Monday, November 30, 2015

Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit Book Review

Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit Book Review
I'm not sure that I have ever written a review of a book that I did not like. That I struggled to read. That I forced myself through.

Why? Well, because in the first place I likely would not read a book all the way through that I did not like unless it was assigned reading for school or, in my case, for a book club reading selection and secondly, I would be unlikely to want to write about a book that I did not particularly enjoy.

So why am I writing about a book that I did not like?  I am doing so because sometimes you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone, because Ishmael offers up a lot to think about and because the fact that I did not care for a book does not mean that others will not.

In the case of Ishmael, 67 percent of Amazon's readers gave Ishmael a 5 star rating and only about 18 percent gave it three stars or less. Unless, of course, more people are likely to leave a good book review than a bad review. (Like me.) Anyway, I guess I fit in the 3 stars or less portion since I would give it 3 stars at least in terms of how much enjoyment I received from the book. Maybe I would give it more stars because of the thought provoking subject matter...

Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit was written by Daniel Quinn and was winner of the Turner Tomorrow Fellowship.

Here's the storyline, straight from the book:

The narrator of this extraordinary tale is a man in search for truth. He answers an ad in a local newspaper from a teacher looking for serious pupils, only to find himself alone in an abandoned office with a full-grown gorilla who is nibbling delicately on a slender branch. “You are the teacher?” he asks incredulously. “I am the teacher,” the gorilla replies…

Ishmael shares his wisdom about and knowledge of the life of the earth from the very beginning to the end. He makes that lesson difficult and he asks the questions, “Is it man’s destiny to rule the world? Or is it a higher destiny possible for him—one more wonderful than he has ever imagined?”

This simple short, two-minute video, well presented by a reader on a typewriter, sums up the book Ishamel quite nicely:



Ishmael definitely provides a lot to think about though maybe no answers. It's a book to be read carefully. It's not a light read, which is normally what I prefer. I usually use reading as relaxation time and therefore choose something that is more entertaining. Sometimes, however, it is good to have something that makes you stop and think, like Ishmael.

So, is Ishmael recommended by me? I guess it is. If you are looking for a thinking book and not an entertaining book.

How about it then? Are you up for the challenge? If you read Ishmael, be sure to come back and let us know down below in the comment section what YOU think.

See you
in the book aisle!
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

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7 comments:

  1. A very interesting book review Brenda! Like you, I prefer to read light, easy, entertaining books, but on rare occasions, I do pick up a book that requires concentration. One that will challenge me or make me think. I'll will keep this book review in mind when I am seeking that kind of book again.

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  2. Add me to the list of those who prefer to read (most of the time) for pleasure and relaxation. I probably wouldn't read this book, but I'm fascinated by the review. So maybe, like Cynthia, I'll come back to the book sometime when I'm looking for something to make me think outside my comfort zone.

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  3. Add me to the list of those who prefer to read (most of the time) for pleasure and relaxation. I probably wouldn't read this book, but I'm fascinated by the review. So maybe, like Cynthia, I'll come back to the book sometime when I'm looking for something to make me think outside my comfort zone.

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  4. Brenda, your book review is excellent and thought-provoking. One almost HAS to read this book to see what makes it such a challenging read!

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  5. Well now you've gone and done it! you've peaked my interest, dayam girl like I didn't have enough to do already :)

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  6. Thanks, ladies for your visits and comments.
    If you do choose to read Ishmael, I hope you'll come back and tell us what you think.

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  7. Brenda, this was an excellent review, and I'll pass it on for others to read. I haven't had time lately to even read the books I don't have to think about. This sounds interesting, and you've aroused my curiosity, but I doubt if I'll read the book because I treasure my rare reading moments for escape fiction and the WTJ articles my husband keeps handing me marked for me to read. Reading these days comes out of my sleeping time.

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