Ishmael – Daniel Quinn

Ishmael is an amazing book. Daniel Quinn looks hard at the myths of our culture, and what they propel us towards – ultimately, extinction. As a young teenager, this was my first foray into the world of sustainability, and it is wrapped up in a most unique tale of fiction. Daniel Quinn has written quite a few other books – Ishmael is part of a trilogy, and he wrote others beyond that – but this is the place to start. It actually was originally a work of philosophy he’d been chewing on unsuccessfully for a number of years, and then turned into a work of fiction, winning the Turner Tomorrow Fellowship Award, and the largest prize for any work of fiction. The call was for works of fiction that offered creative and positive solutions to global problems.

It sparked a significant following, and is a cornerstone read of the sustainability movement. No other work does as much to question the biases and tales of our modern civilization, and no other work is as effective as portraying them in a different light, where it becomes all to easy to understand the perils involved. The biggest myth – that how we are doing it now is the way that humans have to live, were meant to.

It is truly a treat to read, and I recommend the whole series. I will link to his remaining works elsewhere, but – few things are more iconic than:

‘Teacher seeks student. Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person.’

I love this book, and firmly believe that everyone should read it at least once. Nowhere else will you get these views, this kind of meta-analysis of humanity. Enjoy, reflect, and then take action! Remember – ‘If the world is saved, it will not be saved by old minds with new programs but by new minds with no programs at all.’