"Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville

I finally finished this literally "whale" of a book! When I first started reading this famous classic, I knew very little about it other than that it was about a whale... Because it is such a massive and multifaceted work, I am not even sure how to structure a review of it. So I will just list my various impressions and thoughts about it.

First of all, the most unexpected thing about Moby-Dick was Melville's humor. His observations about human nature are on point and often quite funny. In fact, the first line in this review is borrowed from Melville. At one point in the book, he notes that if one is going to write a book about the leviathan, he cannot help but end up with a leviathan of a book.

Secondly, Moby-Dick is so much more than an adventure story about a mad captain chasing a great white whale. Melville includes in his book an encyclopedia's worth of information about whales and whaling. I would say this aspect of the book makes it the most difficult and the most amazing. It is difficult because of terminology and pure tediousness of long and very detailed descriptions of everything from various tools to the actual process of killing a whale and getting its oil. At the same time, the extent of Melville's knowledge and the care he took in organizing and presenting this information is simply mind-boggling. Not only did he use his own experience on whaling ships, he also read extensively on the subject of whaling and whales and attempted to systematize and analyze the existing body of knowledge in regards to the biology of whales, mythology and art work featuring leviathans, and peculiarities of the whaling business.

Thirdly, Melville is a keen observer of human nature and a philosopher at heart. He examines the nature of good and evil, superstitions, and beliefs. He also quotes extensively from and comments on the Bible. In fact, the main characters in the book have Biblical names. The narrator's name is Ishmael. In the Bible, it is the name of Abraham's first son born to him by Sarah's handmaiden Hagar. Once Sarah herself miraculously at the age of 99 becomes pregnant with Isaac, she insists that Hagar and Ishmael be sent away into the desert. God hears the infant's cries and leads Hagar to a well of water. Thus, the boy miraculously survives and fathers the nation of Ishmaelites. If you know this biblical story going into the book, the name does prefigure the ending of the story.

The mad captain in Moby-Dick bears the name of Ahab. In the book of 1 Kings, it is the name of an evil king of Israel, who worships Baal instead of the true God, and whom the prophet Elijah condemns and challenges to a contest.

Thus my overall impression of this book is that it is unbelievably complex. If you are going to read it, I would recommend getting an illustrated version and reading all the footnotes. Melville quotes from many sources and understanding the context will help the reader appreciate the extent of the author's erudition and curiosity. Illustrations are helpful for visualizing the various tools and implements used in whaling.

Now finally to the characters. Melville is a master of creating colorful and unforgettable characters. In some sense everyone on the whaling ship is a quintessential sailor. Like in some other classics, Melville's characters also launch into long monologues expounding on their choices, making philosophical observations or in one case preaching to the sharks.

Sorry about this whale of a review, but it simply cannot be helped. Overall, I am glad I read this book. But I do see that it is definitely not for everyone. If you like classics, you will definitely want to read this one.