Moby Dick by Herman Melville

71

“Call me Ishmael” is one of the most famous opening lines in American literature. With these words, opens one of the strangest and most gripping stories ever written about the sea and sea-faring. Moby Dick by Herman Melville is today considered one of the greatest novels written in America but paradoxically, it was a miserable failure when it first made its debut in 1851. Entitled Moby Dick or The Whale the book finally got its due after the author's death and is now regarded as a classic portrayal of mania and fatal obsession.The narrator, Ishmael, travels to New Bedford, Massachusetts, to find a place on a whaling ship. He lodges at a seedy inn where he is forced to share a room with a strange old character, Queequeg, who was a harpooner. Despite his initial revulsion of Queequeg, Ishmael decides to join him in looking for work together. They reach Nantucket, the traditional center of whaling, where they find a berth on the Pequod, a bizarre vessel adorned with the skeletons and teeth of whales. The captain, Ahab, a mysterious figure, does not appear immediately. Later, they come to know that he is on board, recovering from losing a leg on his last voyage having escaped death narrowly following an encounter with a massive sperm whale.As the ship sails past Africa, Ahab's sinister motives begin to emerge. His agenda is to hunt and destroy a legendary whale named Moby Dick, whom he has unsuccessfully pursued several times. He has smuggled his own private harpooners on board and he accosts every whaling ship he meets and demands information about sightings of Moby Dick. One of the ships has a maniacal passenger called Gabriel, who claims to be a prophet and he predicts doom for anyone who seeks Moby Dick. The peg leg captain finally encounters Moby Dick and a trail of destruction follows. The obsessed Ahab refuses to give up. The novel then races towards a brilliant and dramatic climax.As an example of the Great American Novel, Moby Dick is unrivaled in its structure, language and style. Melville amalgamates a fabulous mix of Biblical, Shakespearean and mythical elements along with wonderful seafaring atmosphere sourced from his own nautical experiences on board whaling schooners. Whaling stories from contemporary sources in Nantucket's local grapevine was another rich fountainhead of material.Moby Dick has been adapted for stage, radio, screen, television, comics and graphic novels. It remains a strange and unforgettable classic which no reader should miss.

Recent Episodes
  • Chapter 000: Etymology and Extracts
    Jan 2, 2025 – 29:13
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    Jan 1, 2025 – 23:56
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    Dec 20, 2024 – 38:11
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    Dec 16, 2024 – 37:09
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    Dec 14, 2024 – 27:05
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    Dec 13, 2024 – 54:14
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    Dec 12, 2024 – 37:09
  • Chapter 059-063
    Dec 11, 2024 – 38:45
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    Dec 10, 2024 – 37:05
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    Dec 9, 2024 – 34:21
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    Dec 8, 2024 – 24:34
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    Dec 7, 2024 – 30:27
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    Dec 6, 2024 – 24:03
  • Chapter 081-082
    Dec 5, 2024 – 36:45
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    Dec 4, 2024 – 37:38
  • Chapter 087-088
    Dec 3, 2024 – 40:31
  • Chapter 089-091
    Dec 2, 2024 – 33:56
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    Dec 1, 2024 – 42:47
  • Chapter 097-100
    Nov 30, 2024 – 43:25
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    Nov 29, 2024 – 40:03
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    Nov 28, 2024 – 37:07
  • Chapter 109-113
    Nov 27, 2024 – 41:00
  • Chapter 114-118
    Nov 26, 2024 – 25:57
  • Chapter 119-123
    Nov 25, 2024 – 32:43
  • Chapter 124-127
    Nov 24, 2024 – 32:40
  • Chapter 128-132
    Nov 23, 2024 – 42:23
  • Chapter 133
    Nov 22, 2024 – 24:58
  • Chapter 134
    Nov 21, 2024 – 22:48
  • Chapter 135 and Epilogue
    Nov 20, 2024 – 35:01
Recent Reviews
  • nickanderhoey
    Excellent!
    The reading is superb! Superb!
  • emmy_bee
    Amazing
    Best narrator! He truly understands each line and brings life to even the driest chapters.
  • TylerInOhio
    Really excellent
    This novel is truly unparalleled. And I love the narration of it in this podcast; I come back to it every single year.
  • ginsudan
    Not Boring
    I can see that reading this book might get old, but listening is a different story. It must be what it was like in the glory days of radio. I just enjoy it so much. I am looking forward to listening to Tom Sayer next.
  • Randy IV
    Excellent
    Stewart Wills nails this reading of Moby Dick. Enjoyed every minute, thanks.
  • KathleneAnnKopp
    Amazing!
    Why did it take me so long to discover free books? Love the collection of classical books.
  • EvilDupin
    Great book!
    I love the narrator and I am amazed that I never read this or listen to this before
  • Hibet23
    Wonderful
    I haven’t finished it yet, but finding this audiobook made my day. It’s amazingly well read. Looking forward to my commute now
  • Eliza (5) & Marlena (2)
    Thank you
    Very well read. Thank you for the chance to take in this literary masterpiece.
  • Betette
    Incredible!!
    I just finished listening to all of Moby Dick on this podcast and it was amazing! I didn't know what to expect, from the book or the narration, but both were absolutely perfect. Stuart Wills does such a great job of effortlessly flowing between characters so it's an even more enjoyable story, but not distracting at all. It's a super long book so I've been listening on the way to and from work for a couple months now and I'm really sad it's over. It was quite an experience and Stuart, I'm almost feel like we're friends after having listened for so long. You, and the crew of the Pequod, will be missed. I hope others appreciate this as much as I did!
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