🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Robert M. Pirsig
Robert M. Pirsig was an American philosopher and writer, most known for the novel Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The novel is a best-seller and a classic staple of American literature for any reader, selling millions of copies. Robert M. Pirsig was born on September 6, 1928, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His middle initial stands for Maynard. His parents were Maynard and Harriet Marie Pirsig. His father attended the University of Minnesota Law School and would teach there starting in 1934, moving on to become its dean and retire from teaching in 1970, teaching at William Mitchell College of Law until 1993, when he retired. The author was a bright child, and was alleged to have an IQ of 170 when he was just 9 years old.
All Book Series by Robert M. Pirsig
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Series opener · book 1 of 4 · published 1974
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values
Book 3 of 4 · published 1974
Lila: An Inquiry Into Morals
Latest in the series · book 4 of 4 · published 1991
On Quality: An Inquiry Into Excellence
Single-title series · published 2022 Co-authored · Wendy K. Pirsig
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Robert M. Pirsig?
Robert M. Pirsig was an American philosopher and writer, most known for the novel Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The novel is a best-seller and a classic staple of American literature for any reader, selling millions of copies. Robert M. Pirsig was born on September 6, 1928, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Which Robert M. Pirsig series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Phaedrus series, the earliest of Robert M. Pirsig's multi-book series: it opens with Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (1974) and runs to 4 books across 1974–1991, ending with Lila: An Inquiry Into Morals (1991).
How many books has Robert M. Pirsig written?
Robert M. Pirsig has 5 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1974 and 2022. 4 of them belong to 1 named series — the largest being the Phaedrus series with 4 books — and 1 is a standalone title, collection or anthology.
In what order should Robert M. Pirsig's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Robert M. Pirsig's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Phaedrus (1974–1991, 4 books).
How are Robert M. Pirsig's books organised into series?
This guide splits Robert M. Pirsig's 5 books into 1 named series and 1 title that stands alone or appear only in collections: Phaedrus (4 books, 1974–1991).