Moby-Dick

De: Herman Melville

Narrado por: Frank Muller

Its famous opening line, "Call me Ishmael", dramatic in its stark simplicity, begins an epic that is widely regarded as the greatest novel ever written by an American. Labeled variously a realistic story of whaling, a romance of unusual adventure and eccentric characters, a symbolic allegory, and a drama of heroic conflict, Moby Dick is first and foremost a great story. It has both the humor and poignancy of a simple sea ballad, as well as the depth and universality of a grand odyssey.

When Melville's father died in 1832, the young man's financial security went too. For a while he turned to school-mastering and clerking, but failed to make a sustainable income. In 1840 he signed up on the whaler, Acushnet, out of New Bedford, Massachusetts. He was just 21. A whaler's life turned out to be both arduous and dangerous, and in 1842, Melville deserted ship. Out of this experience and a wealth of printed sources, Melville crafted his masterpiece.

Public Domain (P)1987 Recorded Books, LLC.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Master narrator Frank Muller makes the most of his astonishing theatrical talents and vast experience to perform this tale of extraordinary drama. Muller uses emphasis and pauses to bring clarity to the visual depictions of life on the high seas, as seen by the doe-eyed Ishmael as he is led by the maniacal Captain Ahab. Listeners will hear the depth of emotions in Muller's voice as he paints the stark and shattering visuals of this classic story of revenge and, ultimately, survival." (AudioFile magazine)

I Had No Idea Melville Was So Funny

I put off Moby Dick for a long time due to an experience in high school with Billy Budd. I didn't think I wanted to read this one, but was eventually swayed by some friends. Thankfully! Moby Dick's a thrilling adventure story full of depth and gravity and horror. It certainly earns its reputation as an American Classic. What surprised me, though, was how funny Melville is. I didn't realize he had such a sense of humor.

Muller's reading is, of course, a benchmark of excellence. He made this story come alive for me in ways I didn't think it could. I'm so glad I finally decided to give this one a chance.

What I spent my first credit on...and loving it

I haven't finished completely but this has been so good. This is my first audiobook and I have been reading along because I love the book so much. Everyone should listen!

Elements of greatness smothered w/ too much detail

It is interesting that Melville was not appreciated in his day - I'll bet his reputation was resurrected by academics who need suitable material for torturing students in American literature classes.

On the positive side, I love that Ishmael is a voice for cultural and racial acceptance and I even appreciate the seaman's-eye-view of life on a 19th century whaling ship.

I found the ad nauseum descriptions and dated lessons in marine biology more than a little tedious. The language Melville uses is interesting and challenging, but the real issue is his lack of self-restraint in the various tangents he takes.

You can't just say my reaction is the result of a modern attention span, because they didn't much appreciate it in his own time either.

i'm a lover

Moby Dick: “they” say that you either love it or hate it. I love it. …. The foreboding sermon, the poetic prose, the facts and the lessons of the old whaling game.

I believe the ppl that hate the book have two reasons to: the lengthy factual descriptions of the ships, the whales and the job… the other is the graphic nature of some of the descriptions and the overall job (the stripping of the whale blubber for exmple). The loveable side of the book is the passionate heart of the characters, the detailed explanations of their convictions, - hansom or hideous, and such detailed depiction of the scenes and story that it takes you to the time and the place.

So the book is both beautifully written and passionately told but also occasionaly dry and perhaps to some overly factual. So we get the love or hate it response from those that read it. I like the historical side and the detailed information. There many lessons of the trade and the ship and the job and a lot to learn from the book. and there are vivid and passionate characters living in a fantastic and powerful story. There are many a lesson on the nature of the soul of men from all kinds of trade and temper.

What convinced me to “read” it, aside from the fact that it is one f the most heralded books of all time, is that I learned the story is based on several true experiences of both the author and some other ships of the trade in the time of the book. the author was employed on a whaling ship. He lived the life and learned the trade. He hear the stories. He traveled the world and he was tried by the times. He took all of this and made from it one of the greatest works of fiction human history has ever known.

So if you have an analytical mind and like to learn the scientific side of the story’s content AND you have a taste for deeply developed characters with complex natures and powerful emotions then this is for you. If you are not both then you may be able to live your life without the lengthy sailors yarn.

FAV quote: “better sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian”

BTW- the movie version with Patrick Stewart is a wonderful rendition of the story. the actor playing Queequeg is just outstanding. His portray of the character was a perfect visual for me during the reading of this book (I saw the movie first, it put a face to each character)

A complete collection of sperm double entendres

Moby Dick: An overly exhaustive exploration of 19th century whaling with an interesting short story about a man and a white whale presented serialized within a mass of unnecessary words of cetacean proportions. Saved only by the many double entendres around the word sperm.