In an effort to both listen to sea-stories and better myself through the classics, I started listening to Moby Dick.
In an effort to both listen to sea-stories and better myself through the classics, I started listening to Moby Dick. When I was a kid I read passages in literature classes, watched the movie, and most vividly, read the old Classic’s Illustrated version, which tells the story, but contains almost none of the prose.
Three hours in, and my opinion is that it deserves its place in literature. It’s fascinating and surprisingly funny. Ishmael is an engaging narrator, and Queequeg is a fantastic character.
I think this picture is from the Classic's Illustrated version.
It’s one of my favorite books. I read it in college and absolutely devoured it.
ReplyDeleteYeah that's the Classic Illustrated version - I had it as a kid and remember it. The original is an amazing book.
ReplyDeleteI read the version that image is from when I was a kid and wrote my very first book report on it. It is great. My daughter is reading it now.
ReplyDeletehttps://plus.google.com/photos/...
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome, Wayne! I had a collection of them that came in a cardboard case. Lots of Dickens too, if I remember right.
ReplyDeleteThey had the whole set at the used book shop. We only got this one thinking we could go back later and get the rest...but the place just went out of business.
ReplyDeleteThey're still around!
ReplyDeletegreatillustratedclassics.com - Great Illustrated Classics homepage - find the complete series here.
Sweet. A bit bigger this time around. 6x9. I can't remember which other ones I had besides Treasure Island and the Count of Monte Cristo.
ReplyDeleteSeeing the list made me remember reading some Dumas and Jack London ones.
ReplyDeleteYeah, maybe The Call of the Wild was in there.
ReplyDeleteI read it in high school and it almost killed me I was so NOT INTO IT. I was bored silly and skipped vast swaths. I vaguely remember something like a mini-novella about whale fat? It's been a long time and I'm sure the book is much better than my wee teen brain was comprehending.
ReplyDeleteI've never been forced to read it but I remember briefly attempting it in high school. I got as far as about chapter 25 I think.
ReplyDeleteBasically thanks for reminding me about it, because I have always meant to read it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I couldn't have done it in high school.
ReplyDeleteMan, I tried to read Treasure Island when I was in third or fourth grade and could barely understand any of it.
ReplyDeleteJames V West It has several of those mini-treatises, one about the whale fat and one weighing the question if whales are fish or, as some new thinkers theorized, swimming mammals. Melville seemed to be in favour of the fish-theory, but it is impressive to read about that old argument.
ReplyDeleteI was fascinated, but I know several people - avid readers! - who found it too long-winded and skipped whole chapters.