Moby Dick is one of those books that is best appreciated when you have nothing else to read: it requires time and attention and slowing your pace (and not glancing at forthcoming reads wishing for the ease of their newness). If you read without that steady attention, it can feel like the plot plods and meanders; with attention, each paragraph becomes a resounding gift. I think you're probably right that you won't 'enjoy' the work-I don't think I particularly 'enjoy' Moby Dick, though some do. It's more like after reading Moby Dick I can open any passage and feel it, and miss it, and often I find inspiration in Melville's devotion to every phrase. It feels Biblical in its scale, though the plot itself on the surface seems so particular. It's actually a truly special book the more I think on it. It rests in my memory completely unlike most other books I've read.
Moby-Dick is a towering masterpiece. I finally read it a few months ago, but prepared myself by going over random paragraphs every day for a month. The sound of the language is very different from what I'm used to, even from other books written in the mid-nineteenth century, but once you let yourself fall into it, it is uniquely captivating. Not for everyone, so don't feel bad if you don't like it, but it's unlike anything else I ever read.
Great to see this video today! It will be interesting to see what you end up thinking about Moby Dick. I’m near the end of rereading it after many years. It has some beautiful moments. It’s fascinating that it has proponents of being the best novel ever written, and then there is the camp that absolutely hates it. Thanks for the video! 🎉
I read Moby-Dick a few years ago, and it instantly became one of my favorite books of all time. I used articles and lectures to better understand the references, though. I’m planning to re-read it in the future, when I read King Lear, Paradise Lost, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Metamorphoses by Ovid, and Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus. And ofc The Bible. But even without reading those works, I was still able to enjoy the story, the ideas, the language - everything. The whale anathomy chapters were my favorite. Some of them were so funny I was laughing out loud :)
I totally get buying books by an author before reading anything by them (my excuse is I live in a non-English speaking country, so some English-language books are hard to come by). For example, I've had two books by Hawthorne for a couple of years at this point. Coincidentally, the reason I got them was the fact that none other than Melville was obsessed with Hawthorne, and I wholeheartedly trust his judgment) Whenever you get to Moby Dick, I'm sure you'll enjoy it!
As you probably know Herman Melville is from Massachusetts. Every year they have a Moby Dick read a thon ( next is January 3 to 5, 2025) at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. I have yet to read the book myself. Now that I am retired I am trying to play "catch up" and get to some of these books. I heard about your channel from Steven Donoghue and enjoyed the video you both did together. It was fun to watch. Be well and keep up the The Active Mind video's, great content.
Joyce said about this novel that "I wrote not to be read, but to be heard." It is a poetic work rather than a prose work. P.S. "Moby Dick" is the best English-language book, in my opinion! I read it every summer. Two years ago, on my birthday, in July, I was on a boat across the Atlantic specifically to read it to me. I have never had such pleasure in my life! P.S.P. S. Sorry, I don't know English well! :)
@@TheActiveMind1 Foresight is crucial. If I read it after "David Copperfield" and go into the process with expectations created by Dickens, I will feel confused. If I delete all the books I have read in my brain and read them like a newborn baby takes food, then I will enjoy it.
I read moby dick recently, immensely fun and rewarding book I could not put it down, probably it's my second favorite book behind Frankenstein. I didn't want to believe how funny it was.
So what I hear you saying is that you, as an aspiring influencer, are being influenced by your audience. 😉 If, in your travels, you find a copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, you might want to try it. It has parallels to other books on your list. Enjoy your weekend. 😺✌️
I have a different approach to book buying as I rarely have a pile of unread, but there is often a book at the back of my mind that I intend to buy at some point. That was the case with Moby Dick which after a promising start became a chore and for my taste, vastly overrated (I preferred Billy Budd). Not so, Life and Fate, a wonderful, involving epic. I liked The Dubliners and Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man, but bailed on Ulysses on page 180 as I came to the conclusion that if I had ever been in the company of James Joyce, I would find him insufferable and I no longer wished to be in his company. I don't know about Wings of a Dove, but I thoroughly enjoyed Portrait of a Lady and found it unexpectedly easy to read. I have just bought The Magic Mountain for my next major read this year. With both of these authors I would recommend reading the Colm Toibin's novels The Master (about James) and The Magician (about Mann). Wonderful books in their own right.
Moby Dick is one of those books that is best appreciated when you have nothing else to read: it requires time and attention and slowing your pace (and not glancing at forthcoming reads wishing for the ease of their newness). If you read without that steady attention, it can feel like the plot plods and meanders; with attention, each paragraph becomes a resounding gift. I think you're probably right that you won't 'enjoy' the work-I don't think I particularly 'enjoy' Moby Dick, though some do. It's more like after reading Moby Dick I can open any passage and feel it, and miss it, and often I find inspiration in Melville's devotion to every phrase. It feels Biblical in its scale, though the plot itself on the surface seems so particular. It's actually a truly special book the more I think on it. It rests in my memory completely unlike most other books I've read.
