Ishmael

Rating:
Summary: Ishmael -- Our Shining Hope?
Review: Daniel Quinn's amazing novel Ishmael challenges readers to take innovative steps towards saving the world around them. Most of Ishmael consists of philosophic dialogue between a man and his mentor -- a half-ton gorilla, Ishmael. The narrator meets Ishmael by answering an ad in the personals which reads "Teacher seeks pupil. Must have earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person." Working with this wholly unlikely pair, Quinn spins forth a radical world-view which aims to explain and correct man's destruction of the planet. Ishmael's non-human status gives him insight into the "story" of humanity. The verbal gorilla walks the narrator through his concepts. Ishmael sees the human race in terms of destructive "Takers" (modern man) and "Leavers" (prehistoric and primitive man). The Takers seek to conquer the natural world while the Leavers exist in tandem with natural order. While this idea is hardly original, the lengths to which Quinn explores it are. Ishmael teaches the narrator to question the "Mother Culture" of Taker civilization and begin correcting the atrocities of Taker thought and action.

The task Ishmael undertakes is no minor one, and neither is the novel. As both a writer and activist, Quinn understood the ramifications and scope of his writings. In fact, Ishmael has rapidly become a cult classic, and even has a comprehensive companion web site where believers and critics alike discuss Quinn's works. Quinn's later novel The Story of B explores the ideas of Ishmael in religious concepts and the recently-released My Ishmael is an entirely different set of dialogues between Ishmael and another student, this time a twelve-year-old girl.

The ideas in Ishmael are presented with a clarity that makes them seem obvious. Part of the book's brilliance is in this straightforward presentation. Very little time is wasted on description but there is enough plot to keep the novel cohesive. Despite an incredible premise, the book is believable. That realism makes Ishmael an intriguing character and also drives home the book's message of social change. Ishmael appears to be a demanding teacher, but only because his message is urgent. Ishmael moves beyond the printed word to show how we are all immeshed in a much greater story.

Rating:
Summary: Wow.
Review: Ishmael was one of the most thought-provoking books I have read in a long time. It not only lived up to all of the expectations that I had for it, but it surpased them. It was so good that I actually had to put it down periodically just to think about everything that it said and implied. I realize that it isn't 100% scientifically accurate, but what it says is so very profound that it changed my way of thinking. Once again, an incredible book, and I whole-heartedly endorse it to all of my friends and associates.

Rating:
Summary: Articulates the cause of the fuzzy anxieties we all share!
Review: Quinn has delivered the quintesential summation of Western cultural error. We have all known that we didn't have it quite right, and ISHMAEL articulates the subtleties of our quandry. An epochal milestone for Western introspection. Ten thumbs up!

Rating:
Summary: Thought provoking, yet incomplete...
Review: For those of you looking for a good 'story' to while away the hours, this is not the book for you. Reading 'Ishmael' requires thought - above, beyond and outside of the usual. It is meant to make you REALLY take a look at those things you THINK are important and how we have been conditioned to believe what that mass culture wants us to. One example is the fact that those 'wild dogs' other reviewers cite as being similar to humans in that they destroy or kill for no reason were, in fact, domesticated and bred by HUMANS. Yes, there are other animals that kill more than they can eat or possibly for no good reason, BUT only man does it on such a wide scale with no regard whatsoever for the impact. If you want more 'scientific' evidence of where we are headed, consider reading 'The Ecology of Commerce' by Paul Hawken. I highly recommend it for anyone who truly believes that we are living a 'good' lifestyle and that we have the 'technology' to 'clean things up' when we need to. It's EXACTLY what Mr. Quinn is talking about when he says 'mother culture' has lulled you to sleep - fooling you into thinking that a little bleach in the wash won't hurt anything. If you're feeling a bit 'left out' of our culture's behaviour and beliefs, 'Ishmael' may shed a little light on your day and give you a new path to walk upon...

Rating:
Summary: The best,most influential,life-changing book I've ever read!
Review: If I had never read Ishmael...well, I don't know how I would be. This book covers every topic I feel strongly about. The language is spectacular; not only does Daniel Quinn appeal to my spiritual side, he appeals to my intellectual and literary-concious sides as well. This book will be displayed on my shelf, and carried in my backpack for many years to come. It is absolutley the BEST, most influential, life-changing book that I have EVER read.

Rating:
Summary: Don't drop the blame on the Gorilla
Review: After reading this book, and reading some of the criticisms, I believe that the only fault in this book is that it is not an external journey. This reviewer read the book, and on the outside it said "An adventure for the mind and spirit." This is true. It's not Starship Troopers in a book, it's not a Politika novel, and it's not susposed to be. More than anything, I knew this book was not susposed to bring you along on a ride. In the same fashion that our Ape friend helps the character to see, this book prods us to look withen ourself to understand the book. In this fashion, we seek the answers to this book as we read and thus we get something out of it. Those who are more grounded, a perfectly fine situation, may not have had the "deep thought" background that you need to have for this book to work. This book is like a gallery of pictures shown thats all mirrors, it's a chance to read the caption below the picture and look at how we see it. I think the discrepency in numbers, they either being a 10, a conservative 4, or the outright 1, is the character that the reader is. You make this book what it is, for you are as much a student as Quinn is. Ishmael teaches nothing, it's impossible to teach. What he does is help you learn, by offering examples you begin to see something true to you. On the record, I'm not a flaming enviromentalist or a monk; I'm a 16 year old sophmore with an open mind and I feel just how Quinn did at the beginning of the book. I don't believe you have to be anything in particular besides openminded to get something out of this book, unless you resist this book and fight it the whole way that is. If you hated the book, thought that there was no plot, and hated the style, then maybe you aren't the type of person that should have read this book. The plot of this book travels around and around and comes out when you finish, not the book. The style I appreciated, it let me think. As Ishmael showed us things I wanted some time to think about the lessons I had just seen again for the first time. Look at how the teacher defines story, and well, there you have it. This book is a story, maybe not in it's content, but in it's contemplation. Thanks for reading.

Rating:
Summary: Those unwilling to revaluate society need not apply.
Review: Ishmael gives the reader a glimpse at the muck of human society through the eyes of a highly intelligent animal. Its a magic carpet ride of philosiphy and nostalgia with a swirl of the fantastic thrown in. While the reader is fully aware that humanity will never exist the way that Ishmael calls for it to--she still understands that the only chance for human survival is to bend to those standards. Daniel Quinn's style is elegant and colorful and thought-provoking. This book has been a source of many political and philisophical arguements for me and the reason for many of the best intellectual conversations I've ever had. I thouroughly reccommend Ishmael to anyone with an open mind.

Rating:
Summary: Fix the World Now
Review: A very interesting interpretation of the Culture, the History, and the Fate of Humankind.

Rating:
Summary: A book that changes lives
Review: Right on the money. This book has changed how I look at the world. The book will water the seeds of spirituality in anyone who reads it. I have purchased about twenty copies and given them to all of my friends and my family. I have read it three or four times, just can not get enough. "The Story of B" and "Providence" are also wonderful. Can't wait for the sequel to "Ishmael".

Rating:
Summary: Worst book I've ever read
Review: The book Ishmael had no point. It was long and boring. The only reason I read it was for my biology class. NEVER READ THIS BOOK UNLESS YOU ARE FORCED TO DO SO!!!!!