Ishmael

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Summary: Ishmael sheds light.
Review: In a novel that closely parellels Jared Diamond's wonderful book, Guns, Germs, and Steel, author Quinn has highlighted those all too human traits and characteristics that, hitherto unchecked, have created the world around us. Well written and thoughtful, the story leaves one with a certain unease, how do we affect a change? Is this train going full speed ahead without an engineer? A thought provoking treatise.

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Summary: Redeems those in the genre of "Sophie's World"
Review: Every try reading Gaardner's "Sophies World"? And then fail out of utter boredom? Me too. Sophie's World was a preachy attempt to mix philosophy, anthropology and a novel in a terrible book which alternated between chapters concerning the relationship between student and mysterious teacher, and text-book style bland chapters on the history of philosophy. In Ishmael, Quinn has a mysterious (gorilla!) teaching anthropology (the key of life in essence!) to an unnamed human. The book is a quick read (I read it in about 6 hours) but you are enlightened to so much. The world is clearer and the book is *gasp* interesting! Sure to make you think, unlike much of what is out there, so don't hesitate to pick it up and prepare for an "adventure of the mind and spirit."

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Summary: LIFE CHANGING, EYE OPENING, THOUGHT PROVOKING
Review: This book was a gift from a friend whom I will forever be indebted to. Ishmael is the most thought provoking book I have ever read. A review on the back of the books says "I now classify my books as those I read before Ishmael and those I read after Ishmael"...I agree. If you are looking for an enticing, beautifully scripted understanding of the world we live in and how it came to be...and you want to finish the book an optimist, read ISHMAEL.

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Summary: Great Book!!
Review: This is a great book. It really made me realize just what is wrong with this world. Very easy reading, but great topic. If you're interested in saving the world start by reading this book

Rating:
Summary: Good book!
Review: I sometimes wish I owned a gorilla that could fix all of my philosophical problems. If you feel the same way, maybe you should get this book! Quinn definitely has the knack for keeping the reader interested in a 300-page dialouge, though he seems to fall into spurts of redundancy at intermittent points throughout. "Ishmael"'s merits lie within its tendency to create a vast universe of possibility within a few lines of text, and Quinn is able to articulate some very basic philosophical ideas in a new, fresh way that would make it appealing to even the most stubborn "Taker".

On a side-note, do not watch the movie "Instinct" after reading this book! It was loosely based on "Ishmael", and will certaintly upset.

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Summary: This book changed the way I live my life!
Review: This book completely changed the way I look at the world around me. Much of it took things I had always been troubled with, and explained them in such a clear and rational way that I found myself thinking "I *knew* that!"

This book is written in the form of a novel, which makes it easy to read, but it's actually a set of ideas and teachings. Ishmael is a gorilla, and a teacher (how and why he is able to speak with his unnamed human pupil is unimportant). Everyone who reads the book will get something different out of it, but that's okay. In the end, the idea that our culture has come to believe that humans are a cursed lot is throughly refuted. The difference between the two main cultures in the world (which he called the Takers - our culture, and the Leavers) clearly illistrates that we can live in the world without destroying it.

I haven't met a person yet who's life has not be dramatically effected after reading Ishmael. It's not a preachy book telling you how to live your life. It will cause you to closely examine the life we are all living and think seriously of what should be done to change it.

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Summary: Revolutionary
Review: I have read through some of the reviews presented here on Ishmael and I can see that many have had there complacency threatened and I know why. This is not a read for those who are content to close their eyes to what our culture is doing to it's life support system. If you are threatened by this book I dare say you are a part of the problem. Ishmael is a book that will set you on the road to a different life view. You may feel depressed after you read it, I did. But this book along with The Story of B, My Ishmael, and Beyond Civilization will, ultimately, give you a positive view and possible paths to follow. This book is not the revolution but it is an excellent place to start.

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Summary: Writing sideways on lined paper...
Review: Daniel Quinn has written a book that people will either love or hate. The reason to read it is right there. If such a book can inspire so many to write such empassioned reviews, then there must be an important message in it. Those who call it trite, or drivel seem to have an underlying fear in their reviews. Those who praise it so totally also have a certain fear. This book seems to say that we need to give up a great deal in order to save the world. If you look at the vision Mr. Quinn wants to express, then you can see that he wants us to see the world in a different light. Basically, the world would be a better place if we learn to understand that humanity isn't cursed.

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Summary: Clarification of 12/9 review
Review: Yesterday I wrote a review for Ishamel. I'd like to clarify that I am a freelance columnist with The Arizona Daily Sun.

Thank you. Jane Iddings

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Summary: A Catalyst
Review: This book is a good read for one reason......It makes you think and makes you want to read more. Ishmael is a book without an ending, it begs you to read more (and watch T.V. less!) because it plants a seed in your head that, with any common sense, will sprout almost immediately.