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| Moby-Dick or, The Whale (Penguin Classics) | 
 enlarge | Author: Herman Melville
Creators: Tom Quirk, Andrew Delbanco
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Category: Book
List Price: $13.00
Buy New: $2.94
You Save: $10.06 (77%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $2.94
Avg. Customer Rating:  (318 reviews)
Sales Rank: 5517
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Edition: Revised
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 720
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5 x 1.4
ISBN: 0142437247
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.3
EAN: 9780142437247
ASIN: 0142437247
Publication Date: December 31, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Written with wonderfully redemptive humor, Moby-Dick is the story of an eerily compelling madman pursuing an unholy war against a creature as vast and dangerous and unknowable as the sea itself.
Introduction by Andrew Delbanco
Explanatory Commentary by Tom Quirk
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| Customer Reviews: Read 313 more reviews...
 Please, not Burt Reynolds July 26, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I could not finish listening to the terrible injustice Burt Reynolds did to this classic. It sounded as though he was reading it for the first time. The voice he chose to portray Ishmael was one of a drunken sea salt instead of a school teacher off on an adventure. All sense was lost of the meaning of the sentences with his arbitrary screeching and bellowing. I later found an unabridged version that I loved, the language and the cadence of the speech was respected in a way that Mr. Reynolds had not the wit, ability, or intelligence to understand let alone portray.
 "I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts" July 24, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Having reached the mid-life point, I didn't "get around to" reading MOBY-DICK until just recently. I'm certainly glad that I finally stopped putting it off. Herman Melville's work is truly one of the most amazing books I have read. As others have pointed out here, it's not always an easy read, but it is well worth devoting time to. Indeed, I approached it as if it were an artisan cheese or a fine glass of wine; I ingested it slowly, savoring it over a period of months.
MOBY-DICK is told (mostly) through the eyes of a seaman ("Call me Ishmael"), beginning with his journey to Nantucket to find a job on a whaler and then continuing with his voyage on the Pequod. The initial chapters (minus the introductory matter) are somewhat misleading in that they employ a traditional narrative structure--quite amusingly describing Ishmael's first encounter with the cannibal harpooner Queequeg--and the unaware reader who enjoys this initial rollicking ride may be disappointed with the "digressions" that follow.
Once the Pequod sets sail, the narrative adopts the rhythm of a voyage, i.e., long days at sea, labor-intensive with respect to the upkeep of the vessel, but otherwise dull, interspersed with heart-stopping whaling and welcome encounters with other ships. This pattern of life at sea is reflected in the book's structure in this way: the long, uneventful days lend time to the narrator to present the history, science, and art of whales and whaling, while the whaling and ship encounters brings the narration back to a more-or-less (and often less) traditional narrative structure.
The core story is well known, and would be familiar even to those who haven't much other knowledge of the work. (Anyone who's seen or read JAWS would recognize the story.) A psychologically scarred and physically mutilated man, Ahab, the captain of the Pequod, is obsessed with exacting retribution against the highly dangerous white whale that made him a cripple, not to mention killing many other men. His loyal first mate, Starbuck, tries to reason with him, but Ahab is unable to respond to reason; Ahab feels that he is acting out a preordained role.
MOBY-DICK, which was first published in 1851, is a surprisingly modern work. Melville explores the story using multiple perspectives and various literary devices, most notably inserting chapters written as scenes in a play. An example of this can be observed beginning with Chapter 36, "The Quarter-Deck": This is a seminal chapter in that in it Captain Ahab explains the Pequod's true mission--to kill Moby-Dick--and his personal motivation for doing it: "Aye, Starbuck; aye, my hearties all round; it was Moby-Dick that dismasted me..." Chapters 37-40, which are given sequential temporal titles ("Sunset," "Dusk," "First Night Watch," "Midnight") provide reflections on Ahab's speech to the crew from the perspective of three of the main characters, Ahab, Starbuck and Stubb; these are followed by a chapter written like a script of a musical play and which involves a number of crewmen. There is, in short, considerable exploration of and experimentation in narrative forms.
What I found particularly moving were the small, almost painterly touches in Melville's writing, such as the image of a hawk in the far distance dropping Ahab's hat into the sea (Chapter 130, "The Hat"). Also delighting the reader are the intensely cinematic moments, e.g., Starbuck, standing outside Ahab's door and full of angst, ponders murderous thoughts while handling a musket (Chapter 123 "The Musket"). MOBY-DICK is a fabulous piece of art and is veritable literature worthwhile reading.
DON"T BUY PENGUIN VERSION June 24, 2008
the modern library classics version is far superior !!!! for the amazing illustrations by rockwell kent truly enhance the experience (as does the font size and spacing)
Does not deserve boring rep June 22, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Among the musty old Classics, this book is surprisingly entertaining. I found the sections on whaling to be fascinating. I don't understand why some consider it "grueling" or "hard work" to get through it. Don't approach it as a Classic; rather, enjoy an amazing story written by a terrific storyteller. Afterwards, ponder the profundity of what you have read.
The Norton Critical Edition has the most useful footnotes for casual readers.
The Great American Novel June 14, 2008
Simply put, this is a must read. Herman Melville's _Moby Dick_ received largely unfavorable reviews at the time of publication, and it never brought Melville literary acclaim during his lifetime. It was not until critics rediscovered the novel in the 1920s that it began to be viewed as a masterpiece and the apotheosis of the Great American Novel.
My own reception of the book, back in my high school days, paralleled its treatment by the literary establishment. While I enjoyed portions of the text, I could not really get into it and actually ended up abandoning the story a few chapters shy of its conclusion. When I later picked it up again, though--out of curiosity rather than necessity--I was hooked. Whether my own maturity or the motive behind reading it were more influential I cannot say, but I suspect that many who find this novel difficult at first will eventually find it a rewarding and noteworthy read.
New readers face three key challenges with this text: fears about its length and complexity, discomfort with Melville's loquacious writing style, and confusion over the juxtaposition of plot, factual discourse, and philosophical musings. These are easily overcome if one reads at a comfortable pace and allows oneself to become acquainted with Melville's language, which is at times reminiscent of the learned style employed by authors like Edgar Allen Poe. A wonderful way to understand the nuances of the text and truly "get into" the novel is to listen to the audiobook version, narrated masterfully by Frank Muller.
Reserve this book for a time when you can read it without pressure and expectations. Allow yourself to become immersed in Ishmael's world. Re-read passages that confuse you, and don't be afraid to skip ponderous chapters like "Cetology" if they will prevent you from completing the novel. Whatever you do, though, be sure this is one story you allow yourself to complete -- you will be rewarded as you do so.
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