Revision 26071 of "Robert_M._Pirsig" on enwiki

'''Robert Maynard Pirsig''' (born [[September 6]], [[1928]]) is a popular American novelist. His first book, ''[[Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance]]: An Inquiry into Values'' (1974), outlines his philosophy of the [[metaphysics of quality]] over the mostly-autobiographical story of a man's motorcycle trip across the country. The book remains a popular title to this day; in 1974 Pirsig was awarded a [[Guggenheim Fellowship]] for his work. Its followup, ''[[Lila: An Inquiry into Morals]]'' (1991), further explores Pirsig's philosophies.

Pirsig received his B.A. from the [[University of Minnesota]] in 1950, having begun in 1943, flunked out, and returned. He then spent two years at the same university before attending [[Benares Hindu University]] in India to further explore Eastern philosophy. Supporting himself by taking freelance jobs and teaching freshman English, Pirsig spent 1960–1963 in and out of mental institutions following a mental breakdown; he was treated with [[shock therapy]]. 

Pirsig has published little other than his two major works and avoids the public eye, frequently traveling around the [[Atlantic]] by boat, having lived in various places around the United States as well as [[Sweden]] and [[England]]. His late son, Chris, who played an important role in ''ZatAoMM'', is by his first wife, Nancy, as well as another son, Ted. Pirsig divorced Nancy and married his second wife, Wendy, in 1978, with whom he has a daughter, Nell.

== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
* [http://www.moq.org MOQ] 
* [http://www.synaptic.bc.ca/ejournal/Robert_M_Pirsig.htm Robert M. Pirsig & Quality]
* [http://www.psybertron.org/timeline.html Timeline of Robert Pirsig's life]
* [http://members.aol.com/sktea/pirsig-p.htm Photograph of Pirsig] and the motorcycle he rode in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
* [http://www.zmmquality.org/gallery/albums.php Pictures from Robert Pirsig's original 1968 trip upon which Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is based]
* [http://amsaw.org/amsaw-ithappenedinhistory-090604-pirsig.html A Bio of Pirsig] from the American Society of Authors and Writers

[[Category:1928 births|Pirsig, Robert M.]]
[[Category:Writers|Pirsig, Robert M.]]

[[de:Robert M. Pirsig]]