Moby Dick: or the Whale

I listen to audiobooks on my way to/from work every morning, and this book took me almost two months to listen to, and it was worth every minute. It's one of those feelings of achievement and satisfaction you get only from finishing something worthwhile. I never read this book growing up, and I anticipated it to be hard enough to follow in print, not to mention in audio form. But Mark Nelson did a fabulous job not only managing all the various accents and voice textures, but also in how he handled all the dialects present in the text. I have an appreciation for anyone who reads a book well, and a book like this is twice as difficult to read aloud as a normal novel. Well worth the time spend listening.

I didn't expect all the tertiary information Melville provided about the whaling trade and life at sea. It was an unexpected, but not unwelcome, addition to what I did expect. The narrative portions themselves were so good I listened to some chapters twice, especially the very last chapter.

My favorite scenes have to be when Stubb made the Cook preach to the sharks, and of course the final battle with Moby Dick.

I was moved by Ahab's existential reflections toward the end of the book, and I was saddened by Ahab's final benevolent desire to see Starbuck make it back to his family.

I never read this book growing up, and I anticipated it to be hard enough to follow in print, not to mention in audio form. But Mark Nelson did a fabulous job not only managing all the various accents and voice textures, but also in how he handled all the dialects present in the text. I have an appreciation for anyone who reads a book well, and a book like this is twice as difficult to read aloud as a normal novel because of all these accents and dialects. Well worth the time spent listening.

I had recently read Moby Dick in print form, then listened to this audio version. Don't know if I could have followed the story on the audio without having read it first... it would have required rapt attention. And an occasional pause to consult the dictionary! This was a very enjoyable listen... and drew me into the story quite powerfully!

After listening to Moby Dick, I felt like I could hunt, harpoon, skin, and boil down the oil from a whale! While some complain of Melville's excursions into the details of whaling ships, whaling life, and whales, I found it facinating!

Ahab is revealed as a conflicted,

The cost of revenge... to one and to many.

I can see why many consider this one of the best... if not the best... American novel. I know I will be visiting this novel again, and possibly soon.

This reading is enjoyable for those who do not care for overdramatic readings. I could actually believe the teller of the tale was a simple deckhand on a ship who was recounting the story. Thank you.

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This book took a few weeks of road time to listen through.

I would definitely want to listen to Moby Dick again. It is such a multi-layered and well-written novel.

Of course, the novel revolves around the events leading up to and including the encounter with Moby Dick. Those events provide the most memorable moments of the novel.

Mark Nelson's understated performance is very appropriate to the whalemen depicted in the novel. His use of various voices for the different characters is never overly theatrical.

Due to the length and depth of this novel it is best to read it a few chapters at a time. Its relatively short chapters make this book very much suited to the audio format.

I own a nice leather-bound edition of this book. It's been collecting dust on my bookshelf for almost two decades. I've attempted to read it a few times; however, never made it beyond chapter three.

Thanks to Audible and their $2.95 pricing for this book, I was finally able to experience the brilliance of this story for myself. Sometimes it's nice to have someone else do the reading on these meaty classics.

True, the narration is not the best. The pacing is a bit fast, but still a good listen. Mark Nelson, with this title at least, is more of a reader than a voice actor.

yes

yes

don't know

some descriptions about whaling

this is Melvilles most difficuilt book. It was one of his best tales Listening to the tale is easier than trying to read the book. All in all the audio was done very well

Probably not and if I do it will be only for academic purpouses.

The voice change between characters is nice though elderly characters tend to sound the same.

The whole relationship of the narrator with Queequeg was very sweet and light-hearted.

Being the first time I encounter Mobby Dick, I think this audible book helped me a lot not getting lost. The book is not by anyway easy but what classic of those times really is?

I read this in conjunction with the print version, and the two complement one another very well.

LIFE OF PI is another book about an ocean voyage in which the allegorical and symbolic elements are matched by the chatty, discursive approach.

His tone is a little soporific at times, and every once in a while he mispronounces a word, but overall it's very competent.

It's whales all the way down.

A wonderful experience listening to this in the car.

The content is obviously great, but the reader is terrible. It makes it extremely difficult to listen to this famous story. There is no emotion and he appears to not understand what he is reading. No wonder this was on the cheap list.