what Pirsig is doing with the shape of the story. If you miss this, you miss the beauty of this modern masterpiece.

"riverwacher"_ (Shelby, NC USA)
To be willing to follow Pirsig with Phaedrus and participate in his Chautauquas is an adventure in courage. One must look into the frailties of our own sanity. It is tempting to deny to oneself this vulnerability, and doing so may render this book meaningless and shallow. However, the participative reader finds the captivation of an "Alice in Wonderland.

David M. Koss_ (Rockville, Maryland) -
This enlightening book is as valuable today as when it was first published. I was not surprised that literature and philosophy professors at my alma mater, The University of Michigan, required their students to read Pirsig's best book in the 1970's when it was published. I am not in the least surprised that the book remains in print today, and is earning new admirers. Readers must bring to this classic the patience and attentiveness that it deserves and they will be richly rewarded....ZMM Is Easy For the Right Person and You Must Have the Right Attitude. Wrong Expectations Will Get You Into Trouble:

Robert-Jan Elias_ (Netherlands)
ZMM is not for narrow attention spans. It is dense reading, but for the right person, it is extremely rewarding.

Jim Staley'_ (Richmond, VA United States)
'''You can read it as a novel, a cross-country journey a man takes with his adolescent son.
You can read it as a handbook to good living, advice on how to take on an attitude that naturally leads one toward achieving great results with creativity and passion, bringing meaning to even life's most mundane tasks.'''
And you can read it with its companion, "Lila", as arguably the greatest philosophical work of the 20th century, creating a whole new Metaphysics from scratch that fundamentally alters our view of reality.... No matter how you read it, read it carefully. I've read it three times now and am just starting to really feel like I "get it". Read it slowly. Savor it like a good meal. It is a work of tremendously high Quality.

"ronpih"_ (Redmond, WA USA)
Many of the negative reviews are from people who had a preconceived notion of what this book was before they read it (either from the title or from a recommendation) and were upset that it didn't meet their expectations. It seems to me that these folks have received their Zen lesson...
For myself, I came to this book with no real expectations and fell in love with the story, the lessons, and the subtleties of their presentation. It truly changed my life. Since acquiring the book in 1980 I have reread it about 10 times and each time I get something different out of it.
My recommendation: put away any expectations that you have for it. If you can't do that maybe you better wait until you get to a place where you can. There's treasure here but you have to be open to receiving it.

Reviewer: A Reader
This book can (and should) appeal to any variety of reader. However, it will likely appeal more to those who actively want to better themselves and their lives, but not in the typical American manner of throwing a fist-full of cash at it. The idea is foreign to many in a land of cash-based happiness.

Reviewer: A Reader
You can't get much from a book by reading the first few pages. If you continue, this book will hold something of value to you.
Maybe it's the state of mind you are in. When the book first came out, I was 21, invincible, "right" about my attitudes on every subject, questioned authority and everyone else in the world and the book didn't mean much to me then. Now, I'm near 50, have faced a near fatal health crisis, have a five year old son and am "smarter" or maybe "wiser" and do question myself, my happiness or maybe my own meaning in Life. That [because of these changes in my life, this book] IS important now. [So] I am enjoying and learning from this book.

Mohit Misra (Manila, Philippines.) Asian Institute Of Management. mmisra*at*mailcity.com_
Take your time over it, skip the difficult passages at first go, finish it once and you are bound to get back to it again and again. Happy reading.

Many ZMM Book Reviewers Said: Often a Reader Starts on a Book, and Discovers He or She Is Not Ready. These Persons Should "Get-a-grip-on-it" and "Dig In" Till the Book Starts to Make Sense!! OR Try a Different Reading Approach [such as those suggested on Read ZMM Without Frustration].

Norm Zurawski_ (Millington, NJ United States)
At times the book does bog down in slow meditative conversation. I don't think it detracts enough to make the book less than excellent. But it is something to consider when going into it. Those expecting Earth shattering revelations will need to step back and reassess what they expect from a book. Much of the text is meant to be consumed and ruminated upon. Reading 100 pages in a day is a sure way to misunderstand most of it. You would do yourself a favor by limiting the number of pages taken in any one day to less than 10. Here is a book to promote thinking. Take the time to do just that.

Angel Landeros Weisenberger_ (Mexico City) -
I read this book every now and then since I was 17. Every time I find new meanings, angles and metaphors. This book is different every time because you are different every time. I like the way it juggles three or four storylines at the same time weaving them perfectly.
You need to be in the right state of mind to read it, if not, it's just confusing and just plain difficult. I highly recommend it to anyone with an open mind ready to look at things in different light.

