Audiobooks by Robert M. Pirsig

On Quality: An Inquiry into Excellence: Unpublished and Selected Writings

Featuring long-awaited selections from Robert M. Pirsig's unpublished writings, from before and after Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, an original collection illuminating the central theme of Pirsig's thought: “Quality” “The ultimate goal in the pursuit of excellence is enlightenment.' —Robert M. Pirsig, 1962 More than a decade before the release of the book that would make him famous, Robert M. Pirsig had already caught hold of the central theme that would animate Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: “Quality,” a concept loosely likened to “excellence,” “rightness,” or “fitness” that Pirsig saw as kindred to the Buddhist ideas of “dharma” or the “Tao.” As he later wrote in Zen, “Quality is the Buddha.” Though he was revered by fans who considered him a guru, the famously private Pirsig published only two books and consented to few interviews and almost no public appearances in later decades. Yet he wrote and thought almost continually, refining his “Metaphysics of Quality” until his death in 2017. Now, for the first time, readers will be granted access to five decades of Pirsig’s personal writings in this posthumous collection that illuminates the evolution of his thinking to an unprecedented degree. Skillfully edited and introduced by Wendy K. Pirsig, Robert’s wife of four decades, the collection includes previously unpublished texts, speeches, letters, interviews, and private notes, as well as key excerpts from Zen and the Art of the Motorcycle Maintenance and his second book, Lila. Since its publication in 1974, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance has established itself as a modern classic of popular philosophy; selling millions of copies and inspiring a generation, while serving as a perennial touchstone for the generations that follow. On Quality is a remarkable contribution to our understanding of one of the most influential thinkers and writers of our time.

Robert M. Pirsig, Wendy K. Pirsig (Author), Abby Craden, Mark Bramhall (Narrator)

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Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance®

One of the most important and influential books of the past half-century, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance® tells the iconic story of a father and son's motorcycle trip across America in the 1960s. Yet it also describes a personal and philosophical journey, asking questions along the way about how to live a meaningful life. The narrator takes a cross-country motorcycle trip from Minnesota to California with his young son, during which the maintenance of the motorcycle becomes an illustration of how to unify the cold, rational realm of technology with the warm, imaginative realm of artistry. The narrator wrestles with both the ghost of his past and some of the most important philosophical questions of the 20th century. The narrator's need to reconcile his past and present selves drives him and his son forward, to a point where all is lost or won. Now dramatised for the first time by Peter Flannery (Our Friends in the North, George Gently, The Devil's Whore) and starring James Purefoy (Rome, Injustice, Ironclad), this full-cast drama adds a new and original dimension to a true modern classic.WARNING: this recording contains strong language.

Peter Flannery, Robert M. Pirsig (Author), Full Cast, James Purefoy (Narrator)

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Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values

At its heart, the story is all too simple: a man and his son take a lengthy motorcycle trip through America. But this is not a simple trip at all, for around every corner, through mountain and desert, wind and rain, and searing heat and biting cold, their pilgrimage leads them to new vistas of self-discovery and renewal. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Mantenance is an elemental work that has helped to shape and define the past twenty-five years of American culture. This special audio edition presents this adventure in a compelling way-for the millions who have already taken this journey and want to travel these roads again, and for the many more who will discover for the first time the wonders and challenges of a journey that will change the way they think and feel about their lives.

Robert M. Pirsig (Author), Michael Kramer (Narrator)

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