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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
-less boring than I expected. Steven Kidd's favorite book, he told me that Melville got paid by the word, hence the rambling and ceteology sections. But not immediately falling asleep as Jeff Smith would have me believe.
90% terrific, 10% terrible. Overall, I adored it. At points, I absolutely abhorred it. But those points were few and far between.
Moby Dick should not be read.
That is my clickbait headline for my review that I will ultimately contradict, but stick with me for a second because I believe this to a degree.
Moby Dick should not be read in a classroom. This is not a text that should be foisted upon unsuspecting, disinterested, and uninitiated high school students. It is lost on them for any number of reasons, and it is a text that does not hold up to the scrutiny of the coerced.
Moby Dick should not be read passively. If you are not willing to think, to consider, to look up references you don't get and consult the help of educated resources, don't waste your time and possibly sour yourself on the book.
Moby Dick should not be read on a schedule. Rushing through this work does no one any good. If you just want to say that you have read Moby Dick, just say it. No one is going to check. But if you want to experience this in its truest nature, you need to be willing to slow down. It is a work that demands you luxuriate in its greatness. So be willing to spend a lot of time with it. The return on investment is immeasurable.
So, in certain contexts, I was being honest that Moby Dick should not be read. But really, this is a work that deserves its reputation of greatness. As far as my experience, it is unmatched.
That is my clickbait headline for my review that I will ultimately contradict, but stick with me for a second because I believe this to a degree.
Moby Dick should not be read in a classroom. This is not a text that should be foisted upon unsuspecting, disinterested, and uninitiated high school students. It is lost on them for any number of reasons, and it is a text that does not hold up to the scrutiny of the coerced.
Moby Dick should not be read passively. If you are not willing to think, to consider, to look up references you don't get and consult the help of educated resources, don't waste your time and possibly sour yourself on the book.
Moby Dick should not be read on a schedule. Rushing through this work does no one any good. If you just want to say that you have read Moby Dick, just say it. No one is going to check. But if you want to experience this in its truest nature, you need to be willing to slow down. It is a work that demands you luxuriate in its greatness. So be willing to spend a lot of time with it. The return on investment is immeasurable.
So, in certain contexts, I was being honest that Moby Dick should not be read. But really, this is a work that deserves its reputation of greatness. As far as my experience, it is unmatched.
This classic is interesting, but disappointing. So little of the book is actually the story you expect - Ahab's hunt of revenge for the White Whale - and the majority of it is a treatise on the whaling industry of the 19th century. The biggest let down of the novel is the very abrupt ending. A great read if you love history books.
I first read Moby Dick when I was around 12, enjoying the Adventure and Fun Names and Cool Whale Facts, struggling through the passages that I did not understand or were boring - in an attempt to prove to myself or others that I was Smart. Listening to it again 15 years later I am forced to admit that the mere mechanical process of reading, understanding words and plot and making it from the front cover to the back is not necessarily indicative of understanding, appreciation, of Being Cultured. But also, looking back, I did not entirely miss.
I definitely missed some of the cultural context here - I missed the fact that Melville’s work is astonishingly modern for its time, playing so much with form and frame way back in the mid-19th century. I missed a few of the sex bits, which add color to but I don’t think do much to transform the work. And I think I missed what a uniquely powerful story of monomaniacal revenge it is, a gripping and absolute portrayal of a man dragged down into the ocean by (get this) his own attitude towards an uncaring force of nature (the ocean is a metaphor, see, but also real). Key word there being “uniquely” of course, I still heard the echoes of the power of this story, but I feel I appreciate it more now.
Other than that, I still found there to be a few boring bits, a few cool whale facts, lots of cool names. I don’t really know enough to say what the deal with the racial portrayal is, not very impressive now but maybe progressive for its time? The prose itself was half-masterful and half-reminiscent of a high school senior just learning about alliteration. The opening of course is a worthy classic, love “I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation.” All in all a solid, stalwart book that has stood the test of time and deserves its place in the literary canon.
I definitely missed some of the cultural context here - I missed the fact that Melville’s work is astonishingly modern for its time, playing so much with form and frame way back in the mid-19th century. I missed a few of the sex bits, which add color to but I don’t think do much to transform the work. And I think I missed what a uniquely powerful story of monomaniacal revenge it is, a gripping and absolute portrayal of a man dragged down into the ocean by (get this) his own attitude towards an uncaring force of nature (the ocean is a metaphor, see, but also real). Key word there being “uniquely” of course, I still heard the echoes of the power of this story, but I feel I appreciate it more now.
Other than that, I still found there to be a few boring bits, a few cool whale facts, lots of cool names. I don’t really know enough to say what the deal with the racial portrayal is, not very impressive now but maybe progressive for its time? The prose itself was half-masterful and half-reminiscent of a high school senior just learning about alliteration. The opening of course is a worthy classic, love “I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation.” All in all a solid, stalwart book that has stood the test of time and deserves its place in the literary canon.
