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Ishmael:A Novel Paperback – May 1, 1995

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 6,712 ratings

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One of the most beloved and bestselling novels of spiritual adventure ever published, Ishmael has earned a passionate following. This special twenty-fifth anniversary edition features a new foreword and afterword by the author.

“A thoughtful, fearlessly low-key novel about the role of our species on the planet . . . laid out for us with an originality and a clarity that few would deny.”—The New York Times Book Review

Teacher Seeks Pupil.
Must have an earnest desire to save the world.
Apply in person.

It was just a three-line ad in the personals section, but it launched the adventure of a lifetime.

So begins an utterly unique and captivating novel. It is the story of a man who embarks on a highly provocative intellectual adventure with a gorilla—a journey of the mind and spirit that changes forever the way he sees the world and humankind’s place in it.

In
Ishmael, which received the Turner Tomorrow Fellowship for the best work of fiction offering positive solutions to global problems, Daniel Quinn parses humanity’s origins and its relationship with nature, in search of an answer to this challenging question: How can we save the world from ourselves?

Explore Daniel Quinn’s spiritual Ishmael trilogy:
ISHMAEL • MY ISHMAEL • THE STORY OF B

Praise for Ishmael

“As suspenseful, inventive, and socially urgent as any fiction or nonfiction you are likely to read this or any other year.”
The Austin Chronicle

“Before we’re halfway through this slim book . . . we’re in [Daniel Quinn’s] grip, we want Ishmael to teach us how to save the planet from ourselves. We want to change our lives.”
The Washington Post

“Arthur Koestler, in an essay in which he wondered whether mankind would go the way of the dinosaur, formulated what he called the Dinosaur’s Prayer: ‘Lord, a little more time!’
Ishmael does its bit to answer that prayer and may just possibly have bought us all a little more time.”Los Angeles Times
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Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

Here's the novel that, out of 2500 submissions, won the ecological-minded Turner Tomorrow Award--and caused a mutiny among the judges when it was awarded the $500,000 first prize. Is it that good--or bad? No, but it's certainly unusual, even eccentric, enough to place Quinn (the paperback Dreamer, 1988) on the cult literary map.

What's most unusual is that this novel scarcely is one: beneath a thin narrative glaze, it's really a series of Socratic dialogues between man and ape, with the ape as Socrates. The nameless man, who narrates, answers a newspaper ad (``TEACHER seeks pupil...'') that takes him to a shabby office tenanted by a giant gorilla; lo! the ape begins to talk to him telepathically (Quinn's failure to explain this ability is typical of his approach: idea supersedes story). Over several days, the ape, Ishmael, as gruff as his Greek model, drags the man into a new understanding of humanity's place in the world. In a nutshell, Ishmael argues that humanity has evolved two ways of living: There are the ``Leavers,'' or hunter-gatherers (e.g., Bushmen), who live in harmony with the rest of life; and there are the ``Takers'' (our civilization), who arose with the agricultural revolution, aim to conquer the rest of life, and are destroying it in the process. Takers, Ishmael says, have woven a ``story'' to rationalize their conquest; central to this story is the idea that humanity is flawed--e.g., as told in the Bible. But not so, Ishmael proclaims; only the Taker way is flawed: Leavers offer a method for living well in the world ... A washout as a story, with zero emotional punch; but of substantial intellectual appeal as the extensive Q&A passages (despite their wild generalities and smug self-assurance) invariably challenge and provoke: both Socrates and King Kong might be pleased. -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Review

“A thoughtful, fearlessly low-key novel about the role of our species on the planet . . . laid out for us with an originality and a clarity that few would deny.”—The New York Times Book Review

“[Quinn entraps] us in the dialogue itself, in the sweet and terrible lucidity of Ishmael’s analysis of the human condition. . . . It was surely for this deep, clear persuasiveness of argument that
Ishmael was given its huge prize.”—The Washington Post

“It is as suspenseful, inventive, and socially urgent as any fiction or nonfiction book you are likely to read this or any other year.”—
The Austin Chronicle

“Deserves high marks as a serious—and all too rare—effort that is unflinchingly engaged with fundamental life-and-death concerns.”—
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam; Reissue edition (May 1, 1995)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 263 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0553375407
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0553375404
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.2 x 0.9 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 6,712 ratings

