- Mass Market Paperback: 594 pages
- Publisher: Bantam USA; Reissue edition (1 Jan 1920)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0553213113
- ISBN-13: 978-0553213119
- Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 3 x 17.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (122 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,325,310 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Moby Dick: or, the White Whale
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Arguably Herman Melville's greatest work, and hailed as a classic American novel, Moby Dick tells the tale of one man's fatal obsession and his willingness to sacrifice his life and that of his crew to achieve his goal. The story follows the fortunes of Captain Ahab and the culturally and spiritually diverse crew of the Pequod, a 19th century whaling ship. The Pequod is on its last voyage out of New Bedford, Mass, in pursuit of Moby Dick, the great white whale which has been Ahab's obsessional quarry and bitter adversary for many years. Narrated by sole survivor Ishmael, the tale forms a complex fictional fusion, combining a wealth of literary symbolism, hidden meaning and philosophical debate with adventure narrative and a detailed historical account of the 19th century whaling trade. --Emily Lowson
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
" Responsive to the shaping forces of his age as only men of passionate imagination are, even Melville can hardly have been fully aware of how symbolical an American hero he had fashioned in Ahab."
--F. O. Matthiessen --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
--F. O. Matthiessen --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
CALL me Ishmael. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt
CALL me Ishmael. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
46 of 49 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The prose is so vivid that the only comparison that comes to mind is Shakespeare. Some sentences or paragraphs are so finely wrought as to hit you between the eyes, and as such I can say that I am glad I have read it, and if life were longer I might even read it again. However, I have to concede that the book is very hard work. What story there is all takes place in the last 25 pages and is an action tour-de-force, but the previous 400 or so pages are lengthy and wordy digressions on whales, whaling and all conceivable ancillary topics, which at their worst are maddeningly garrulous. The characterisation is poor, unsurprisingly given that so little of the text is devoted to the players. Ishmael, the narrator is virtually a disembodied observer who brings little of himself to the action. Ahab is the tortured megalomaniac for whom we are given no opportunity for sympathy or empathy. All the other human characters, namely the ship's crew, are mere automata. Those of a nautical bent might get excited about the details of the ship, the Pequod, which is more lovingly written than the humans or the whales, but I'm not that way inclined.
I can see this book being truly relished by hardcore literature buffs with a love of ships and the sea, but I can't help but feel that just about anyone else would find it very heavy going.
I can see this book being truly relished by hardcore literature buffs with a love of ships and the sea, but I can't help but feel that just about anyone else would find it very heavy going.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
It's a classic allegory, but Moby-Dick is an arduous experience. I once read a summary that this book is only truly capable of being judged when read all the way through to its climax. The fact is, this book holds true to it, and even if when reading it you feel yourself slipping: keep at it, there is some superb English and some superb thought hidden in this book.
There are two faults with this book. First, and the biggest one, is the many many chapters on the technical aspects of Whaling and Cetology. Although interesting at first, they descend into Minutiae, and even I as a person who loved the book from cover to cover skipped a few chapters of this nature, scanning for any truly important passages. Secondly, in a few scenes the dialogue can get confusing, but these are generally not key scenes- so do not worry. Just remember that nearly everyone refers to themselves in the Third-Person, and Melville's lack of "said -" becomes less vexing and confusing.
The book does, however, contain some of the best prose I have ever read- and I've read a lot of it. Poetic, almost Shakespearean, and above all soaked in atmosphere, there are times when this book just astounds you with the vividness and tenacity of its language. With phrases like "made appalling battle" it sweeps away the less complex and incredibly simple modern bestsellers like The Da Vinci Code.
At the heart of the book is an intense symbolism that would sound ludicrous to those who have not read the book, the fact that one white whale could represent so plausibly so so many things does sound far fetched, but when you read it you find so many different answers. Fate, Providence, Nature, Madness, Death, Predestination- all these things run as Ahab and the Pequod's brave and diligent crew assail Moby-Dick.
Sure to be remembered as one of the greatest books ever written even in the far far future, this novel is an experience like no other- and an incredibly individual and personally driven one too, perhaps why it is the source of so much praise and so much perplexity. This book teaches you the art of writing, and the art of allegory.
