It gets a bad rep for being hard to read (which it is because of the sea-faring and archaic vocabulary) but it’s surprisingly entertaining with even a casual/jovial tone at times. I haven’t finished it, but so far like 30% of the book is irrelevant to the plot and is just the authors random musings and philosophies on life. He dedicates entire pages to debating what the most comfortable room temperature and position to sleep in is, or his opinions on random countries like Japan or “Affghanistan”. It almost reads like blogposts or diary entries.
He also has surprisingly modern humor and opinions. He makes borderline gay jokes when he has to sleep in bed with an African man “Queequog”, and then describes how he respects him, saying “the man’s a human being just as I am; he has just as much reason to fear me…better to sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian” and that “It’s only his outside; a man can be honest in any sort of skin”. The two develop this wholesome Rush Hour style partnership that’s pretty funny.
There’s also one part where he states that even though he’s Christian, he respects anyone’s beliefs as long as they hurt noone.
I also really liked how it occasionally shifts to the 1st person perspective of Captain Ahab or Starbuck for a chapter which adds good variety.
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It’s very easy to read considering it’s age
What do you make of Chapter 94, A Squeeze of the Hand?
https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/42/moby-dick/775/chapter-94-a-squeeze-of-the-hand/
In that case, you should totally read Tristram Shandy!
I would love to see a version abridged just to omit the whale encyclopedia. Or maybe to move it to end notes that are numbered in-line. Those sidetracks really break up the narrative.
Keep going. The diversions and digressions fall away as the narrative tightens and focuses. It is an amazing book.
I was pleasantly surprised by the humor too. My favorite:
“Whether that mattress was stuffed with corn-cobs or broken crockery, there is no telling, but I rolled about a good deal, and could not sleep for a long time.”
I too have only made it like 30% thru, at least three times but enjoyed what I read, especially the opening with the vivid description of the warmth of the inn against the howling, spitting Nantucket winter.
I feel Ahab is the protagonist, reckless as he may be in his all-consuming need to destroy the white whale, he’s the only person who has refused to yield to god/nature. Long though the odds may be he refuses to give up the fight to avenge himself against his circumstance. I find that remarkable and too rarely celebrated.
I’m also aware he’s widely construed as the rage consumed fool, I suppose I prefer those who refuse to prostrate themselves before power than those who worship it only to be annihilated anyway.
It’s one of those books that is done a great disservice by being forced onto teenagers in high school.
I love the texture of the prose, the variety of topics and chapters, the “humanity” dripping from every page. Most assuredly my favorite book, and it’s so great to see you enjoying it!
I love how jovial, casual, intimate, weird, and funny this book is :-)
“Some years ago–never mind how long precisely–having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.”
That shit is hilarious.
Moby Dick, I contend, might be the perfect audio book. The inane ramblings about minutia play like mini podcast episodes you can sort of tune into and tune out of, and it rollicks along in this quirky humorous way. This is what cements it as great for me, how it sings in other mediums.
Aw man, this whole thread is making me want to pick it up and read it for my—what?—tenth time?
Did you wake up to the character of “Starbuck” ???
So many books that people might expect to be long-winded, dry classics are actually really engaging! I loved Moby Dick. I tackled War & Peace during the pandemic and was shocked that it was also so warm, charming, relatable, and not at all what I expected. Frankenstein is pure poetry. Pride & Prejudice so wry. Don Quixote - bonkers slapstick. Monte Cristo - one hell of an adventure. Etc. The classics have so much humour and humanity to offer. man i love em <3
I had a similar experience reading it. Once you get past the somewhat archaic terms and long sentences, it’s a surprisingly funny, quirky, and modern book. Obviously it’s covering adventures from yesteryear, but the thoughts and characterizations don’t seem distant from us at all. There was an amazing feeling of being connected to this bunch of wild working men and feeling like they weren’t much different than people you might know. Speaking across multiple generations like that is quite a skill.
It does take some effort, but it’s a great book for sure.