About the author

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Daniel Quinn
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I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and studied at St. Louis University, the University of Vienna, and Loyola University of Chicago. I worked in Chicago-area publishing for twenty years before beginning work on the book for which I'm best known, Ishmael. This book was chosen from among some 2500 international entrants to win the half-million dollar 1991 Turner Tomorrow competition for a novel offering "creative and positive solutions to global problems." The novel has subsequently sold more than a million copies in English, is available in some thirty languages, and has been used in high schools and colleges worldwide in courses as varied as philosophy, geography, ecology, archaeology, history, biology, zoology, anthropology, political science, economics, and sociology. Subsequent works include Providence, The Story of B, My Ishmael: A Sequel, Beyond Civilization, After Dachau, The Holy, and most recently At Woomeroo, a collection of short stories. I can be found on Facebook, and my Web site, ishmael.org, is enormous, offering news and announcements from readers, suggested readings, speeches and essays available nowhere else, detailed answers to more than 500 questions asked by readers over the years, and a Guestbook with thousands of entries. I and my wife, Rennie, have lived in Chicago, Santa Fe and Madrid, New Mexico, and Austin, Texas. We currently live in Houston.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
6,712 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and thought-provoking. They describe the story as fascinating and relatable. Readers appreciate the relatable characters and entertaining setting. Many consider the book a great value for money and powerful enough to change their perspective. However, opinions differ on how easy it is to use.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

455 customers mention "Readability"416 positive39 negative

Customers find the book engaging and thought-provoking. They describe it as well-written and worth reading. Some readers mention that the book takes some leaps of logic. However, most praise the author's writing style and consider it one of the best books they have ever read.

"...have nothing to lose, and nothing better to do with our lives, it's worth a try. Nothing is more embarrassing than self-extinction...." Read more

"...Overall, I found Ishmael to be an excellent book and would recommend it to anyone frustrated with the current state of the world, an interest in..." Read more

"...Truly inspiring, thought provoking text. I've had a few friends read it. This book had ideas and knowledge I've never even heard suggested before...." Read more

"...Pros: + Easy to get into, hard to forget. That's the epitome of good writing. + Intended for casual and deep readers...." Read more

421 customers mention "Thought provoking"393 positive28 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and inspiring. They find the concepts fascinating and life-changing. The book starts with a fascinating point of view and has wisdom and truth in each sentence. It offers an alternative view on life and is considered an important book.

"...It's jam-packed with descriptions of many serious problems, yet it succeeds at remaining an inspiring piece of work...." Read more

"...decide which species live and die, and that there is nothing fundamentally wrong with people—rather it is the story told for the last ten thousand..." Read more

"...Truly inspiring, thought provoking text. I've had a few friends read it. This book had ideas and knowledge I've never even heard suggested before...." Read more

"...They have strengths and weaknesses, and they'll be the first to tell you about them...." Read more

104 customers mention "Story quality"81 positive23 negative

Customers find the story engaging and instructive. They describe it as a modern-day fable that explores human nature and evil. The plot is simple yet profound, with an undeniable conclusion. While some readers find the book odd and strange, they appreciate its message and style.

"...There is quite a bit to absorb from this novel, and it definitely warrants a re-read at some point...." Read more

"...to know about the Ishmael trilogy is that at it's heart: The stories are conversations...." Read more

"Ishmael is a book I got for one of my college classes. It was an amazing story that teaches you about life...." Read more

"This book was a thought experiment with a weak frame story. As far as thought experiments go, it was a pretty good one...." Read more

17 customers mention "Character development"15 positive2 negative

Customers find the characters relatable and interesting. They appreciate the protagonist's challenge to think differently. The setting of the character Ishmael is entertaining. Readers praise the author's talent and skill in writing.

"...+ Relatable characters. Pretty much every character in the whole series feels as human as it gets...." Read more

"...From the moment you start reading, you're drawn in by this mysterious character and the lessons he has to teach us...." Read more

"...that condition with insight, a superbly original idea, an intriguing 'hero' and a genuine push for a wakeup call that fairly charges out of the..." Read more

"...This copy I just bought is a graduation gift to an already remarkable young man and I believe he will find it insightful...." Read more

11 customers mention "Value for money"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book offers good value for money. They say it's worth the price, the cheapest online, and a great spiritual read.

"My son needed it. GREAT PRICE!" Read more

"...I feel this story to be more than worth the useless currency we value so highly and any hungry philosopher looking to see the beauty of the..." Read more

"...This is a really nice copy for the price too. Love" Read more

"...The ideology in the book is definitely worth the reading and the price." Read more

10 customers mention "Power"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book powerful and able to spark a cult following. They say it offers hope and has an impact on their perspective.

