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Narrated by Nathaniel Philbrick
Nathaniel PhilbrickUnabridged — 2 hours, 34 minutes
Narrated by Nathaniel Philbrick
Nathaniel PhilbrickUnabridged — 2 hours, 34 minutes
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Philbrick…wears his erudition lightly. He broaches the novel in quirky thematic fashion, with gracefully written compact essays on topics like landlessness, chowder and sharks. His voice is that of a beloved professor lecturing with such infectious enthusiasm that one can almost, for a moment, believe in the possibility of a popular renaissance for Melville.
—The New York Times Book Review
Answering the negative of Philbrick’s titular question is easy: Moby-Dick is intimidatingly large, scientifically rigorous, esoteric, and to some, may seem outdated. While the size of The Whale cannot be debated, Philbrick’s entreaty is as approachable as it is persuasive. In this cogent and passionate polemic for Melville’s masterpiece, Philbrick (In the Heart of the Sea) combines a critical eye and a reader’s adoration to make a case for Moby-Dick. The plights of the Pequod, Ishmael and Ahab may seem irrelevant (or worse, quaint) compared to today’s troubles, but Philbrick opines that within the pages of this American classic lie timeless archetypes whose relevance stretches across human history. Upon the loom of Melville’s narrative run numerous threads of insight and argument dealing with subjects as diverse as multiculturalism, homoeroticism, and transcendental experiences of the natural world. Less lit-crit and more readers’ guide, this tome will remind fans why they loved the book in the first place, and whet the appetites of trepid potential readers. (Oct.)
Gracefully written [with an] infectious enthusiasm…”—New York Times Book Review
“Exuberant.”—Boston Globe
“Brilliant and provocative…”—The New Yorker
“[A] slim, passionate manifesto…”—Chicago Tribune
“A slim, easy-to-read argument on why you should definitely put [Moby-Dick] on your bucket list.”—History Wire
“WHY READ MOBY-DICK? reels in a compelling case… short, lucid, intelligent… Philbrick’s more like a literary color analyst, helping readers see the novel better while also creating a sense of excitement about it.”—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“This slender volume is packed with reasons why you might want to read the whaling classic.”
—Minneapolis Star-Tribune
“This slender, pleasant, sincere book by the maritime historian and naval enthusiast is more than a respectable tribute unencumbered by academic prose. Approaching Moby-Dick from outside the academy is refreshing, and Philbrick’s enthusiasm is contagious….So put me down for a reading of Moby-Dick in 2012, and count Philbrick’s book a success.”—The New Republic
“Philbrick does the literary world great service by bringing Moby-Dick back into popular attention and also by his skill in keeping American history fresh and alive.”—Aspen Daily News
“Sure to swell the readership of Melville’s masterpiece.”—Booklist (Starred review)
“In this cogent and passionate polemic for Melville’s masterpiece, Philbrick… combines a critical eye and a reader’s adoration to make a case for Moby-Dick… Less lit-crit and more readers’ guide, this tome will remind fans why they loved the book in the first place, and whet the appetites of trepid potential readers.”—Publishers Weekly
“A slim celebration of the elements of a literary masterpiece…Philbrick is an enthusiastic salesman for a sometimes daunting novel.”—Kirkus
“So you liked Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea, which re-created the wreck of the whaleship Essex, inspiration for Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick? Then you’ll love Philbrick’s new book… From a wonderful and knowing writer.”—Library Journalt
This title is historian Philbrick’s valentine to Herman Melville’s singular masterpiece. In numerous, brief chapters, Philbrick, who also narrates, presents in very simple terms his argument for why Melville’s briny story of obsession and revenge becomes more relevant as history glides forward like the Pequod on its doomed voyage. He scrutinizes the novel’s core characters and ponders the well of Melville’s creativity and melancholy. Beautifully done. (LJ 3/1/12)
(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Philbrick (In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex), a National Book Award winner and resident of Nantucket, has been an ardent lifelong fan of Moby-Dick. In this brief volume, he aims to diminish the twin threats of a work that is both very long and written in a daunting style by writing in an unacademic style himself to support his contention that "Moby-Dick is nothing less than the genetic code of America." Philbrick conveys his own deep enthusiasm for the book and argues that "whenever a new crisis grips the country, Moby-Dick becomes newly important." In thematic chapters, Philbrick observes Moby-Dick through a variety of lenses—historical, philosophical, biographical, literary, and maritime—all demonstrating the book's ongoing fascinations and the ease with which today's readers can enter the novel's world. VERDICT While Philbrick may not persuade all readers who've been avoiding this tome to give it a try, he should succeed in swaying quite a few. There's nothing especially subtle or insightful here for those who've studied the book, but to entice new readers to Melville's work, it surely deserves consideration.—Charles C. Nash, formerly with Cottey Coll., Nevada, MO
After writing IN THE HEART OF THE SEA, an entertaining and detailed account of the real story of Moby-Dick, one might be forgiven for comparing author Philbrick to Captain Ahab in his zeal. Fortunately, Philbrick narrates this audio himself—with such charm and sweetness that he soon eliminates the fear that one is headed for “Whiteness of the Whale” fanaticism. His love for the novel and the sincerity of his evangelistic passion come through so clearly that one is soon avidly engaged in parts one may have hurried through in school. Philbrick makes a convincing case for having another go with his straightforward language and appealing tone. D.G. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
| BN ID: | 2940172074981 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Penguin Random House |
| Publication date: | 10/20/2011 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
