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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
The entire book is built upon faulty premises. It is presented in a manner insulting to anybody with even slightly above average intelligence. I agree that mankind is going to have to be pretty creative to fix the mess we've made, but I don't agree with Quinn's incredibly pessimistic conclusions about early human history, or his blown up interpretation of a few chapters in Genesis. I'm not even a religious person, but I think Quinn was reaching pretty far on those ones.
"For every complex problem there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong." H. L. Mencken.
A lot of fun at times, horribly frustrating at others. The format of the book struck me as a nice way to continually set up straw man arguments and then tear them down. That's the simplest of my complaints.
A lot of fun at times, horribly frustrating at others. The format of the book struck me as a nice way to continually set up straw man arguments and then tear them down. That's the simplest of my complaints.
One of the more well-thought out and bold fiction-as-philosophical-argument books. Reminds one of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
Though some of the paths the reader is taken through don't hold up under direct scrutiny, the generalized message and delivery are valuable enough that it is worth the quick read, and surely will alter his or her worldview permanently.
Though some of the paths the reader is taken through don't hold up under direct scrutiny, the generalized message and delivery are valuable enough that it is worth the quick read, and surely will alter his or her worldview permanently.
I had to read this as part of a college philosophy class. I finished it overnight. I was fascinated by it's premise and had to give it a lot of thought. Ultimately I came to my own conclusions but what a wild ride into a new paradigm. A complete challenge to the way we live our lives and view the world around us. Agree or disagree, this is a fun thought provoking work well worth reading and discussing.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book can be both good and bad. For those who believe we operate outside of social conventions and norms, this is a great introduction to the disillusionment of that reality. For those who have already learned that we operate within a mythology, and that it is impossible to completely escape it, this book will feel pedantic. So to those new to the world who have experience little disillusionment, I would highly recommend this novel. Otherwise, I would recommend something postmodern, if you're looking for something a little more complex.
In addition, there are MANY facts about animals and "native people" that this book got patently wrong. I don't necessarily fault the author, as a lot of animal behavior theory is a more recent science, but it ruined the book for me. There is a romanticization of everything "natural" (ie, out of the realm of human influence) that was also misinformed (think: Noble Savage theory, but applied to everything non-human).
On a positive note, I found the writing style engaging. In the parts where I wasn't furiously scribbling about scientific inaccuracies, I could fall into the writing. It's so sad how many facts this books got wrong - I believe it could have been one of my favorites otherwise.
In addition, there are MANY facts about animals and "native people" that this book got patently wrong. I don't necessarily fault the author, as a lot of animal behavior theory is a more recent science, but it ruined the book for me. There is a romanticization of everything "natural" (ie, out of the realm of human influence) that was also misinformed (think: Noble Savage theory, but applied to everything non-human).
On a positive note, I found the writing style engaging. In the parts where I wasn't furiously scribbling about scientific inaccuracies, I could fall into the writing. It's so sad how many facts this books got wrong - I believe it could have been one of my favorites otherwise.
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
I'm about 30 pages in and was pretty so so on finishing but reading all the one star reviews has actually piqued my interest instead of making me not want to read anymore. Is it really thaaaaaaaat awful? I gotta see.