# Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

7 Hacker News commenters recommended Ishmael by Daniel Quinn and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** People recommend it as a thought-provoking novel that changes how you see human history and the world. Critics raised no recurring complaints in the quotes.

## Why people recommend it

- Changes how you see the world (2 comments): "It's an amazing book. One of the few that actually changes how you see the world." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50052332)) "I also wholeheartedly recommend it. I definitely felt the same after reading it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50043171))
- Thought-provoking take on human history (2 comments): "A thought provoking take on how broad stroke human history developed since the Bronze Age." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46397434)) "This makes me think back to Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. Whether or not you agree with all his points I do think he has one very good point that’s worth reflecting on" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49494059))
- Clever and remarkable book (2 comments): "Quite a remarkable book that probably never would have been published without this." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48046247)) "it's a really clever book!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50042926))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://hackerapproved.com/p/crime-and-punishment.md): 39 recommend
- [The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://hackerapproved.com/p/brothers-karamazov.md): 28 recommend
- [Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace](https://hackerapproved.com/p/infinite-jest.md): 26 recommend
- [The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://hackerapproved.com/p/great-gatsby.md): 24 recommend
- [Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand](https://hackerapproved.com/p/atlas-shrugged.md): 23 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553375407?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780553375404) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Ishmael by Daniel Quinn", https://hackerapproved.com/p/ishmael/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).