I read this at a friend's behest. I didn't expect to like it very much; philosophy has never really been my thing. However, it quickly became obvious to me why this thing was so popular in the 70s. Pirsig writes in a clear and direct way, so the philosophy is never that hard to understand. Furthermore, you've got the story (cross-country motorcycle trip, tension between father and son) to keep you going. He interweaves them both so that the minute one gets boring, you switch to the other.

The ideas themselves ultimately disappointed me. I think that Pirsig is right about the division between romantic and classicists, but when he introduces the idea of Quality the argument started to go off of the rails for me. He seems to believe that Quality is direct experience (the front of the train of consciousness); yet, simultaneously, it is goodness itself. But this doesn't make sense, because a direct experience can be bad as well as good. (I know if you haven't read the book none of what I just said makes any sense. Fine. But if you have read it and are some kind of Pirsig scholar/Quality believer, please leave a comment and explain why I'm wrong. I'm pretty sure I'm missing something. I just don't know what it is.)