Rating: Summary: A book that could change the world Review: What is happening all around us, our apparently catastrophic sprint towards the environmental abyss, is not inevitable. Sorting our trash is not the answer, nor is protecting the rain forests, electing Green party officials, or worldwide distribution of condoms. After reading this book I thought, why didn't I see this for myself? It's so simple. Address the cause, not the effects. If we don't, we all die. If we do, we survive. The entertaining little story of a priest's exploration of a supposed Antichrist is just a candy wrapper for a wonderful and profound message: all of this, these cities and farms and industrial plants and technology and all the rest ... are not what you have been told they are ... there is a reason to hope ... and it is possible for you, and I, to become part of the solution, to actually make a real difference
Rating: Summary: Website for the Book Review: Visit this website to be introduced to the world of "B"
Rating: Summary: Important novel that will change your impression of mankind Review: There is so much to say about this great book, too much to put into a couple of paragraphs. Along with Ishmael and Providence, The Story of B has reshaped my belief systems and opened my eyes to the truth. They have revealed to me the myths that we(mankind) base our lives on, and live according to. This book is so inspiring that there is a website devoted to it:
http://www.bnetwork.com/messages/guestbook.html
Please feel free to visit it, and learn more about the book.
Rating: Summary: Amazing fiction, and much, much, more. Review: Despite being an amazing story, the Story of B is not just a fictional novel. If you've read Ishmael, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It has a message, a point. In three amazing novels (Ishmael, Providence, and The Story of B), Quinn has captured the spirit of the sixties -- a spirit which desparately *wanted* to save the earth -- and has also combined it with a mission, a goal. This goal may yet save our planet
Rating: Summary: A more detailed look at The Story of B Review: I have reviewed this book, but the review is too long for this page. It may be seen at:
http://www.outdoingit.com/~taggart/philosophy/story_of_b.review.html
Rating: Summary: Follow-up to Ishmael gives readers hope--& responsibility Review: If you've read Ishmael, then on finishing it you probably asked yourself "Now what?--What can I do?" Quinn's latest novel ends by answering that question. This story follows a priest's conversion to animism under the tutelage of what his superiors believe to be the antichrist--a person called B. B is a colleague of Ishmael, and has begun publicly teaching the message that Ishmael presented in Quinn's earlier novel. But as B's following grows, so does the controversy and suspicion surrounding him. For those who enjoyed Ishmael, The Story of B is the perfect compliment to Quinn's messages of what's wrong and what we can do to save the Earth.
Rating: Summary: Better than "Ishmael"? You bet! Review: Thus far I have read three of Quinn's books - first "Ishmael," which I've read twice, then "My Ishmael," and now "The Story of B," which I can definitely say is my favorite of the three. However, I would advise anyone new to Quinn to start with "Ishmael," as it lays the foundation for his ideas. "The Story of B" takes the ideas from "Ishmael" further and looks at them in more depth. "My Ishmael," is one that you can either read or not. While it isn't a bad book, it's pretty much just a new way of packaging everything Quinn had already said in "Ishmael."Those who are already familiar with Quinn will know that his basic message is that our culture (NOT to be confused with the entire human race) is slowly and blindly destroying itself. He describes our culture as a "monster that is literally devouring the world - and will end by devouring itself if it isn't stopped" (pg. 88). The story he uses to frame his arguments in this book is as follows: Father Jared Osborne is a Catholic priest sent to Europe by his superiors in order to investigate a man known to his followers as B. This mysterious B has been traveling throughout Germany, spreading ideas that have the Church concerned he may be the Antichrist. Osborne is instructed to break into B's group of followers and determine whether he is or isn't as dangerous as he seems. I found it interesting that this book was written from the perspective of a Catholic priest, secure in his faith (initially, at least), whereas "Ishmael" was narrated by a disillusioned everyday citizen who already felt he had been "lied to" by "Mother Culture." This has the effect of presenting a direct challenge to doubting readers, whereas "Ishmael" more or less preaches to the choir (i.e. those who already suspect that something isn't quite right with the way we're living). While I'm afraid "The Story of B" may still, to some degree, preach to the choir, I do believe it is more powerful and convincing than "Ishmael" was (though I loved "Ishmael" as well). "The Story of B" also takes great steps in making itself palatable to a broader audience. It combines "Ishmael"-style dialogue-learning with a series of lectures. These lectures are presented in a separate section at the end of the book, but should be read as the story progresses, whenever the reader is signalled to do so. The protagonist in "The Story of B" may also be more sympathetic for readers than the protagonist of "Ishmael." Osborne, unlike the narrator of "Ishmael," is clearly an educated and intellectual man. Many readers of "Ishmael" were turned off by the narrator's apparent dimness (though this was just a device Quinn used in his attempt to make his ideas more accessible). While Osborne still has his dim moments, "The Story of B" does put more responsiblity on the reader to analyze what they're reading and draw their own conclusions. One thing I particularly like about Quinn's style of writing here is that he presents his ideas in "meal-sized" chunks. Each chapter is broken up into smaller sub-chapters, providing plenty of good stopping places if the reader needs time to sit back and absorb something they've just read. And even if you do read the whole thing in a few long sittings, the story is structured in such a way that you'll get the necessary "thinking breaks" anyway. Whenever Quinn thinks his readers need a break from the heavy idea-driven stuff, he gives the protagonist himself some time off in a more plot-driven series of events. What really made "The Story of B" stand out for me, however, is that it calls the reader to action, whereas "Ishmael" merely got the reader thinking. This book starts off much as "Ishmael" did, with the protagonist simply taking in ideas and not generating many of his own, but halfway through it takes a drastic and somewhat shocking change of direction. I wasn't sure if I liked this at first, but as I read on it became very clear what Quinn was doing, and I think he's quite successful. Anyone who found themselves stimulated by the ideas in "Ishmael" will no doubt find even more material of interest in "The Story of B."
