Pirsig's newest work continues in the same philosophical vein as his earlier books, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (LJ10/15/74) and "Guidebook to Zen and the Art of Mtorocycle Maintenance" (LJ10/15/90). Lila is a novel-cum-philosophical tome that wrestles with the issues and problems of life in the Nineties. Phaedrus, the principle character, is a writer grappling with his latest treatise, the "metaphysics of Quality." Lila, his aging and desperate wharf-bar pickup, provides the right amount of antagonism and criticism to hone his ruminations of life and civilization to something understandable and real. Pirsig has some fairly interesting ideas, but his evasiveness in defining his version of "quality" early on may lose some readers. His transition from the novel format to the philosophy lesson is uneven and distracting at times. However, his observations lead to some surprising revelations. Readers familiar with his earlier work will want this. Recommended.

Kevin M. Roddy, Oakland Public Library, California