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Ishmael
- A Novel (Ishmael Series, Book 1)
- Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne, Morgan Freeman
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
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Summary
One of the most beloved and best-selling novels of spiritual adventure ever published, Ishmael has earned a passionate following. This special 25th 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, available on audio:
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)
Critic reviews
“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)
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What listeners say about Ishmael
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- Leo
- 23-09-21
Hard to describe.
I was recommended this book without the person going into too much detail about what it was about.
The recommendation was based on our shared interest in exploring long told and firmly held beliefs that permeate our society and our lives.
So I began listening and the skilful way the author covers such a topic, while at the same time not being patronising kept me listening. The writing teases out the main message until the reader is fully ready. And then delivers it in an unforgettable few words. Totally decimating a long told and firmly held belief of my own upbringing, and that of most of us.
A life changing book. It you allow it to be.
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3 people found this helpful
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- 1984_is_now
- 16-10-21
Pretentious
This book is the equivalent to modern art. One dot of paint in the middle of a blank canvas that everyone claims to 'understand' because they don't want to appear stupid. But in reality it means nothing.
This book is one person's opinion, and honestly just has no basis in reality as we know it for the most part.
I have downloaded over 50 books on Audible and despite not enjoying some of them, I have always managed to finish them. But then I made the mistake of purchasing Ishmael...
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2 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 18-01-24
Life changing read!!!
Ishmael is a teaching for life. It has turned my vision of the world, of our place as humans in the world and our relationship with nature completely upside down! And for the better! A must must read.
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- Al
- 05-10-23
A promising start but soon tangents into marketing
i liked the idea behind the book. I appreciate the fact that it challenges ideas and takes the reader into new ways of thinking. Challenging our views on society..However I can't help but think this is pushing a particular religious viewpoint. the issue I have is that the narrative pace is too convenient. Many times I had questions which were left unanswered. responses that I would responded differently to and flabbergasted the reader responded so simply as they did. it's like a cake being served half done. I feel that there was in between marketing alll the time and especially the tease to read the other books. anyway, I was contemplating if I want to read the others. for now, I don't think so. But thank you for opening my eyes to this book.
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- Anonymous User
- 10-07-23
Believe Ishmael
A book that opened my eyes when I didn’t believe they were close. Our human purposes and behaviors so gracefully explained. I think about the message of this book in many of my encounters ever since
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- Anonymous User
- 28-02-23
Book for every human being
Incredible story. Each human being should read this, If there is a way how the improve humanity, I think this is a good place where to start.
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- StephanieRogers
- 05-02-23
One of the most eye opening books I've ever read
Spectacular and meaningful philosophy about how the world has come to be this way and human unsustainability, through the tongue-in-cheek lens of a surreal relationship between a man and a gorilla.
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- Borbála
- 27-01-23
Way too didactic
I think I first heard about this work in a Stephen King interview and that was what prompted me to have a listen.
My problem with this book though is that it's not so much a story as a string of long conversations where one character educates another on everything about what is wrong with mankind. It gets very boring with all the great lessons being spelled out.
Lengthy philosophical discussions in a very educational style where the "teacher" likes to pose a question and have the pupil guess, so he can expertly lead him to the right answer.
It's a relatively short listen but I don't think I have the patience.
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- Samantha Williams
- 15-11-22
Great perspective
Really easy to listen to this book. I listened to it very quickly and was blown away at certain parts by concepts i hadn't quite considered before! Really interesting view of how we came to be here.
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- Mark
- 10-10-22
An unusual interview but very interesting.
The book helps to explain why we're headed toward the next extinction. We have, in a very short time, caused a lot of damage in the name of progress. This book confirmed a few of my thoughts and added light where I was unsure.
An interesting approach that removed what could have been seen as a 'sermon'.
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