Moby-Dick is a towering masterpiece. I finally read it a few months ago, but prepared myself by going over random paragraphs every day for a month. The sound of the language is very different from what I'm used to, even from other books written in the mid-nineteenth century, but once you let yourself fall into it, it is uniquely captivating. Not for everyone, so don't feel bad if you don't like it, but it's unlike anything else I ever read.
Great to see this video today!
It will be interesting to see what you end up thinking about Moby Dick. I’m near the end of rereading it after many years. It has some beautiful moments. It’s fascinating that it has proponents of being the best novel ever written, and then there is the camp that absolutely hates it.
Thanks for the video! 🎉
I was also really impressed by Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville - it was around 30 pages long in my edition. You might start with this one
I read Moby-Dick a few years ago, and it instantly became one of my favorite books of all time. I used articles and lectures to better understand the references, though. I’m planning to re-read it in the future, when I read King Lear, Paradise Lost, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Metamorphoses by Ovid, and Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus. And ofc The Bible. But even without reading those works, I was still able to enjoy the story, the ideas, the language - everything.
The whale anathomy chapters were my favorite. Some of them were so funny I was laughing out loud :)
I’m behind on all of those as well!
I totally get buying books by an author before reading anything by them (my excuse is I live in a non-English speaking country, so some English-language books are hard to come by). For example, I've had two books by Hawthorne for a couple of years at this point. Coincidentally, the reason I got them was the fact that none other than Melville was obsessed with Hawthorne, and I wholeheartedly trust his judgment) Whenever you get to Moby Dick, I'm sure you'll enjoy it!
As you probably know Herman Melville is from Massachusetts. Every year they have a Moby Dick read a thon ( next is January 3 to 5, 2025) at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. I have yet to read the book myself. Now that I am retired I am trying to play "catch up" and get to some of these books. I heard about your channel from Steven Donoghue and enjoyed the video you both did together. It was fun to watch. Be well and keep up the The Active Mind video's, great content.
Happy to hear you enjoyed my chat with Steve! I suspect I’ll fall in love with the novel….once I stop procrastinating haha
Joyce said about this novel that
"I wrote not to be read, but to be heard." It is a poetic work rather than a prose work.
P.S. "Moby Dick" is the best English-language book, in my opinion! I read it every summer. Two years ago, on my birthday, in July, I was on a boat across the Atlantic specifically to read it to me. I have never had such pleasure in my life!
P.S.P. S. Sorry, I don't know English well! :)
I’m curious to know whether I’ll enjoy Joyce’s works or feel stumped by them
@@TheActiveMind1 Foresight is crucial. If I read it after "David Copperfield" and go into the process with expectations created by Dickens, I will feel confused. If I delete all the books I have read in my brain and read them like a newborn baby takes food, then I will enjoy it.
I read moby dick recently, immensely fun and rewarding book I could not put it down, probably it's my second favorite book behind Frankenstein. I didn't want to believe how funny it was.
So what I hear you saying is that you, as an aspiring influencer, are being influenced by your audience. 😉
If, in your travels, you find a copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, you might want to try it. It has parallels to other books on your list.
Enjoy your weekend.
😺✌️
I read Twilight of the Idols for the first time earlier this year, and it is a fantastic book. I look forward to hearing your thoughts about it!
I have a different approach to book buying as I rarely have a pile of unread, but there is often a book at the back of my mind that I intend to buy at some point. That was the case with Moby Dick which after a promising start became a chore and for my taste, vastly overrated (I preferred Billy Budd). Not so, Life and Fate, a wonderful, involving epic.
I liked The Dubliners and Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man, but bailed on Ulysses on page 180 as I came to the conclusion that if I had ever been in the company of James Joyce, I would find him insufferable and I no longer wished to be in his company.
I don't know about Wings of a Dove, but I thoroughly enjoyed Portrait of a Lady and found it unexpectedly easy to read. I have just bought The Magic Mountain for my next major read this year. With both of these authors I would recommend reading the Colm Toibin's novels The Master (about James) and The Magician (about Mann). Wonderful books in their own right.
I don't like Jane Austin at all. I'm excited to hear about your book club. I'm planning on reading Life and Fate soon.
You've got the wrong idea about Moby Dick. No other book is more fun to read.
I hope you're totally right! It seems others agree with you too
HELLO NICE BOOKS MERCI BEAUCOUP HI FABRICE
Thanks Fabrice!