There are two faults with this book. First, and the biggest one, is the many many chapters on the technical aspects of Whaling and Cetology. Although interesting at first, they descend into Minutiae, and even I as a person who loved the book from cover to cover skipped a few chapters of this nature, scanning for any truly important passages. Secondly, in a few scenes the dialogue can get confusing, but these are generally not key scenes- so do not worry. Just remember that nearly everyone refers to themselves in the Third-Person, and Melville's lack of "said -" becomes less vexing and confusing.
The book does, however, contain some of the best prose I have ever read- and I've read a lot of it. Poetic, almost Shakespearean, and above all soaked in atmosphere, there are times when this book just astounds you with the vividness and tenacity of its language. With phrases like "made appalling battle" it sweeps away the less complex and incredibly simple modern bestsellers like The Da Vinci Code.
At the heart of the book is an intense symbolism that would sound ludicrous to those who have not read the book, the fact that one white whale could represent so plausibly so so many things does sound far fetched, but when you read it you find so many different answers. Fate, Providence, Nature, Madness, Death, Predestination- all these things run as Ahab and the Pequod's brave and diligent crew assail Moby-Dick.
Sure to be remembered as one of the greatest books ever written even in the far far future, this novel is an experience like no other- and an incredibly individual and personally driven one too, perhaps why it is the source of so much praise and so much perplexity. This book teaches you the art of writing, and the art of allegory.
44 of 50 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read Moby-Dick for the first time when I was about 18, and have re-read it at least three or four times since. It is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most impressive books in Western literature, about ever so much more than the mere chase for a white whale.
It's about friendship, love, hubris, passion, the search for the meaning of life, etc. etc. Longwinded at times? Yes, definitely. Obscure? That too. Unless you're intimately acquainted with the Old Testament, Shakespeare, classical Greek drama and just about everything else in Western art it's a good idea to buy an edition that comes with ample footnotes.
But if you then take the time and effort this book deserves, it might very well be a life-changing experience as it was for me, that will sometimes make you stop and think for years afterwards.
It's about friendship, love, hubris, passion, the search for the meaning of life, etc. etc. Longwinded at times? Yes, definitely. Obscure? That too. Unless you're intimately acquainted with the Old Testament, Shakespeare, classical Greek drama and just about everything else in Western art it's a good idea to buy an edition that comes with ample footnotes.
But if you then take the time and effort this book deserves, it might very well be a life-changing experience as it was for me, that will sometimes make you stop and think for years afterwards.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Moby Dick
Installed the Kindle app on my Mac and then downloaded Moby Dick free. An excellent read prior to a whale watching trip to Iceland. Read more
Published 1 day ago by John Doe
Not for the inexperienced reader
A mighty tome for sure. I have read the first chapter over and over and still find it hard to get into. Read more
Published 3 days ago by Splendido
Literature's Perfect Storm
I've awarded `Moby Dick' by Herman Melville (1851) only four stars because of the explosive nature of his style. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Bob
It blows (half of the time at least)
One of the most famous and celebrated novels ever written, Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" is a towering novel in world literature whose legendary story of the doomed whaling ship... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Sam Quixote
Excellent
This did take a while to read but only due to commitments, it was an excellent read and i would recommed others to take a peek as well
Published 4 months ago by Alison
CALL ME PERFECT
Moby Dick begins with the perfect opening sentence, and continues over hundreds of pages to introduce the reader to the most memorable characters ever to set sail. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Carson Dyle
Great Classic - First-time read of this for me
I have heard mention of Moby Dick many times but not read it until now. It is a great story but a word of warning for those whom are reading it for the first time, this story is... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Hawk
Well Weird
Melville switches from adventure yarn to encyclopaedia to psychological drama in a structurally flawed offer redeemed by superb and muscular writing and an obvious delight and... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Brownbear101
When does he get on the boat?!
I bought this as it's regarded as a real classic. Shame I can't find the enthusiasm to get past about the 10th chapter. And there are hundreds of chapters. Read more
Published 9 months ago by TJH
Tiresome and too heavy going!
I sat down to read this book after it was published on a list of must-read classics. I for one, do not agree with it's must-read status. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Soph8695
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