Briana @ Pages Unbound
Written on May 7, 2013
First impressions: While there is a lot about Moby Dick that recommends it as the "great American novel"--including originality, tackling of big themes like race, religion, community, etc.--I can't give a full five stars to a book that almost demands some parts to be skimmed. Although whaling is a fascinating industry and occupation, I may never have finished this book if I read in detail every scene about how to whale, prepare a wheel, run a ship, etc. Even if I had read these scenes closely, little of the information would have stuck in my mind, nor would I ever have cause to use it, so it didn't seem particularly worth it. However, this book is not as boring as its reputation in popular culture suggests, and I do recommend it to readers of classics.