Less than 24 hours from the moment I began reading it, I have finished all 264 pages of Daniel Quinn's Ishmael.

Essentially, the book consists of a series of dialoges between the narrator, who represents the modern day everyman, and a very wise gorilla named Ishmael. Through these conversations, the gorilla teaches him about mankind's place in the world, our true past, and possibilities for the future.

Seriously, that's the summary, although it hardly does the book justice. There's quite a bit of profound stuff in it. A lot of time is spent on points that I would have considered quite astounding a few years ago, but which now seem fairly elementry to me, thanks in large part, I suppose, to the web of consciousness that has grown up around us.

I really liked the way Ishmael re-interpreted the story of the Garden of Eden and Cain and Abel by putting them into the context of the culture and time where they were conceived. Now those stories make much better sense to me. Beautifully done.

Having blazed through that one so much more quickly than expected, now I need to figure out what to read next. A trip to the bookstore tomorrow, or perhaps I'll dig one of the unread books out of the box? (From the period when I was doing more purchasing than actual reading.)

Now it's almost midnight, but I do not feel sleepy. This is what happens when one reads until 3am and sleeps half the next day for two nights in a row.