Reviewer: A Reader
I'm sure that in any one person’s life time an event occurs that in some way makes them view the world differently. For me this book was one of those events. It is easy to get excited when reviewing a book that you particularly liked so coloring your review of it with overemphasized "rhetoric" which other people generally take with-a-pinch-of-salt anyway. The facts are that this was very good book. I didn't open the book looking for what other people had told me was there. I wasn't looking to agree or disagree with Pirsig I just 'listened'. His words were not so much a guide (as some people say) but more a key which unlocked a way of thinking clouded by modern society. Everybody has questions. I think the problem that a lot of people have with this book is that they expect to be handed the answers by Pirsig. All I can say is read with an open mind and let this book be the catalyst to your own journey.

Flannigan "fliznizzey"_ (Edgewater, Colorado) -
Robert Pirsig searched for the eye of God and he found it. Anyone can achieve this as long as you do it for real. You cannot buy enlightenment. You cannot find it in a school book or with a high-lighter pen. Some people want everything handed to them and these people will always miss it.

Geoff Peake_ (Nelson, B C Canada)
In grade 12, my English teacher was your quintessential eccentric. Students either loved him or hated him. He always said hate is closer to love than indifference, and given the choice he preferred to have students hate him than not care. Indifference, he said, is the enemy of education
Before writing this review I browsed through all 218 existing reviews of this book, and noticed that people have intense views--one way or the other--for ZMM
When I first read this (assigned by that same grade 12 teacher) I hated it. I was 17--what do you expect? I picked it up 7 years later and something about the book clicked for me; I couldn't put it down. It remains one of the most influential books of my life....Clearly there's a wide range of opinion on both sides here. If you're thinking of getting this book be prepared --you might loathe it. If ZMM is required reading for a course you're taking this is a virtual guarantee--I don't think this is a book that should be forced upon anyone.
Remember, this book is a NOVEL--the author makes no claim he's writing a textbook on philosophy or that the facts in this story are 100% factual. If you're going to read it expect to have strong feelings one way or the other. And if you do hate it, try to avoid personally attacking Pirsig --It is possible to hate a book without ascribing this fact to some deep flaw in the author just because you didn't happen to see the world his or her way.

Reviewer: A Reader
For those of you who have just joined us, this is a review of the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. It was written by Robert M. Pirsig. The book was published by Harper Collins Publishers. Mr. Pirsig also wrote Lila, An Inquiry Into Morals.
Anyways, now to the point.
If you are going to read this book, make sure you want to do some serious thinking. If it is big actions sequences that you are looking for; this is a direct hit. However, the action doesn't play out on the pages, instead it is in your head.... However, if you go into the book with an open mind you may get a lot out of it. The focal point of this book is your thinking about what is said, and really that would be the only problem. If you don't feel like thinking there are a million other books out there. But if you want to re-access the world around you, sort of put things into perspective, this is your book.
I think this book is well worth a look. I was given a list of books to read by my professor and I chose this one (some of my friends had read it). Basically, I know I made the right decision. '''At first I was a bit weary. I had only a couple days to go and I had barely gotten to the 100th page. I started to turn on the book. Then, in the middle of all my cramming, my view of "when is this damn thing going to end" suddenly changed to "wow...this guy is right.." and when the book [was nearly] ended [it] suddenly seemed to be an imminent downer. [However]
When it did finally end I was very happy with my decision to read it and I highly recommend it.''

Many Reviewers Said: If You Have Difficulty Reading ZMM, Put It Down and Come Back Later, Just as the Narrator of ZMM Coaches in Gumptionology (see pages 274 to 283 in the Bantam Paperback Edition).

Reviewer: A Reader
The duality of peoples' reaction to this book [in reviews of ZMM] relates to the difficulty of finding and confronting issues in one own life. The first three times I attempted to read this I had to give up, but once I made it past (Chapter 6) it was an astoundingly important work, and the entire book, including chapters 1-5, [which then] became vital. Each time you read this thing it seems like a different book!

"gmphotos"_ (San Francisco, CA)
This is truly a life changing book. What more needs to be said. Everyone should read it. If you don't understand it put it on the shelf and wait until the time is right, then you will be ready. I first started reading the book a few years ago, but only made it halfway through. I picked it up again about 6 months ago and finished it. When the time is right, it will happen.

Curtis V.(Hammond, Indiana) -
I put this book down the first time I attempted to read it, just after I finished college coursework many moons ago. Since then, I've tried it again and again, and read it to completion four times and find that I love it.
The tales unfolds as a mystery wrapped around, as it says, an inquiry into values. The narrative itself is clever, and I won't reveal any more of that, but as it pushes, excruciatingly slow at times, it makes a case - in fact, numerous cases - for the importance of quality (as opposed to consumption of quantity) in our lives, and deliciously weaves those inquiries into the narrative. Unfortunately, I found those discussions at times to be so deep, deep, deep, as to frustrate me to the point of putting the book down. But as I am drawn back time and time again, '''I realize the value the "inquiry into values" has had on my life, or at least in my inquiry into it.
I encourage you not to become so frustrated you don't go back to it again. And again.'''

