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New book from Daniel Quinn! If They Give You Lined Paper, Write Sideways "One of the most troublesome questions I've been asked--and it's been asked hundreds of times--is: 'Where do these strange ideas of yours come from?' In the beginning, I thought it was just the usual where-do-you-get-your-ideas? question that all authors receive. My readers soon set me straight. Read more ... Excerpt 1 Excerpt 2 Excerpt 3

Check out the News and Information Announcements...

If Ishmael Were Not "Ishmael..."

What would he be?



This is Daniel Quinn's own handwriting as he scribbled the various possible names for the main character in his yet-to-be award-winning novel... Lots of people wonder why "Ishmael?" Here's the answer...

"According to our cultural mythology, God lost interest in all other creatures on this planet when humans came along. (Although nonhumans came first, our mythology tells us they were not God's "true" children. Rather, it is humans who are God's true children.) According to Genesis, this is exactly what happened to Ishmael when Isaac came along: his father Abraham lost interest in him. (Although Ishmael came first, he was not Abraham "true" son. Rather it was Isaac who was his true son.) In other words, what Genesis says happened to Ishmael is exactly what our mythology says happened to the non-human community on this planet. This makes "Ishmael" an appropriate name for someone who speaks for this community."

This is the answer to question number 11 in the Q and A section of this website. There are over 200 other questions and answers therein...


Other parts of the Annals of Ishmael:

Alternate Ending || Turner Tomorrow Fellowship
Ishmael Inspired || Ishmael Rejection Letters
NOT "Ishmael"?! || Ishmael Translated ||