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Rating:  - Questionable Classic
A challenging novel, MOBY DICK is considered a so-called classic. Melville's musings on morality and depiction of man's search for the un-attainable, certainly, redeem this novel--as much as it can be redeemed. Were it not for his sophisticated style, this piece would virtually disappear from bookstores' bookshelves.
For a novel to be considered a classic, it must contain universal themes; while we can relate to man's helplessness in the face of nature's cruelty and ultimate power, we struggle to relate to Ahab's dedication to defeating Moby Dick. Even more, we suffer through tedious passages about whales' physical traits, locations, lifestyles, etc.
I am a patient reader and even enjoy the writing of Nathaniel Hawthorne--the man to whom this book is dedicated. I enjoy intellectually stimulating books and purchased this book for just that purpose. However, when it takes 495 pages (my edition was 521 pages in total) for the climax to unfold, I lose all interest--and hope--in a story. I was committed to finishing this book, and now that I have, I can declare--honestly and sincerely--this book is overrated. I respect others' admiration for this work of literature, but I believe bookstores need to move aside MOBY DICK and make room for more riveting literature.
Rating:  - Please, not Burt Reynolds
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.
Rating:  - "I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts"
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.
Rating: - DON"T BUY PENGUIN VERSION
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)
Rating: - Does not deserve boring rep
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.
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