Moby Dick

By: Herman Melville

Narrated by: William Hootkins

Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

Over a century and a half after its publication, Moby Dick still stands as an indisputable literary classic. It 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. But more than just a novel of adventure, more than an encyclopedia of whaling lore and legend, Moby Dick is a haunting, mesmerizing, and important social commentary populated with several of the most unforgettable and enduring characters in literature. Written with wonderfully redemptive humor, Moby Dick is a profound and timeless inquiry into character, faith, and the nature of perception.

Public Domain (P)1996 Penguin Books Ltd. Penguin Audio is a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Critic reviews

Winner of the 2012 Fifty Books/Fifty Covers show, organized by Design Observer in association with AIGA and Designers & Books

Winner of the 2014 Type Directors Club Communication Design Award

Not bad at all!

I love the book Moby Dick so I had my doubts about an abridged version. What would be left out? Then I thought, there are some reasonably good movies that take a long book and distill it down to a two-hour experience. Why not a six-hour audio book?

It's definitely worth the listen. The narrator does an excellent job with all the characters and you can tell the book was carefully edited to retain the flavor and pacing of the original novel. I enjoyed this thoroughly and would recommend it to anyone who wants to enjoy one of the all time great adventure tales but not invest the endless hours it takes to read the book. Or, if you've read it before and want to re-experience the book (as I did), this is a fun way to do so. It's also a great introduction to the book for anyone who is not familiar with the story. Very well done!

Forget what you remember from school...

If you recall Moby Dick as a boring book from school, forget it. This abridged version cuts out the endless detailed description of the whaling process (leaving in enough to keep it realistic) and focuses on the drama of the hunt. The narrator is excellent. Could not stop listening to this book.

Prep, get the abridged version, & you will love it

Any additional comments?

Towering. Audacious. Overblown. Musical. Haunting. Breathtaking. Human. Poetic. Soaring. Thrilling. Epic. Gut-wrenching. In short, amazing.

Obviously, I loved this book. My advice to anyone who is on the fence about taking it up:

1. Read “In the Heart of the Sea” by Nathanial Philbrick first. This is a non-fiction book about a ship that really was sunk by a huge whale in the 1820’s. Melville knew this true story, and certainly based some of Moby-Dick on it. I think this book before Moby-Dick gave me a greater appreciation for Moby-Dick.

2. Consider reading “Why Read Moby-Dick?” also by Nathaniel Philbrick. I don’t think this book is as good an intro to Moby-Dick as “In the Heart of the Sea” but I did pick up a few overall themes and ideas that helped orient me as I read Moby-Dick.

3. Read the abridged version of Moby-Dick. I actually listened to it as an abridged audiobook read by William Hootkins. It was just six hours long but I was enthralled.

I had heard so many horror stories about people being forced to read this book in school that I was actually afraid to read it. But now that I have experienced it, I feel that I am ready to tackle the entire novel. Not today, but someday soon. Because it was so good I really didn’t want it to end.

Go a'whaling.

MOBY DICK, for my money the crown jewel of American literature, is an enormous book and presents enormous challenges to adapt and abridge. This audio version is told with spirit and vigor, illuminating the surprisingly light moments of Melville's novel with particular humor. The characterizations are distinct and highly memorable. Quite rightly, this is an Ahab to terrify! I am deeply sorry, however, they decided to cut "The Whiteness of the Whale" chapter -- which has to be one of the absolute pinnacles of Melville's prose. Alas. But for that omission, this would have been almost a perfect listening experience. Give it a try.

Excellent Story - Excellent Reader

All these years I have heard about how good Moby Dick was supposed to be, but I dreaded what seemed like a dreary, boring book. I thought of it like eating rutabegas - it must be good for you because it tastes awful. Thus I was pleasantly surprised when the story started out interesting and then kept getting better. Now I realize why it's been considered a classic, because it has stood the test of time. By the end, I couldn't get out of the car because I didn't want to turn it off. The narrator too is excellent. At the beginning he seems just ordinary in his Starbuck character, but he really shines when speaking Ahab's lines. The emotion was conveyed better than any other reader I've heard. So if you are considering Moby Dick, give it a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Brilliantly Executed Abridged Version

The narration starts off slowly because the narrator seems to be over-pronouncing all his words. But once he gets into the flow, this is a gem. His rendition of the various characters is excellent and varied. He also imbues his narration with a humor that you might not normally expect, as well as the pathos that you would. Exciting, educational, adventurous and fun -- everything you would want in a reading of Moby Dick.

Blood and Thunder

Split you lungs with blood and thunder,
when you see the white, whale!
Break your backs and crack your oars men,
if you wish to prevail!
This ivory leg is what compels me,
harpoons thrust in the sky!
Aim directly for his broken brow,
and look him straight in the eye!

I am Captain Ahab...if am not back by spring forward my mail to me in the south pacific.
And, if I am not back my summer, forward my mail to me in hell!

Boring

Repetitive, boring. Great narrator. The chapters were strangely put together, it seems the people making the audible version just decided that each chapter should be an hour long, for some reason.

Wow!

Really loved the reader. Somewhat of a similar style to the entire Sherlock Holmes series. Epic ending!

Would never read, but the listen was great!

I've often thought that I SHOULD read Moby Dick, but I could never imagine myself actually doing so. So I decided to try listening to this abridged version and found myself pulled in. The narrator was great, making the story exciting, and the dated verbiage understandable. Thank you, Audible, for making this an enjoyable "read".