Daniel Quinn Collections books in order

Daniel Quinn's essay and story collections include Beyond Civilization, Tales of Adam, and other works that extend the philosophical ideas first introduced in his Ishmael trilogy.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Beyond Civilization: Humanity’s Next Great Adventure 1999 Daniel Quinn Buy
2 Tales of Adam 2005 Daniel Quinn Buy
3 At Woomeroo 2012 Daniel Quinn Buy
4 The Invisibility of Success 2014 Daniel Quinn Buy
5 The Teachings That Came Before and After Ishmael 2014 Daniel Quinn Buy

Quinn’s collections serve as extensions of the philosophical framework he built in his novels. Beyond Civilization (1999) was written as a direct follow-up to the Ishmael trilogy and his autobiography Providence, offering practical ideas about how people might organize themselves outside traditional civilizational structures. The book uses a one-page-per-topic format that mixes autobiography, parable, and essay.

Tales of Adam (2005) took a different approach, presenting seven short tales set in a world seen through animist eyes, where humans live as part of the community of life rather than as its rulers. At Woomeroo (2012), The Invisibility of Success (2014), and The Teachings That Came Before and After Ishmael (2014) continued Quinn’s practice of collecting shorter writings that clarify, revisit, or build on the ideas his readers had been engaging with since 1992.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Daniel Quinn Collections series?

There are five books in the Daniel Quinn Collections series, published between 1999 and 2014.

What is the first book in the Daniel Quinn Collections series?

The first book in the Daniel Quinn Collections series is Beyond Civilization: Humanity’s Next Great Adventure, published in 1999.

What is Beyond Civilization about?

Beyond Civilization (1999) is a non-fiction follow-up to the Ishmael trilogy. It consists of short, one-page explorations of topics related to Quinn’s arguments about civilization, mixing personal anecdotes, parables, and essays to suggest alternatives to the way modern societies are organized.

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