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Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Dramatised)
- Narrated by: James Purefoy, full cast
- Length: 1 hr and 40 mins
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Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Dramatised)
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Summary
An odyssey into life’s challenging questions during an unforgettable summer motorcycle trip
Acclaimed as one of the most exciting books in the history of American letters, Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance became an instant bestseller upon its publication in 1974. A powerful examination of how we live, as well as a breath-taking meditation on how to live better, it tells the epic story of a father and son’s motorcycle trip across America’s Northwest in the 1960s.
Pirsig’s modern classic transformed a generation and continues to inspire millions of readers today. Dramatised for radio for the first time by Peter Flannery (Our Friends in the North, George Gently, The Devil’s Whore), this fantastic full-cast production stars James Purefoy (Rome, Injustice, Ironclad) and adds a new and original dimension to an iconic work. Following a father and his young son on their cross-country summer adventure from Minnesota to California, it is a story of love, fear, growth, discovery and acceptance. Both personal and philosophical, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is also a compelling study of relationships, values, enlightenment and meaning.
The maintenance of the motorcycle throughout the journey illustrates how to unify the cold, rational realm of technology with the warm, imaginative realm of artistry. Resonating with the confusions and the wonders of existence, the narrator wrestles with some of the most important philosophical questions of the 20th century. His need to also reconcile his past and present selves drives him and his son forward, to a point where all is either lost or won on the Chautauqua spiritual journey.
This audio edition includes a bonus 10 minutes of material that was not broadcast on the radio.
NB: the recording contains strong language.
Production credits
Author: Robert M. Pirsig
Dramatist: Peter Flannery
Original music: Jon Nicholls
Sound Design: Eloise Whitmore
Producer: Melanie Harris
A Sparklab production for BBC Radio 4.
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What listeners say about Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Dramatised)
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lisa Reinisch
- 01-06-18
brought this great book to life
brought this great book to life - shortened quite a bit it seems, but not beyond reason. great stuff
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- sin sin minkin
- 09-04-20
A decent approximation of the book
The thread that binds the novel, the father-son relationship and the narrative deliberations about quality are intact - barely intact.
I missed some of the imagistic sequences about quality and freedom that stuck with me from the book.
Then there's the sound of the bike. No one drove across country on the hoover engines you can hear on the recording. I don't know. It just really put me off. Can't say why. There's just something about the crumby sound of that engine I don't believe in.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Søren Skjoldborg
- 14-08-18
Radioplay - Not the book
I thought I bought the book by Pirsig, but this is a radio play. A good one though.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Féidhlim
- 16-02-17
beautiful and captivating.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but was surprised and captivated. very easy to proses because of how it is written. Highly recommended.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- keith Diplock
- 03-07-19
amazing
listen to this book it's incredible. if you're reading this then you're thinking about listening to the book... just do it!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- A. M. Costa Correa
- 23-07-18
The point evaded me totally
A really nicely dramatised version of a classic. Yet I missed the point entirely. I read Philosophy at University and am now wondering was my degree a waste?
Overall, don’t bother.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mr R Thomas
- 22-09-24
brought it to life
.its a great version of my fav book, as its a hard read I've done every 10 years or so..as I've always felt like the author and phaedrus battle in my head but this dramatic version in hrs covers it well and adds extra depth n understanding .Adds a final bit of positivity to it and gives it a good close..just finished..I feel released by it . 4 * for performance as Chris voice could be slightly less whining but maybe that helps it..
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Eden E.
- 03-01-20
would prefer the full version but it's very good
Very interesting but got the feeling I was only getting half the story. Full version would be better.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark Ashmore
- 11-06-20
Think this might have changed my life
Think this might have helped me understand my own battles, whilst living in isolation, enlightenment
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Vasiles
- 28-01-20
Decent
Enjoyable, starts off a bit frilly and unnecessarily fleshed out, but soon becomes engaging. A good story to listen to while at the gym.
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