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Summary: Make up your own mind--this book is worth reading
Review: Although I wouldn't categorize this book as "life changing", I also don't agree with many reviewers that _Ishmael_ is a waste of time or poorly written. Granted, the protagonist of this story is quite dense and the premise of the "Takers" and the "Leavers" is pretty redundant at times... and okay-- the ideas expressed aren't exactly new or original. I'll give the negative reviewers that. But... this book makes you think. I originally read it for a Sociology project in college and have re-read it 3 or 4 times since. Its simplicity and repetition makes the concepts easy to understand. I don't agree with other reviewers that you have to be stupid to find value in the arguments in this book. They are clear, concise, and well-articulated. I'm not a theologian or a philosophy scholar but I am interested in making our world a safer place for ALL creatures. This book reaffirmed my beliefs that we--as humans--have overstepped our bounds in regards to our use and destruction of the earth. Read this book. Make up your own mind. You're not stupid for wanting your arguments to be spelled out concretely.
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Summary: Review in Context
Review: Understandably, Quinn beats folks over the head with his leaver/taker message, though I think its important and a useful writing style. At times his arguments are cloudy and I think he uses the obtuseness of the protagonist to restate his arguments to the readers that may not have grasped his original intent. That being said, no wonder it is popular to the younger generation -- or those not accustomed to ancient philosophy or even more contemporary writings. This is not necessarily a problem though, until you pick up the "Story of B" which is basically a re-hashing of the same arguments made in Ishmael. The "Story of B" is horrible and really goes nowhere, even with its pathetic attempt at plot. "Ishmael" however is a refreshing re-visit of our culture and Ishmael's characterization of "Mother Culture" is as accurate as it is appalling. How can you deny the main premise: A. Mother Culture teaches us to produce more food that we can use.
B. We reproduce in direct correlation with the amount of available food.
C. The more we reproduce, the more food we need. Quinn's distillation and modernization of Malthusian and Bentham's writings on population is noteworthy, and given that it is not earth-shattering information, the fact that this book has created countless diaglogues and opened the TV-sealed minds of high school students makes it worth the read and discussion. For those reviewers too "intelligent" to enjoy this book, why not critique the theory rather than the approach?
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Summary: Stolen from Disney Movie Plots
Review: The gist of this work of pseudo-philosophy is that human beings are evil takers who have ransacked the earth, and the animals are those who give back to the earth. This is a an evil/good binary philosophy for environmentalists written in such a simplified generalized way that the entire works comes off as propaganda written for the mouth of a anthropomorphic gorrilla. The soapbox is higher than the Sears Tower. Cute Lovable Animals. Evil Humans. How is this different from hundreds of Disney movie plots?
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Summary: You Are Not Alone (in hating this book.)
Review: I've been a high school teacher for many, many years, and the one book students metioned more than any other was 'Ishmael.' "It will change your life", they said. I finally gave in, and am relieved to know that my life has indeed changed in one important way: I never have to read 'Ishmael' again. Daniel Quinn is possibly the most misanthropic and pedantic author I've ever encountered. Make no mistake: the insights, observations and ideas in this book are passe at best. If you are a reasonably thoughtful and educated person over the age of 18, this book holds nothing for you. I suppose this recommeds the book as children's literature to an extent, but it is unfortunately so poorly written that I would withold even that. To make a very long list of grievances very short, I will say this: Quinn is reminiscent of nothing so much as a college freshman, so drunk with the recent loss of his apparently total ignorance that he is convinced that he is the first person in human history to understand elementary philosophy, theology and anthropology. Reading his book is like being lectured by an idiot, in the sense that no arrogance rankles like that of the truly dumb. I had to restrain myself from tracking down the author's email address out of pure human compassion: Mr. Quinn is somehow living under the terrible delusion that humanity is composed entirely of idiots. Over and over I had the feeling I was reading a hideous rewrite of 'Waiting for the Barbarians', one in which the narrator never figured out who the damn barbarians are. I am very grateful for the reviews here, which reaffirmed my continuing faith in the basic intelligence of my species. And horrible as this sounds, I have a recommendation - a sincere one - for those of you who are enthralled by "Ishmael": go back to school. This book pales next to the myriad wonders available to you through thoughtful study at any decent university.
