Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

[PopeTom]

I was thinking of going to my local library and picking up a copy of Ishmael (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553375407/sr=8-1/qid=1154347850/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-2627150-9040654?ie=UTF8) by Daniel Quinn since I have a friend who has mentioned it to me in debates we have had over various global issues. My friend and I seem to agree to a point on what seem to be global problem, but differ like night and day on the best way to solve those issues. So I figured I'd try and get some insight on how he arrive to his conclusions by reading this book that seemed to influence him so strongly.

The problem is after reading the official website (http://www.ishmael.org/welcome.cfm) and this (http://www.readishmael.com/readishhome.html) fan-site I get the same weird creepy feeling I got when I first saw TV commercials for Dienetics. Between the those two site I get the message that this book holds the answers to all my 'problems' in life and the best thing I can do to help save the world is recommend others read the book.

I am curious if anyone here has read this book and their opinions of it. Is it worth the read, or would I be better served pursuing other writings on possible solutions to the currently perceived global issues (AGW, overpopulation, extinction of species, etc)?

Thanks,

[Walk The Line]

I was thinking of going to my local library and picking up a copy of Ishmael (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553375407/sr=8-1/qid=1154347850/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-2627150-9040654?ie=UTF8) by Daniel Quinn since I have a friend who has mentioned it to me in debates we have had over various global issues. My friend and I seem to agree to a point on what seem to be global problem, but differ like night and day on the best way to solve those issues. So I figured I'd try and get some insight on how he arrive to his conclusions by reading this book that seemed to influence him so strongly.

The problem is after reading the official website (http://www.ishmael.org/welcome.cfm) and this (http://www.readishmael.com/readishhome.html) fan-site I get the same weird creepy feeling I got when I first saw TV commercials for Dienetics. Between the those two site I get the message that this book holds the answers to all my 'problems' in life and the best thing I can do to help save the world is recommend others read the book.

I am curious if anyone here has read this book and their opinions of it. Is it worth the read, or would I be better served pursuing other writings on possible solutions to the currently perceived global issues (AGW, overpopulation, extinction of species, etc)?

Thanks,


It's been about five years since I read the book, so the details are a little fuzzy for me. At the time, I thought some of the ideas were interesting, as the book re-interprets human history, notably through the Cain and Abel story. If I were to read it again with a more skeptical eye, I'd probably find a lot more problems than I did the first time around.

The books discusses problems with over-population, and how some groups are good (Leavers), and others are bad (Takers). Overall, I'd say there are better, more scienitifc books to read. But, at least if you read the book you'll know what people are talking about and you can point out the flaws with it.

Now i'm sort of wanting to re-read it more critically.

[Silly Green Monkey]

Certainly a member on the forum I help moderate speaks of the book as though it were Holy Writ and the inevitibility of humankind.