Moby-Dick: Or, the Whale: or, the Whale (Penguin Classics)

I picked this book up with high hopes and for the first hundred pages or so i was hooked(excuse the pun), the writing was some of the best i have ever read, if a little slow of pace. Unfortunately the pace just never picks up and i found myself labouring through to the chapter which goes into great detail about whales, unsuprisingly i gave up after 150 pages admiting defeat over the pondorous...more

I picked this book up with high hopes and for the first hundred pages or so i was hooked(excuse the pun), the writing was some of the best i have ever read, if a little slow of pace. Unfortunately the pace just never picks up and i found myself labouring through to the chapter which goes into great detail about whales, unsuprisingly i gave up after 150 pages admiting defeat over the pondorous style. I have given Moby Dick an extra star for the first 100 pages, as i'm a generous soul.   hide

Whoa! Everything you never wanted to know about whales and whaling! There is a lot about this book I did like, however. I liked Melville's style (except that he dropped the "story" too often for my taste to take these little side trips). It was worth reading, but I doubt I'll re-read it, or count it as a favorite.

Call me Ishmael . . . What a famous first line! Loved this book!

When I was in the English program in college we were assigned "Moby Dick." It's a big, thick book and I never got past page five. I had to rely on the Cliff's Notes to get me through the final. However, several years after leaving college I picked up a copy at the library. The first 30 pages were a real struggle to get through, but once I slogged through the first 30, I...more

When I was in the English program in college we were assigned "Moby Dick." It's a big, thick book and I never got past page five. I had to rely on the Cliff's Notes to get me through the final. However, several years after leaving college I picked up a copy at the library. The first 30 pages were a real struggle to get through, but once I slogged through the first 30, I found myself thoroughly engrossed! Now one of my favorite books.   hide

longlonglonglongloooooooooong. some parts were very confusing, and cliffsnotes saved me there... my english teacher would be appalled if she heard that. but i also think he had amazing style as an author like how he'd deliver the observances he'd make on humankind, his use of metaphor, and the complexity of ahab's character. i think the extra chapters were there to help people understand how...more

longlonglonglongloooooooooong. some parts were very confusing, and cliffsnotes saved me there... my english teacher would be appalled if she heard that. but i also think he had amazing style as an author like how he'd deliver the observances he'd make on humankind, his use of metaphor, and the complexity of ahab's character. i think the extra chapters were there to help people understand how things worked, but in this time people would rather just skip over them. I know i wanted to. i didnt understand the religious references and i can't say i'll read it again anytime soon, but i can't say i wouldnt recommend it. i had a lot of trouble following but i do remember i loved queequeg :] the part about whale penises, though...:X   hide

I read this once a long time ago. Despite entire chapters arguing why a whale is a fish and why white is the most evil of colors, the last 5 pages are some of the best I have ever read.

My favorite book of all time. Melville takes some huge risks as an author and writes a book like no other. Either you get drawn into to the poetry and grandeur of Melville's vision or you don't. If you do, the writing transcends prose and reads like poetry, the characters are unforgettable and much imitated by later writers, and the portrayal of nature's power and man's relationship to it is...more

My favorite book of all time. Melville takes some huge risks as an author and writes a book like no other. Either you get drawn into to the poetry and grandeur of Melville's vision or you don't. If you do, the writing transcends prose and reads like poetry, the characters are unforgettable and much imitated by later writers, and the portrayal of nature's power and man's relationship to it is the real deal and not candy-floss environmentalism. If you enjoy unique, challenging books and can't get enough of symbolism and deeper readings of texts, make sure to read this book. If you want a conventional narrative, please don't bother. Why not read some Jack London or something instead?   hide

Maybe the ultimate American novel... or perhaps the ultimate novel bar none. Melville masters creating a believable world that intertwines between the fantastic and the mundane, the poetic and the coarse, the epic and the insignificant, and creates characters that challenge us and yet embody us all. Moby Dick himself presents symbolism whose bounds far outstretch anything I have ever read. I...more

Maybe the ultimate American novel... or perhaps the ultimate novel bar none. Melville masters creating a believable world that intertwines between the fantastic and the mundane, the poetic and the coarse, the epic and the insignificant, and creates characters that challenge us and yet embody us all. Moby Dick himself presents symbolism whose bounds far outstretch anything I have ever read. I could read this book again and again until the day I die, seeing many new things each time, and I hope to.   hide

I used to read this book over and over when I was a kid. Great story with lots of vivid imagery. Lots of symbolism, too, if you're into that kind of thing. I loved this book as a kid. I'm glad I read it before it was ruined by school-assigned reading.