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Summary: A riveting description of a tragedy in the making
Review: Ishmael offers some thought-provoking and profound insights. I especially found interesting his interpretation of the story of Genesis. Some of the negative reviews seem to be in response to the heavy-handed and pedantic tone of the novel. I was struck most by the book's depressing message. Ishmael is essentially a tragedy, the tragedy of modern human civilization. All species, humans included, are ultimately doomed to extinction; moving from a leaver society to a taker society simply speeds up the process. Short of a nuclear holocaust blowing mankind back to the stone age, I think it is highly unlikely that we can return to a leaver society. For one, to quote a lyric, "anti-technology is an impossibility". Secondly, simply spreading the Ishmael doctrine will never be enough as long as cultivating the mind of the "messenger" is disregarded. Ishmael's students included a disenchanted writer and an ex-convict; how effectively would they spread the doctrine? If taker society cannot be converted, then at least it can be improved by mindful, compassionate individual acts. I follow the Buddhist concept that one can make the world better by first improving oneself. My viewpoint may turn out to be equally faulty, but at least it is an optimistic and hopeful response to all the terrible things in this world today.
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Summary: To all who hate this book...
Review: ...you must have been looking for entertainemnt. I will disregard all students who were 'forced' to read it in school or college - but for the rest - this is as good as anthropology comes. Yes, some ideas are not new, but the format is superb. Daniel Quinn is a genius. I challenge anybody to find another book as important as this one within the last 15 years...I for one have not found one so far. He is a genius and therefore will evoke strong feelings regarding his work. A must read for everybody, I can't wait to pass it on to my daughter.
Rating: 
Summary: not worthwhile
Review: A friend of mine told me to read this book, I did and after thinking about it just now, would not recommend it to anyone else. Daniel (Ishmael) doesn't actually end up challenging the student (you or I) to think at all, as the student of the story rarely puts two and two together (as the Ape keeps reminding him a million times, "you're not thinking!"). Theres no fun it that, its as if he only wants you to listen, not share! I got the feeling Daniel wrote this in real-time, i.e the protagonist goes for a cup of coffee, and so did the author.
Re the prize, well he obviously beat the competition, however that speaks to the qualities of this book.
It kept me reading though, because he tended to finish every chapter with a question.The author shares his views well enough, theres just one point that tainted it all, and that is that we are not above but rather closer to the animals of this world in design, purpose, he proposes that we are only one step in the evolutionary chain - whereas in Christian belief, humans are meant to rule over them? Its just that, I never believed animals could choose anything?...
I was going to leave this review on a question, like Daniel does, but I won't.
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Summary: A simple, but immensely important message.
Review: No, this book is not on the same level as Faulkner and Hemingway. Guess what? Doesn't matter. The message of Ishmael is what is truly important. That message? That humanity, through an understanding of its own cultural psychology, can alter its destructive habits. Many have criticized Ishmael as a work that is too "simple", and that only children could benefit from its message. To them I would like to say, "Then why didn't YOU write it, when the Turner Fellowship, and the half a million dollar prize?" Just because the message is simple, does not mean it is important.
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Summary: Ishmael Review
Review: Ishmael is a book that really makes you think about the development of the life we live, and what effects our lifestyle is having on the world. It opens up an entirely new point of view of how eveything "came to be the way that is is now." It is very interesting and bring up topics you normally wouldn't think about. I really enjoyed reading it, and would recommend it to any audience who has an open mind and wishes to be introduced to an entirely new way of thinking.
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Summary: Ishmael...aaahhhh
Review: This book stinks! Aren't you supposed to actually understand it. When I had finished it (because the school assigned it), I burned it and then ate it! This book is like a dictionary. Step away kids, this book is dangerous.
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