Rating: Summary: A thousand piece jigsaw puzzle before your eyes Review: Quinn put a thousand scattered pieces I had in my head and put them into one incredible horrific jigsaw puzzle. The story is ok. It's the "public teachings" that are at the core of both this story and his purpose. We can't face the truth about ourselves. We have to believe that we are God's chosen, that which is removed and above nature. We wrote the history books, the bibles, the science books, the culture of human beings. It's all slanted in our favor and honor. Of course it is. How can we speak the truth without self-destructing as individuals and a culture? Too bad we can't face our place in the universe and upon the Earth. We're not so bad. Just full of ourselves. This book will shake you to your foundation. It will leave you a bit lost and empty. But what is lost and empty can be found and filled again. Intuitively I knew the truth before I read the book. A great thank you for putting it together so profoundly and so clearly.
Rating: Summary: Modern Prophet Review: The fates conspired for me to read a book by Daniel Quinn. In the space of one week, three friends and a respected teacher independently recommended that I read something by him. They all said it would change my life. And it has. The first book by Quinn that I read was Ishmael, which was fitting, as it was the first one he wrote. In this book, he presents his vision of the future of humanity. It is a dismal one, but not a doomed one. In the form of a didactic conversation between a silver-back gorilla and a middle-aged man, Quinn postulates that at a point in history roughly 10,000 years ago, the main branch of Homo sapiens struck out from the rest of the tree of life into dangerous territory. Ishmael, the gorilla, has a philosophy of teaching that revolves around the fact that knowledge means nothing unless it comes from within the student. Quinn shares that outlook, and through his use of parables and other literary teaching devices, draws out his message from within his audience. Quinn teaches us what we already know but have not placed in context. I next read Quinn's second book, The Story of B, which does not follow from the end of Ishmael but instead expands on it in a different direction. The teacher in this book is not a gorilla, examining the human species from outside the flow of its history, but instead an itinerant preacher called "B," who is roaming central Europe. Quinn's style also varies, in that here he presents his message for the most part in the form of speeches, without as much concern for what the reader understands. This lecture is interspersed with moments of reflection on behalf of Jared, a Laurentian priest sent to infiltrate B's movement to determine if he is the anti-Christ. Quinn expands his message in this book in order to embrace a wider audience. Quinn's most recent novel is My Ishmael, in which Quinn again uses the relationship between the gorilla Ishmael and a student to illustrate his points. His main purpose in this book, though, is to show his readers how to effectively change the society in which we live, so that humanity does not run out of time on the course it chose for itself 10,000 years ago. Quinn has Ishmael teach Julie, a twelve year-old girl, how to teach others what she has learned, and how to "save the world." From my experience, The Story of B is Quinn's most exciting and intellectually engaging tale, and also the one that shows the most hope for the future. However, I would definitely suggest reading them in order, as his philosophy in each book builds on the prior ones, to some degree. But, as Ishmael teaches his students--each telling is different and independent of the others. Since Quinn cannot make you understand things that aren't already within you, cannot answer questions that you aren't ready to ask, you must enter each of his books keeping in mind the personal ad that begins both Ishmael and My Ishamel: TEACHER SEEKS PUPIL. Must have a serious desire to save the world.
Rating: Summary: Up there with Asimov and Herbert Review: in the study and reflexion of Human Life on Planet Earth . Not for those that think the earth is flat , like those opposed to Darwin , etc ...
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