Phaedrus

Q: "How many books are in the Phaedrus series?"

"There are four books in the Phaedrus series, published between 1974 and 1991."

Q: "What is the first book in the Phaedrus series?"

"The first book in the Phaedrus series is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values, published in 1974."

Q: "Do you need to read the Phaedrus books in order?"

"While Lila: An Inquiry Into Morals can be read on its own, reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance first gives important background on the character Phaedrus and the Metaphysics of Quality that Pirsig builds on in the sequel."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values	1974	Robert M. Pirsig	Buy
2	禅与摩托车维修艺术	1974	Robert M. Pirsig	N/A
3	Lila - Ahlâkın Sorgulanması	1991	Robert M. Pirsig	N/A
4	Lila: An Inquiry Into Morals	1991	Robert M. Pirsig	Buy

The Phaedrus series by Robert M. Pirsig consists of two philosophical novels linked by their narrator-protagonist, Phaedrus. The first book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (1974), follows a cross-country motorcycle trip while wrestling with questions about rationality, romanticism, and the nature of Quality. The second, Lila: An Inquiry Into Morals (1991), picks up the philosophical thread during a sailboat trip down the Hudson River.

This list also includes foreign-language translations that were published as separate editions. The core English-language works are Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Lila, and they are best read in publication order since the second book directly builds on the philosophical framework established in the first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Phaedrus series?

There are four books in the Phaedrus series, published between 1974 and 1991.

What is the first book in the Phaedrus series?

The first book in the Phaedrus series is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values, published in 1974.

Do you need to read the Phaedrus books in order?

While Lila: An Inquiry Into Morals can be read on its own, reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance first gives important background on the character Phaedrus and the Metaphysics of Quality that Pirsig builds on in the sequel.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order