I read this as a young adult and I understood what Pirsig was saying in an intellectual sense, but I didn't really grok the book until I was closer to Pirsig's own age (when he wrote it) and learned 'the hard way'. I also didn't finish the book because I felt like Pirsig was repetitively making the same point.
As a result, I have some questions (not necessarily directly for you, @patrickthebold, but for whoever cares to answer):
(1) Were you able to internalize the lessons from this book?
(2) Is there anything valuable in the back ~half of the book?
(3) If you read this book about 20 years ago, would you re-read it; or if read it less than 20 years ago, would you recommend your future self re-read it?
Easily one of my favourite books. My advice for anyone reading it is not to see it as a philosophical book, although some of the philosophical digressions are extremely interesting. Rather, read it as an autobiography of a person suffering from an obsession, and his quest to connect with his son. The end was very satisfying from this point of view.
Edit: so to answer your points
1. No need to.
2. Worth reading the whole thing.
3. At the first reading when younger, one might focus too much on the philosophy and miss the story of the person behind the thoughts. It's not a book where you learn philosophy, but how this person thinks and how it impacts his life. With some life experience and perspective this aspect is much more interesting.
I don't know that I would call it "non-fiction," but its non-fictional aspects have had a huge impact on me: the "focus on the small to unblock yourself" (was it write about your left hand?).
And the concept of "gumption".
But most especially that "quality" is the interface between the observer and the observed -- that what you like is a unique aspect of you and the thing (that you like), and that's okay. That concept has shaped my world.
I have tried reading this twice but couldn't get past 30 pages or so. I was enjoying the read but not sure what made me drop it both times. I was much younger though, so perhaps a 3rd attempt is in order.
As a result, I have some questions (not necessarily directly for you, @patrickthebold, but for whoever cares to answer):
(1) Were you able to internalize the lessons from this book?
(2) Is there anything valuable in the back ~half of the book?
(3) If you read this book about 20 years ago, would you re-read it; or if read it less than 20 years ago, would you recommend your future self re-read it?