Ishmael
In the book Ishmael, many topics are discussed including the issues of evolution and globalization of man. The book takes place in 'modern' times, though no date is given, in New York state. The author hints at a looming dark feeling surrounding the era, as is shown by the dialog between the two main characters.
The two main characters of the book are a human and a gorilla. The narrator, the human is young and eager to learn from his newfound teacher, Ishmael the gorilla. Ishmael has the power to communicate using his mind with humans, and is very knowledgeable about the human plight and the wrongs of the world.
The book begins with the narrator reading the newspaper and finding a personal ad which leads him to meet Ishmael. In the beginning, the narrator is slightly bewildered by his teacher being a half-ton gorilla, but soon he comes to the recognition that he has much to learn from Ishmael. The gorilla starts out by defining the voice of "Mother Culture" and how it influences man. Ishmael describes the two peoples of the earth, the Takers and Leavers. The Takers are most like what we think of as civilized, and the Leavers are what we would think of as savages. Eventually the main difference between the Takers and Leavers is defined as the way they handle fate. The Leavers let the gods control their food supply, and don't control their environment to ensure their survival. The Takers manipulate their environment to ensure the success of their people and so use up natural resources and pollute the planet.
Eventually Ishmael dies, but to ensure his legacy he tells his student to pass on his message to a hundred more students like him, and the new hundred to pass it on to another hundred, in the hope that eventually enough people will realize the problem and be able to reverse it. The book Ishmael ends with the hope that the Takers will realize the problems they have created , and restore the planet to it's natural balance.