Ishmael (Quinn novel)

Ishmael is a novel by Daniel Quinn. It's about a gorilla named Ishmael who talks to a man through telepathy and teaches him about the world. The man, whose name is never revealed, starts visiting Ishmael at an animal preserve and learns about things like the environment, humans' relationship with the planet, and our society. Ishmael also teaches the man about how humans can live in harmony with nature, instead of in destructive ways. In the end, the man takes what he's learned and starts working to make the world a better place.