Ishmael: Bonus Material

hockey sticks
Re-purposing the graphic used for Death by Hocky Sticks. Image by AS Photograpy from Pixabay.

This is part of a series of posts representing ideas from the book, Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn. I view the ideas explored in Ishmael to be so important to the world that it seems everyone should have a chance to be exposed. I hope this treatment inspires you to read the original.

In the Foreword to the 25th anniversary printing, starting on page xxiv, Daniel Quinn offers seven pages of additional material that he suggests could be appended to what is already the longest chapter in the book. The audiobook I listened to rolls right into this material at the end of Chapter 9 without pausing to indicate that it was not in the original.

Rather than making the Chapter 9 post even longer than it already is, I decided to make a separate entry for this material (also inserted into the schedule so-as not to disrupt the normal cadence of two “real” chapters per week).

Unlike the original content, this addendum is not split into numbered sections. I create section headings all the same just to break things up a bit.

Continue reading

Views: 103

Ishmael: Chapter 9

By Lucas Cranach the Elder (Wikimedia)

This is part of a series of posts representing ideas from the book, Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn. I view the ideas explored in Ishmael to be so important to the world that it seems everyone should have a chance to be exposed. I hope this treatment inspires you to read the original.

In Chapter NINE, Quinn offers an intriguing and compelling take on the Garden of Eden story in the bible. This long chapter is presented in 17 numbered subsections, beginning on page 149 of the original printing and page 159 of the 25th anniversary printing. The sections below mirror this arrangement in the book. See the launch post for notes on conventions I have adopted for this series.

Continue reading

Views: 355

Ishmael: Chapter 8

Royalty-free image from PickPik.

This is part of a series of posts representing ideas from the book, Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn. I view the ideas explored in Ishmael to be so important to the world that it seems everyone should have a chance to be exposed. I hope this treatment inspires you to read the original.

In Chapter EIGHT, Alan finally works out the Law of Life and explores its implications. This chapter is presented in 10 numbered subsections, beginning on page 123 of the original printing and page 129 of the 25th anniversary printing. The sections below mirror this arrangement in the book. See the launch post for notes on conventions I have adopted for this series.

Continue reading

Views: 811

Ishmael: Chapter 7

Photo by Buiobuione on Wikimedia Commons

This is part of a series of posts representing ideas from the book, Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn. I view the ideas explored in Ishmael to be so important to the world that it seems everyone should have a chance to be exposed. I hope this treatment inspires you to read the original.

In Chapter SEVEN, Alan continues to have difficulty identifying the Law of Life. This short chapter is presented in four numbered subsections, beginning on page 111 of the original printing and page 117 of the 25th anniversary printing. The sections below mirror this arrangement in the book. See the launch post for notes on conventions I have adopted for this series.

Continue reading

Views: 966

Ishmael: Chapter 6

This is part of a series of posts representing ideas from the book, Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn. I view the ideas explored in Ishmael to be so important to the world that it seems everyone should have a chance to be exposed. I hope this treatment inspires you to read the original.

Chapter SIX begins Alan’s quest to discover the Law of Life, during which Ishmael frequently employs analogies to more familiar laws of nature like gravity and aerodynamics to help Alan perceive the contours of the law. This chapter is presented in six numbered subsections, beginning on page 93 of the original printing and page 97 of the 25th anniversary printing. The sections below mirror this arrangement in the book. See the launch post for notes on conventions I have adopted for this series.

Continue reading

Views: 817

Ishmael: Chapter 5

This is part of a series of posts representing ideas from the book, Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn. I view the ideas explored in Ishmael to be so important to the world that it seems everyone should have a chance to be exposed. I hope this treatment inspires you to read the original.

Chapter FIVE is where Alan presents the final part of Taker mythology: about why things are the way they are. This chapter is presented in seven numbered subsections, beginning on page 77 of the original printing and page 81 of the 25th anniversary printing. The sections below mirror this arrangement in the book. See the launch post for notes on conventions I have adopted for this series.

Continue reading

Views: 986

Ishmael: Chapter 4

Conquer the Earth! From Wikimedia Commons

This is part of a series of posts representing ideas from the book, Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn. I view the ideas explored in Ishmael to be so important to the world that it seems everyone should have a chance to be exposed. I hope this treatment inspires you to read the original.

Chapter FOUR is where Alan presents the middle part of Taker mythology about why things are the way they are. This short chapter is presented in five numbered subsections, beginning on page 65 of the original printing and page 69 of the 25th anniversary printing. The sections below mirror this arrangement in the book. See the launch post for notes on conventions I have adopted for this series.

Continue reading

Views: 840

Ishmael: Chapter 3

Photo by Aminhadia72 (Wikimedia Commons)

This is part of a series of posts representing ideas from the book, Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn. I view the ideas explored in Ishmael to be so important to the world that it seems everyone should have a chance to be exposed. I hope this treatment inspires you to read the original.

This post covers Chapter THREE, when Ishmael extracts the beginning of the Taker story from Alan. Chapter 3 is presented in eight numbered subsections, beginning on page 47 of the original printing and page 51 of the 25th anniversary printing. The sections below mirror this arrangement in the book. See the launch post for notes on conventions I have adopted for this series.

Continue reading

Views: 1122