The Story of B

This was a fantastic semi-sequel to Ishmael. Having read Quinn's first novel, my thought-process had already been stirred and open to his ideas. I understood the heart of what he was saying, as well as the logistics. I craved more.

The Story of B. gave it to me. What I found in this novel was a fantastic plot that I became increasingly engaged in as it developed - something I did not have on such a scale with Ishmael. Also, I found a deepening of Quinn's perspective/theory/whatever-you-want-to-call-it throughout the novel. I loved that the teachings were left to the end of the book, so you could choose to read them in context or separately. I chose the latter, because I was so engaged with the story and felt I had a good base with the show more philosophy, although I did read a few of them in context. I don't regret that way of reading, because I feel I got just as much out of it and then was able to confirm and tweak a few ideas afterwards while reading the teachings more thoroughly.

All in all, this is a fantastic read -- engaging and even more thought-provoking than its precursor, Ishmael. It was hard to continue with Quinn to My Ishmael, returning to the questioning format, after such a great plot. show less

I truly don't know why/how I didn't come across these books in high school--I wish I had. It's a series (so far) that I'd say deserves to have been widely read, and yet the folks I come across who've read these books seem to be few and far between. And even though those I speak to about them rave about them...the books simply aren't well-known.

I get it. They're not plot-heavy and full of blockbuster action. But the intelligent and careful presentation of character and ideas, the way they lay out what it seems clear we should have been taught in schools (but weren't) in a landscape of fiction...well, exciting or not, it feels rather they like they ought to be required reading, to be quite honest. I wish they were, and maybe we'd live in show more a better world.

This is the second book in the series, beginning with Ishmael, and I look forward to picking up the third.

If you've not yet read Ishmael, I hope you will. show less

Overall a solid book, and a worthy follow up to Ishmael. The story occasionally felt awkward, and the book was a bit too preachy (as expected), but it was still wonderfully written at times (see below). My biggest issue with it was that I disagreed somewhat with the underlying assumptions of the arguments made (totalitarian agriculture is the hardest way to live?!), which made it hard to be blown away. Recommended to those who like Ishmael.

"Remember that your tracks are one strand of the web woven endlessly in the hand of god. They're tied to those of the mouse in the field, the eagle on the mountain, the crab in its hold, the lizard beneath its rock. The leaf that falls to the ground a thousand miles away touches your life. The impress show more of your food in the soil is felt through a thousand generations." - 186-187 show less

My mind had already exploded with "Ishmael," so this book wasn't quite as "earth-shattering," but it's still good, with lots of great moments of insight. The plot's a little dramatic, but the message is strong despite it.

Intended to be read after Quinn's "Ishmael", "The Story of B" follows the same principles and ideas formally presented in "Ishamel". The major difference between the two books, is that rather than a transcribed conversation, "The Story of B" consists of an actual plot and events. The new concept introduced, also, is that of Animism. Other than this, the novel serves as a fortification of the beliefs outlined in the previous book.
I found this novel to be much more entertaining than its predecessor, but at the same time contain fewer original ideas. It seems to be a rehashing of the same "totalitarian agriculture" oratory, with the "animist" twist added. The addition of a plot line to the story allows the reader to identify much more show more closely with the protagonist. I also found it most helpful to read the 'diary' in conjunction with the actual story, which seemed to enhance the book's overall effect.
This is in retrospect a very informative, enjoyable, didactic read, but at the same time does justice to the original "Ishmael". The lack of new thoughts and ideas is balanced out by the entertaining plot. show less

Moving in a different direction from "Ishmael" and "My Ishmael", but keeping to the same overall story, it questions what ends the establishment, here represented by a religious order, might take to suppress potentially "harmful" information.

The message is we should always keep an open mind and question the common wisdom.

The third of Quinn's books I've read. What he writes makes great sense, but I'm at a loss as to how to get back to the "tribal" mentality.