Moby-Dick
“Call me Ishmael.”
Summary
The greatest American epic. Captain Ahab's monomaniacal hunt for the white whale is a ferocious battle against God, fate, and the indifferent cruelty of nature. Narrated by Ishmael, a wandering sailor, the novel takes us aboard the whaling ship Pequod, whose crew is a microcosm of humanity. Melville combines high adventure with deep philosophical meditation. The book is a genre-bending masterpiece that includes encyclopedic chapters on whale anatomy, stage plays, sermons, and soliloquies. At its center is the white whale itself, Moby Dick—a blank canvas onto which the characters project their own fears and obsessions. It is a story about the danger of seeing the world only through the lens of your own ego.
Why Read This?
Wild, dangerous, and breathtakingly sublime. It defies categorization, mixing high adventure with profound meditation. To read it is to grapple with the biggest questions of existence while being swept along by prose that crashes like waves. Moby-Dick is a book that demands everything from you and gives everything back. It is funny, terrifying, boring, and transcendent all at once. It captures the sheer scale of the American imagination—its ambition, its violence, and its spiritual hunger. It is not just a novel; it is a force of nature.
About the Author
Herman Melville (1819–1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet. His early sea-faring novels were popular, but Moby-Dick was a commercial failure during his lifetime, leading him to fade into obscurity and financial ruin. It was only in the 20th century, decades after his death, that his work was rediscovered and he was recognized as a literary giant. His tragic career stands as a reminder that true genius is often ahead of its time.
Reading Guide
Ranked #7 among the greatest books of all time, Moby-Dick by Herman Melville has earned its place in the literary canon. Originally written in English and published in 1851, this challenging read from United States continues to resonate with readers today.
This book belongs to our Epics collection, where you can discover more books that share its spirit and themes.
If you enjoy challenging reads like this one, you might also like Ulysses, or Lolita.
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