Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Robert M. Pirsig)

Why it’s in the re-read hall of fame

• Mixes narrative and philosophy without feeling like homework.
• The idea of quality as something you can feel before you define it.

Notes (draft)

• The Chautauquas are a model for thinking in public.
• Maintenance as care: paying attention is a moral and practical act.
• The split between “classical” and “romantic” ways of seeing things shows up everywhere.

Questions I’m still thinking about

• What does “quality” mean in my own work?
• How do you balance analysis and intuition without overcorrecting to either side?