welcome to

“Ishmael” is the book that Quinn first wrote in 1977. It eventually surfaced again as a novel in 1990. After many rejections, it was put forward for, and won, the Turner Tomorrow Fellowship. It was finally published in 1992.

The book starts with the hero answering an advertisement: “Teacher seeks pupil. Must have earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person.”  He is surprised to find that the teacher is a gorilla who communicates with him telepathically.

I have to admit that I found the idea of this a little twee but, as the book had been recommended by so many people I respected, I persevered, and I am so glad that I did. The fictional device works and there are very good reasons why the author has chosen to communicate his ideas in this unusual form.

Although outwardly a novel, the book is really one of ideas, and really big ones at that as it concerns itself with the survival of humanity and all of the other species on the planet. Almost everyone I have urged to read this book has been delighted and disturbed by its contents.

You won’t agree with everything in this book but it will certainly provide you with lots to think about and discuss.

I can also recommend the website dedicated to Quinn’s ideas, www.ishmael.com.

(For those of you who know the Graves Model or Spiral Dynamics you may be interested to check out where Quinn is on the spiral; I find a lot of his ideas high-level Green, and there is nothing wrong with that.)