"...literature it ain't - a critical choice is what's revealed, and it's powerful." Read more

"...and every single one of them has remarked on the impact of this remarkable work...." Read more

"...Powerful enough to spark a cult following, and powerful enough to change your whole perspective about being human and what that means...." Read more

"...But, it picked up and had a message that I wasn't quite expecting. Very powerful. I'd read it again." Read more

27 customers mention "Ease of use"18 positive9 negative

Customers have different views on the book's ease of use. Some find it simple yet profound, with basic instructions on how to save the world. Others find it laborious to get through and difficult to put down.

"...Pros: + Easy to get into, hard to forget. That's the epitome of good writing. + Intended for casual and deep readers...." Read more

"...The examples are so simple minded and easy to understand and makes you think why doesn't everyone think this way?..." Read more

"...However no one read it. Certainly not an easy read. Very difficult to get into to so we all gave up on it." Read more

"...It's not all sing-songly love preaching sappy crap. It's very technical, and it is very thorough...." Read more

16 customers mention "Preachiness"5 positive11 negative

Customers have different views on the book's preachiness. Some find it light and accessible, not offending in any way. Others describe it as repetitive, simplistic, and irritating.

"...human history with his work of fiction Ishmael, is bigoted and hateful. The clever manner that Daniel Quinn disguises himself as both..." Read more

"What a beautiful ode to life. Preachy at times, but it really gives you a place to start living in a way that could make sense." Read more

"...a dirt floor these people displayed such a pure happiness and carefree demeanor that I have not found anywhere else in my travels...." Read more

"...concept of learning from an ape was unique at first but the viewpoint was a bit myopic...." Read more

The Start of an Important Conversation
4 out of 5 stars
The Start of an Important Conversation
The most important thing to know about the Ishmael trilogy is that at it's heart: The stories are conversations. The author tried to paint over them with characters, settings, and plots that one would call stories, but beneath the abbreviated language: All Ishmael is, is the author having a conversation with a student.I would say that the nature of the story is the most enticing part. We all love being immersed in our books, and when the intention of the author is to have a conversation with you directly through the book: It's not hard for us to get immersed. I'll leave a list of Pros and Cons to outline why my review is 4 stars instead of the 5 that many, including myself, would love to give it, but I myself have my reason for denying it labeled below.It goes without saying that I highly recommend ever book from this series, and I would also say: Don't read one if you don't intend to read the rest. They're incomplete without each other, which leads into the pros and cons section of this review!Pros:+ Easy to get into, hard to forget. That's the epitome of good writing.+ Intended for casual and deep readers. The text is only around 250 pages long, and easy for anyone to read through. On the other hand; there's so many messages and meanings to be discerned that more passionate readers will benefit from reading through it several times.+ Relatable characters. Pretty much every character in the whole series feels as human as it gets. They have strengths and weaknesses, and they'll be the first to tell you about them. It's very hard to dislike characters who express such honesty.Con:- I write con in singular because this is my only gripe with the first installment in this series: It's not complete. Daniel Quinn had a particular lesson he wanted to teach his students, (us), and Ishmael was his best attempt at the time. Eventually he wrote the sequel, and then Story of B. Together, Ishmael, My Ishmael (the sequel), and Story of B, (the final installment), all do a perfect job of getting Daniel's message across, but you need to read all of them to fully grasp it. Elements are missing from each that lie in the rest, and I have to fault each title for being so reliant on the rest. To summarize their differences: Ishmael tells the message, My Ishmael puts it in a different way that might be more relatable to different readers, and The Story of B tells every reader what it means to be Daniel Quinn's student, effectively empowering them to put his lessons from the previous books to practice.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2011
    I just finished reading Daniel Quinn's Ishmael this morning, for the third or fourth time. Prior to my first reading, in 1994, I had already learned a good deal about the problems of agriculture and civilization, so Ishmael didn't make my head explode. But when you're wandering far out on the wild frontier, and thinking far outside the box, it's reassuring to discover others on the same path. "Hey! I'm not crazy!" That's always a thrill.

    Every time I read the book, I'm impressed by the depth of Quinn's knowledge and thinking. It's jam-packed with descriptions of many serious problems, yet it succeeds at remaining an inspiring piece of work. He doesn't serve us a complete collection of solutions, but he points us in the right direction, and describes the powerful monsters that we must confront and overcome. It's sort of like the course outline for Save the World 101.

    Ishmael is over 20 years old now. Quinn finished it in 1990. In 1991, it won the Turner Tomorrow Fellowship. It was published in 1992. Amazon.com ranks the sales of every book it carries -- over three million titles now. I've been tracking the rankings for Ishmael over the years. It was #616 in 2002, #663 in 2007, and #1,507 in 2011 (rankings are updated daily, and these numbers are U.S. only). It is a tremendously successful book. I suspect that it might be the world's best-selling book on environmental issues, if Silent Spring doesn't hold that honor.

    In 1994, I was on a quest to find the elusive silver bullet solution to the Earth Crisis. The problems were obvious, and so were the solutions, but humankind seemed not to care at all, and things were continuously getting worse. This was insane! I imagined that a brilliant remedy lie buried beneath a rock somewhere, and if I searched hard enough, I'd find it -- the Holy Grail.

    Ishmael did not give me what I wanted, because what I wanted did not exist. In fact, the solution was far more complicated than simply buying "green" products, demanding government action, or rounding up and punishing eco-villains. The solution involved inspiring almost all of humankind to make radical changes in the way they think, breed, eat, work, travel, communicate, dress, and so on. It's not a trivial undertaking, by any means.

    Quinn wrestled with this predicament for 13 years, as the process of creating Ishmael meandered through its various versions, in search of strength and coherence. Thankfully, he does not serve us magical thinking or false hope. He never suggests that the Technology Fairy will rescue us via astonishing miraculous inventions. Our only hope is to change minds. But, is this enough? "Of course it's not enough. But if you begin anywhere else, there's no hope at all." Before you can address behaviors, you must first address beliefs and values. Is it possible that changing minds can succeed in bringing humankind back into balance with the living planet? Well, it's as "improbable as hell but not unimaginable" -- the BS-free bottom line. Since we have nothing to lose, and nothing better to do with our lives, it's worth a try. Nothing is more embarrassing than self-extinction.

    During Ishmael's 20 years on the planet, environmental awareness has grown exponentially. The class of 2011 is far better informed than my class of 1970, which was tragically swept away by the consumer stampede, devoting their entire lives to mindless hoarding. Ishmael first appeared when there were five billion in the world. Now, we're seven billion. Storm clouds are growing. The road ahead is flashing and rumbling with danger. Many believe that we're gradually moving closer to the mythical "tipping point," when ever-expanding human consciousness will make a sharp shift toward enlightenment and compassion, humankind will move into a bold new era, a beautiful paradise for all living things!

    But it now seems likely that the tipping point lies on the other side of turbulent times, and that's OK. Seven billion people simply can't fit into paradise, even if we switch to LED lights, ride bicycles, and feast on tofu and bean sprouts three times a day. The path to a genuinely sustainable future must pass through the collapse of industrial civilization. There are no clever ways to sneak around this troublesome obstacle. Collapse is a necessary component of the healing process, and it will be a powerful force for changing minds. When the lights go out, we'll remember what really matters. We'll quickly develop a profound hunger to become intimately aware of the place where we live, and the edible opportunities that it offers.

    On the other side of collapse we'll come to a crucial fork in the path. In the 10,000 year history of civilization, there have been many collapses. In almost every case, when a failed society arrived at this fork, they chose the path of repeated mistakes. It was easier. They already knew how to mine minerals, forests, soils, wildlife, and fisheries. So they regrouped, did it all over again, and suffered the same inevitable results. Their primary objective was to die of old age. The generations yet-to-be-born were on their own, to thrive or perish by the power of their wits. Good luck to ye!

    In the coming years, we too will arrive at this important fork of destiny. Will we chose, once again, the well-worn path of repeated mistakes? We don't have to. Many of us now understand why that would be really dumb. Heck, it might actually be fun to try the other path for a change. Our descendants would be so grateful if we took bold steps and freed them from the dreaded curse.

    Quinn exhibits great admiration for the few surviving tribes who continue to walk on the path of sustainability: "They're not seething with discontent and rebellion, not incessantly wrangling over what should be allowed and what forbidden, not forever accusing each other of not living the right way, not living in terror of each other, not going crazy because their lives seem empty and pointless, not having to stupefy themselves with drugs to get through the days, not inventing a new religion every week to give them something to hold on to, not forever searching for something to do or something to believe in that will make their lives worth living." Imagine that.