J. Wendell_ (New York, NY)
It is a book that must read itself. You can't pick it up and force yourself to read it. It should be savored like a moist piece of tiramisu. I found that at some points I had a hard time reading some of the philosophy, and that was when I needed to put the book down and get a fresh start on it the next day. Pirsig does a fantastic job at building up the plot and the theory until it all finally lets loose on the second to last page (before the afterward). I say that if you begin reading it and don't like it, put it down, give it some time, pick up where you left off, and you might get something out of it.

Reviewer: A Reader
I was blown away by the depth of this novel. [I could not handle it.] I'm 18 and was required to read this for a high school English course. The teacher forced us to read the entire book in one week. All I got from it was confusion we were slammed into the book and then right at the point where I might have had a glimmer of understanding we were ripped away just as fast. So this summer when I can take my time I will reread it because I think that if read over at a slower pace this would be a most fabulous piece of literature.

Andy Paine andypaine*at*hotmail.com (Somewhere, Australia) -
As another reviewer said, if you read a part of this book and don't get into it, put it down and wait for the right time. This book has so much to offer, but you need to want to listen. This is a book for one who is disillusioned with themselves and everything this ****ed up world appears to offer. It reveals your own inadequacies with such a caring hand because the author knows them in himself. Reading this book, I found someone talking about their own pain. This isn't a book aimed at healing the world. It's a book about stopping and looking at yourself and all the classifications you make of other people and how quickly we blow off people when we really should be (and in actuality are) blowing ourselves. At the right time it's just a book that makes you realize you're not alone but you are stupid. Who can ask for more than to be reminded of that.

Reviewer:
ZMM is the best book I have ever read, but it took some effort to get through. I actually picked it up several times based on the reviews of it given to me by other people, however each time I was bored within minutes and didn't get 20 pages into the book. I finally gave to book a real try on a lazy Saturday Afternoon' and found that the book truly is not about motorcycles but about a man's search for himself, about the difference in understanding, about what is real, about what is truth. While many say it is a book about philosophy and some look to it for this insight, I found that it is really a book about finding one's own understanding of the world. While the beautiful descriptions of the countryside and the trip may seem dull at times, they truly underline the journey of mind and enlightenment that is the purpose behind this book.

"velvet99"_ (Turkey)
At some point throughout the book, philosophical approaches and definitions make the book very hard to read. At those times, leave the book aside and try reading it at some other time. I believe that the book is somehow about the second chances, thus give reading it a second try. It does WORTH the pain!!!!

Jack W. Reeve_ (Shenzhen, Peoples Republic of China)
If the book eludes you the first or second time, set it aside and pick it up again in a few months. You will align with it in time.

"gmphotos"_ (San Francisco, CA)
This is truly a life changing book. What more needs to be said. Everyone should read it. If you don't understand it put it on the shelf and wait until the time is right, then you will be ready. I first started reading the book a few years ago, but only made it halfway through. I picked it up again about 6 months ago and finished it. When the time is right, it will happen.

Reviewer: A Reader
I heard of this book 14 or 15 years ago and finally got around to reading it earlier this year. I found it a little too challenging and then shelved it until a couple of weeks ago. This is a deep, deep book, and it took a lot of effort to understand what the author was trying to say. I blame this more on me than the author, and would just like to tell the casual reader to stick with it. I found that towards the end everything came together really well and finally made a lot of sense. I wanted to start over now that I know where it's going, and apparently (judging by the end notes in the book) a lot of other readers feel the same way.
So I'd say stick with it, and you'll find it's really a great, great book.

Bryan D. Costin "omnivorous reader"_ (Westminster, MD United States)
'''I tried to read ZMM years ago and didn't get past the first chapter. My mindset was impatient and I wasn't prepared to think about the issues he was raising. One of Pirsig's classic gumption traps, I guess.
Something told me to try it again,''' so I checked out a copy of the original edition from the library. I just finished the book and now I'm buying my own copy. Prisig is one of those rare authors who can express emotions so subtly and naturally that you actually feel them rather than just read about them. He also has a remarkable way of blending the past, the present and the deep thoughts of two distinct points of view into one smoothly flowing narrative. Just when things might start to drag he switches gears (no pun intended) and lets us all just ride along for a while.
This isn't the type of book that everyone will read straight through, or that everyone will appreciate right away. And there's really no reason to force it: Put it down, come back later, read back over the part you didn't quite get. There's no hurry. And when you finally arrive at the destination, the end of that cross-county motorcycle ride, and contemplate the remarkable ideas you've picked up along the way you'll smile, think back, and realize how much you enjoyed the trip.
-Bryan

Many Reviewers Said: Let Me Tell You What to Expect When You Read ZMM.

