This is my second copy of Ishmael, because I think everyone needs to read this.
I labeled it nonfiction, although it is a novel, because it is about reality, our reality.
And I rated it a 10, because it might be the most important book for us.
Nrrdgrrl brought this copy from the States. Thank you!

RELEASE NOTES:

As bookring to
Suzy26
MacHunter
Netstation (Coventry, England)
Pepita-di-corfu (Greece)
ajsmom (Canada)

Received this book in the mail yesterday. I will start reading it right away as Biba89's raving reports made me very curious....

Thanks for sending it to me Biba89!

Wow, this is some book! It starts out as a story about a teacher seeking a pupil who must have an earnest desire to save the world. But then this teacher turns out to be a gorilla and bit by bit he unfolds his theory about how things came to be this way in the world. If you take the time and trouble to go along with Ishmael’s reasoning, first you get confused, because Ishmael’s theory goes against everything you have heard before or at least you have never looked at it this way, but in the end you have to admit that it all makes perfect sense. While I was reading this book and even after I finished it, I kept going over and over it in my mind. Up until now I lived under the illusion that modern technology would be able to find solutions for the problems of the world, but now it seems this world is doomed anyway. Unless mankind is prepared to relinquish its hold on the world. But this requires a huge change of people’s minds and I am pessimistic about the chances of that. Maybe if we could get everyone to read Ishmael….

There is one thing in this book that is especially haunting my mind. In Ishmael’s theory it used to be like this: a community will thrive and expand once there is enough food. When the group gets too big, there will not be enough food, people will starve and as a consequence the group will decrease again. These days some parts of the world have a considerable surplus of food, so whenever there is a famine somewhere, food is sent, resulting in a growth of the population. So, instead of solving the problem we only increase it. Is the author saying that we should stop sending food to starving people?

All in all a very interesting book. I will now pass it on to MacHunter.

Boek is vandaag met de post binnengekomen. Een splinternieuw, nog ongelezen boek! Ik ben benieuwd.
Naar Engeland sturen is geen probleem, trouwens. Maar wel pas als ik het uit heb ;-)

It did take some time for this copy to return home. I want to reread it, soon, and then I will send it off to Netstation.

RELEASE NOTES:

Since another copy arrived home for me to read, this one goes off to Netstation.

Waiting for me when I got home this evening. Thanks, Biba, for once I don't have a whole stack of bookring books to go at, so this is next up!

I've had this book far too long, but in a good cause: let me explain.

When I first read it I was, like other readers here, swept away by the scope of the ideas presented by Ishmael to his student. It seemed far too simple, too glib almost, that the reason the world is the way it is could be explained by a single theory. I thought that I may simply have got caught up in the emotional tugging within the book. So many of the building blocks of Ishmael's theory accorded with my own poorly-informed but sincerely held views that I was left admiring the skill of the author. That one could catch me so many times nodding in agreement with his thinking seemed to prove that he was very adept at 'reaching' his audience. Then I had second thoughts; after all I wasn't one of his intended audience. Had it not been for Biba89's enthusiastic presentation I'd never have read this book. It's certainly not one I'd have selected in a bookstore, but there I was, reading away and nodding agreement almost every other page.

I asked two work colleagues to read the book during lunch breaks. Now one of these is a would-be 'Leaver' and the other very definitely a 'Taker' (You'll have to read the book to find out what these terms mean.) I have to say that the result surprised me. The Leaver returned the book with a look that said "Been there, done that, got the T-shirt" almost as if they were resigned to the fact that the knew the theory but nothing could be done. The Taker was stunned, and his reaction proved to me that something *can* be done. He'd simply never seen thoughts presented in this fashion before and even though he's not a keen reader he stuck with the book to the end. He recognised himself as a Taker and whilst I don't think he'll change all that much, and certainly not overnight, I really believe that he'll take on board some of the ideas. Certainly our conversations about the book have been some of the most interesting I've ever held with him.

As for me I'll definitely buy a copy of this for my PC. A book about a seemingly simple theory, propounded by the most intelligent Gorilla any reader is likely to encounter, that is by turn happy, sad, and always thought-provoking without being preachy definitely deserves a place in my bookcase.

Onwards now, to Pepita-di-corfu.

i just received the book. I've heard so much about it, nothing negative, and so that makes me so eager to read it. Thank you so very much biba89 for sharing it and Netstation for passing it on!

i just finished readig the book. It was a totally different read from the ones i do lately. I really liked it as it put me into consideration. I'm so glad biba89 decided to share this with all of us and i think the message on the postcard included is one of the most beautiful i've ever read. You sure helped me wake up!!
I'm now PMing ajsmom to ask for an address

RELEASE NOTES:

after keeping it a while, i'm now sending it back to biba89, with the hope that it will keep on travelling!

And Ishmael is home safe. Thanks for sending it back, pepita-di-corfu!
I think I might try to start another ring.

This book had been read by several people in between, none of them bookcrossers or anonymous journallers, but some minds were changed all the same.
Now I lent it to Boris, a very talented and loving nature guide. I am curious to learn how he likes it.