    Richard Adrian Reese
    Author of What Is Sustainable
    53 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2015
    Ishmael is a philosophical novel written by Daniel Quinn that was published in 1992. The story begins with a newspaper ad: "Teacher seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person." The unnamed narrator decides to check it out and finds himself in a room with a telepathically-communicating gorilla named Ishmael. The basic plot of the book involves a Socratic dialogue between Ishmael and the narrator focusing on "how things came to be this way" for humankind.

    The concepts covered during their conversation include an exploration of the mythological thinking that forms the underpinning of our modern civilization's consciousness and consequential actions, that humans are not the pinnacle of evolution (nor exempt from the laws of nature or the rule of the Gods), and how the story we have chosen to enact has contributed to our ethical understanding of the world and a potential societal and environmental collapse that lurks just beyond today's horizon. There is also a story woven throughout the main Socratic dialogue that features Ishmael's history as a member of a menagerie and adoption by a wealthy benefactor.

    Some of the major themes in the book include the idea that the Book of Genesis from the Bible truly refers to the decimation of nomadic hunter-gatherer societies by agricultural societies, that eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil convinced modern humans that they have the right to decide which species live and die, and that there is nothing fundamentally wrong with people—rather it is the story told for the last ten thousand years by Mother Culture that has been enacted that is harmful.

    Following Ishmael are two books penned by Quinn that form a loose trilogy: The Story of B, a 1996 spiritual sequel, and My Ishmael, a 1997 followup. So far I have only read the first book in this trilogy, but hope to make my way through the rest of it in due time.

    I greatly enjoyed this novel. Early on, it reminded me of Sophie's World, a novel by Jostein Gaarder that was the center of discussion during an International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge course in high school. I suppose I drew that comparison due to the format of the book—a wise teacher with an understanding of philosophy uses the Socratic dialogue method to teach philosophical concepts to a pupil. The method involves the pupil working through the concepts "out loud" throughout the book's pages, which allows the reader to absorb them in a different manner than if they had been presented directly from the teacher. Another book I have read that uses the same style is Plato's The Republic. Although it isn't my favorite format, I think it may be growing on me because I really enjoyed Ishmael, and a major reason for that was the way the book allowed me to work through the concepts alongside the pupil. There is quite a bit to absorb from this novel, and it definitely warrants a re-read at some point.

    Overall, I found Ishmael to be an excellent book and would recommend it to anyone frustrated with the current state of the world, an interest in human and evolutionary history and/or philosophy, and environmental activists that would like to see positive global changes come to fruition. With knowledge like this in our toolbox, I firmly believe humanity could rethink its position in nature's hierarchy, construct a new story for modern culture to enact, and reverse its course for the betterment of all life on Earth and beyond.
    7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Holly
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must-read
    Reviewed in Canada on February 5, 2023
    This book highlights the agony of human existence and brings about many questions and answers. It is truly an underrated book that should be a classic on book shelves internstionslly, alongside "The Alchemist" and "The Old Man and The Sea". I have read this book several times over, each time learning something new. Enjoy this unique, timeless masterpiece by Daniel Quinn.
  • Maria
    1.0 out of 5 stars Counterfeit book
    Reviewed in Sweden on January 19, 2025
    This book is a counterfeit book copy. You can tell from the information on the last page (see picture)
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    Maria
    1.0 out of 5 stars
    Counterfeit book

    Reviewed in Sweden on January 19, 2025
    This book is a counterfeit book copy. You can tell from the information on the last page (see picture)
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  • Paola Flora
    5.0 out of 5 stars Andrebbe usato come materia di studio nelle scuole.
    Reviewed in Italy on November 18, 2024
    Romanzo semplice che, però fa molto riflettere! Da leggere!
  • Tania
    5.0 out of 5 stars Get this book, inmediately.
    Reviewed in Spain on October 11, 2023
    I have only just finished reading Ishmael and I wasn't expecting -at all-to feel the way I do now. I've been reading non-stop for a whole day and its night and how could I ever go back to being the person I was nearly two days ago? That person that, since I've closed the book, feels thousands of years away.

    When one does not see what one does not see, one does not even see that one is blind.

    I had my suspicions and yet for 30 years I could not quite put my finger where it all started to go wrong. However, at last, now I too can see.

    My eternal gratitude, Mr. Quinn.
  • Ana carolina Alves Bittencourt
    5.0 out of 5 stars Inigualável
    Reviewed in Brazil on June 17, 2020
    O mlehor livro que já li! Engloba todas as inquietudes que temos mas são difíceis de expressar. A reflexão é constante quando entra nesse mundo de Ishmael.