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
Quick Link:
Buy Ishamel on Amazon in whatever form you read your books.
Discover fascinating new, used and vintage books in my eBay store.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
FOLLOW US ON:
