• If you have ever thought the way we live is a little skewed,

• If you have ever wondered why all through history there has been a rich powerful few and a weak poor many,

• If you ever noticed that we do not teach our children what we did to the natives of this land to make this country,

• If you have ever felt religion leaves you a little empty, The Story of B will answer many, many questions about the way we live.

The Story of B is the second in a series of three related books by Daniel Quinn; however, each can stand alone chipping away at the unholy glue that barely manages to keep this society running at full steam. For those who have read Quinn's first book Ishmael, The Story of B is everything Ishmael is not. With prose as logical and clear as Aristotle and at times as comical as a Shakespearean fool, Quinn delivers his message straight into the readers’ core over and over again. Not aggressive, not passive, but humbly, effortlessly loud and clear, Quinn demonstrates the core workings of our society that have allowed for capitalism and communism, kings and queens, world war and overpopulation. Moreover, his findings are astonishing and irrefutable.

The Story of B follows Jared Osborne, an assistant pastor in the Order of Saint Lawrence in the Roman Catholic Church. The Lawrentine division of the Catholic Church passes down in its teachings that they will be the first to recognize the antichrist, should he come to earth. The book’s plot takes Jared to Germany and Eastern Europe following an identity called 'B' through dimly lit smoky bars, secret meetings with strange men, and unnerving phone messages. Of course, eventually Jared worms his way into B's life and teachings. Through the somewhat weak plot (but fascinating, page turning information) the reader is exposed to wholesome, encouraging, shocking ideas construed by the church to be evil. Obviously, something is wrong with the way humans treat the earth. Quinn eases very bad fears. Humans themselves are not accursed and individual salvation does nothing for the human condition. Quinn shows the reader through The Story of B what, exactly, the Old Testament is talking about in the parable of Adam, Eve, and the apple.

For those of you who have a hard time believing that babies are born with original sin but cannot put their finger on exactly what is amiss, Quinn will hold your hand, make a finger for you and put it on the point. The point that fuels the governments of the world, the educational systems, work forces, and the food supplies. Beware, however. Beware. Thoughts like those in this book have ruined me and I can see why some would call B the antichrist. Thoughts like those in this book have taken joy out of much that is provided for me to enjoy. I pine for things not destined for me to have, like god's green earth under my feet, but this book gives me the knowledge to understand EXACTLY what it is that is driving me mad.