Dedicating a book to Nathaniel Hawthorne is a great way to put me off(I read “The Scarlet Letter” last year and hated it.).To say I was apprehensive to get into Moby-Dick is an understatement ,I thought I am going to hate it,really regret reading it.But I was so wrong!!.
First things first,I will generously forgive Melville for his infamous long sentences.In fact they were not so hard to understand ,not like sentences in “The scarlet letter”.
This might be an encyclopedia for whaling,but it’s not just that.There is so much more to it.Melville explores faith,vengeance,concience and human nature in general so extensively,every chapter is an allegory. The first 200 pages hooked me.Queeqeg and Captain Ahab kept my attention,so did all the information about Nantucket ,it’s people ,Whales and Whaling.The rest of the book was an absolute fascinating great adventure full of stories, facts,historical and biblical refences.I love all the allegories ,similes and metaphors,these things are done so exceptionally well.The best part is of course Melville’s disscection of Captain Ahab’s monomania.I see why he understands it so well,this book was a result of Melville’s monomania with Whales.I am not complaining!!.
His sense of humour is amazing,the irony and the wisdom deserves utmost respect.
There are some amazing quotes.It’s one of those books which gives you a great peek into the author’s mind.I feel like I got to know Melville on this adventure and I have nothing but genuine affection and respect for him!!.
He opened up a new world to me,of Whales,of course!!.
I am pretty generous with my star ratings,that does not mean all five star books are masterpieces,but this truly is a masterpiece!.Totally deserves to be among the greatest books.
Thank you Mr.Melville for this grand adventure and the life lessons.
I shall happily go on this voyage again!!!
First things first,I will generously forgive Melville for his infamous long sentences.In fact they were not so hard to understand ,not like sentences in “The scarlet letter”.
This might be an encyclopedia for whaling,but it’s not just that.There is so much more to it.Melville explores faith,vengeance,concience and human nature in general so extensively,every chapter is an allegory. The first 200 pages hooked me.Queeqeg and Captain Ahab kept my attention,so did all the information about Nantucket ,it’s people ,Whales and Whaling.The rest of the book was an absolute fascinating great adventure full of stories, facts,historical and biblical refences.I love all the allegories ,similes and metaphors,these things are done so exceptionally well.The best part is of course Melville’s disscection of Captain Ahab’s monomania.I see why he understands it so well,this book was a result of Melville’s monomania with Whales.I am not complaining!!.
His sense of humour is amazing,the irony and the wisdom deserves utmost respect.
There are some amazing quotes.It’s one of those books which gives you a great peek into the author’s mind.I feel like I got to know Melville on this adventure and I have nothing but genuine affection and respect for him!!.
He opened up a new world to me,of Whales,of course!!.
I am pretty generous with my star ratings,that does not mean all five star books are masterpieces,but this truly is a masterpiece!.Totally deserves to be among the greatest books.
Thank you Mr.Melville for this grand adventure and the life lessons.
I shall happily go on this voyage again!!!
I found this copy as "Maby Dick (The story of white whale)"
A Chinese-English edition that is much, much more abridged than I thought, made for Chinese learners of English to be able to understand the content. I haven't even attempted the Chinese though I'm certain in those 78 pages contain the entire original book plus commentary.
Anyway . Felt rushed in the abridged version. Ahab, just, take a breath. Like, just, it's okay man. And Ishmael and Queequeg are totally, well literally bedfellows.
If you like comprehensive, 19th century depictions of whale harpooning and at-sea oil extraction, this is for you.
Oh, and I think any extreme thematic lessons were probably abridged out. This thing is the size of a magazine.
A Chinese-English edition that is much, much more abridged than I thought, made for Chinese learners of English to be able to understand the content. I haven't even attempted the Chinese though I'm certain in those 78 pages contain the entire original book plus commentary.
Anyway . Felt rushed in the abridged version. Ahab, just, take a breath. Like, just, it's okay man. And Ishmael and Queequeg are totally, well literally bedfellows.
If you like comprehensive, 19th century depictions of whale harpooning and at-sea oil extraction, this is for you.
Oh, and I think any extreme thematic lessons were probably abridged out. This thing is the size of a magazine.
Re-reading this as an adult was one of the best decisions. This book is sweeping and exhausting. Exhilarating and dull. I felt every kind of emotion while reading this and yearn desperately to apologize to my sophomore year high school English teacher.
More than a classic, Moby Dick, like Steinbeck’s East of Eden, is a piece of history. Raw and obtuse and heartbreaking. A piece of America’s soul rests between these pages.
More than a classic, Moby Dick, like Steinbeck’s East of Eden, is a piece of history. Raw and obtuse and heartbreaking. A piece of America’s soul rests between these pages.
I know it's classical literature but I found it painfully boring. I found Scarlet Letter, and other contemporary work a lot more enjoyable, and I don't understand why this Melville piece is so revered. Please go read Bartleby A Scrivener by him instead. The story should be called "Everything you never wanted to know about whaling"
Hey guys! Have you heard of this one? It's pretty good!