S. A. Keister_ (Los Angeles, CA) -
This book changed my life. I've read it several times, and each time I get something new out of it. It is the defining book of the 20th century. Pirsig redefines what Quality means in our culture. You will never look at material objects in the same way again, in fact you will be forced to reevaluate the way you live.
His [Pirsig's] narrator gets inside your head and sets up shop there. His narrative is intriguing, thought-provoking, emotionally shattering, and often times so complex you will find yourself re-reading passages to make sure you understood them correctly.

Reviewer: A Reader
I'm sure that in any one persons life time an event occurs that in some way makes them view the world differently. For me this book was one of those events. It is easy to get excited when reviewing a book that you particularly liked so coloring your review of it with overemphasized "rhetoric" which other people generally take with-a-pinch-of-salt anyway. The facts are that this was very good book. I didn't open the book looking for what other people had told me was there. I wasn't looking to agree or disagree with Pirsig I just 'listened'. His words were not so much a guide (as some people say) but more a key which unlocked a way of thinking clouded by modern society. Everybody has questions.I think the problem that a lot of people have with this book is that they expect to be handed the answers by Pirsig. All I can say is read with an open mind and let this book be the catalyst to your own journey.

Reviewer: Curtis. (Hammond, Indiana) -
ploddingly deep but worth the delve. I put this book down the first time I attempted to read it, just after I finished college coursework many moons ago. Since then, I've tried it again and again, and [finally was able to] read it to completion four times and find that I love it.
The tales unfolds as a mystery wrapped around, as it says, an inquiry into values. The narrative itself is clever, and I won't reveal any more of that, but as it pushes, excruciatingly slow at times, it makes a case - in fact, numerous cases - for the importance of quality (as opposed to consumption of quantity) in our lives, and deliciously weaves those inquiries into the narrative. Unfortunately, I found those discussions at times to be so deep, deep, deep, as to frustrate me to the point of putting the book down. But as I am drawn back time and time again, '''I realize the value the "inquiry into values" has had on my life, or at least in my inquiry into it.
I encourage you not to become so frustrated you don't go back to it again. And again.'''

Many Reviewers Offered General Advice to Readers, Especially to Those Who Say "I Don't Get It"!! What's So Great About This Boring Book!!:

Reviewer Title: Excellent! Very literally, "thought provoking"!
I first read this book in the early '70's, when I was reading many of the pop philosophy classics of that time and culture. It delighted me in it's simple pursuit of truth with it's arguments skillfully presented in metaphor. I felt that it stood head & shoulders above most of the sophomoric propaganda being touted at the time. I was extremely surprised to read some of the negative reviews printed here. I can only assume that these people "just didn't get it", or weren't really interested in doing any original thinking.

"sir_phobos" (Milwaukee, WI)
Whenever I look into a new book I always read the reviews. But I don't read the reviews that give a book a good standing. I like to read the ones of the people who just didn't like it for whatever reason. I find if they can give me a definitive argument on why the book isn't worth the paper it's printed on then they most likely have taken the time to think about it. However, in this case I believe in my own mind that people miss the point of this book. [And this is their greatest source of their difficulty.]'''

Ajai Narendran_ (Amrita Institutions) -
It would indeed be a sacrilege if one goes about talking on ZAAMM without dwelling on the cover page itself...here we find the symbolic representation of the work in its entirety ...a spanner head at one end and a flower (white) at the other end the spanner [a wrench] symbolizes this era of technological and scientific advances...the rational facet of our reality! The flower at the other end represents the emotional/spiritual aspect of our reality...the combination of both makes it an interplay of polar opposites...and it is this conflict Pirsig resolves in a masterly way!... It is indeed possible to be scientific and at the same time spiritual...and this is the way to evolve at the inner level in this age of paradigm shifts! Though Pirsig starts with the description of a cross country bike ride with his curious son…the journey soon becomes an amazing spiritual odyssey of a man in search of himself…the route maps without charts the pathways within...the very motorcycle becomes the extension of the rider...and here the inanimate assumes the soulfulness of Life itself!...I'm just reminded of a brilliant short story "Inside and Outside" by Herman Hesse that gives immense insight into the sprit lurking within ZAAMM!

Reviewer: A Reader
This book is a timeless classic. It is an easy read in most places and you'll be cruising down the highway enjoying the scenery. But hold on to your helmet. Pirsig is brilliant and will take you so deep into thought that you may take a day or two on a single page if you care enough, that is, to learn a lot about what Quality is.

Other Related Resources

My Summary Concerning Negative Amazon Reviews. Has My Advice On How to Escape From the Self-Stoking Cycle Of Boredom and Loss Of Meaning.

Links To Reviews and Analysis Of ZMM Available On the Internet.

Edited by Andrew Geyer 14 Oct 2010; with minor revisions by David M. 15 Sept 2012.
File = WikiZmmqReadZmmBestWay RevDm 091512.doc