Moby-Dick or, The Whale (Penguin Classics) Paperback – December 31, 2002

Perfect book for my needs. This isn't a story synopsis, but a review of the quality of this paperback edition in its physical condition.I wanted a cheap paperback edition of this classic, which I'm thoroughly enjoying reading. I bend this book, and have creased the spine well in my handling of it. None of the pages have torn out and the binding and glue are holding fine. It's not nearly as immortal as a hardcover, but as a beater book to toss in my backpack and give away after I've read it, this is perfect.

One of the greatest novels ever written, and this edition is beautiful.

If you really have a passion for the world of Wales and the life of wailing, you will enjoy this book. I had to use ChatGPT to understand many portions due to its old English usage, but from the symbolic point of view and the philosophical point of view, it was beautifully written

This year, I want to attempt to read some of the old classic material. This was the first of this year, and I'm finally glad I read it. The flow of the story was enjoyable, and I loved the old English conversations between the crew and the writing style. There were times I needed to re-read areas , as we are not used to that style of speech today.Definitely a classic must read. Now, to choose my next classic. I don't know where to begin. I've read Jules V, HP Lovecraft, Shelly's Frankenstein, Poe, and HG wells.AnyI'm open to suggestions?

Once upon a time, I was a book cataloguer, seller, and rare book identifier. There is a specific code of conduct for reviewing the condition and description of any published work. John Carter’s ABC for Book Collectors is an excellent reference for understanding these standards.The book I received from ThriftBooks Atlanta would not, by any professional measure, qualify as "Very Good" condition. Blue octavo paper wraps are in what I would call "Good" condition at best—which, in the trade, is actually rather rough. Corners are bumped, and the top, bottom, and fore edges of the covers show wear. The top edge and fore edge of the text block are stained. There are sticker marks on the spine (from ThriftBooks Atlanta) as well as on the rear wrap. The title page is dog-eared. Aside from that, the book is in decent readable condition.But for a listing marked “Very Good,” this was a clear overstatement. Descriptions like this are misleading for collectors and former professionals alike.

THE NOVELEverybody knows the story, so you might think there is no reason to actually read the novel. I just finally read it, and here are some things you don't know if you haven't read it. First, you don't know how funny it is! The first twenty chapters/100 pages, before Ishmael and Queequeg board the Pequod, is mainly a comedy, and there is humor laced throughout the rest of the book. Second, it is full of poetic passages. Melville was heavily influenced by the style of the King James Bible and Shakespeare. Third, Melville celebrates democracy, working men, and multi-cultural diversity. Yes, it is full of the mechanics of whaling, which was a deterrent to me when I first tried to read it in the Fall of 1976, but there is so much more!THE EDITIONThere are countless different editions of Moby-Dick as the copyright long since expired, and many are found here at one listing, making selection difficult. The one I read is one I recommend as a reading copy: the Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, which is 625 pages of text with a quite readable typeface. I'm sure the paperback binding could be cracked, which I hate, but I managed to hold it open easily and avoided cracking.WHALES AND WHALINGMelville was overoptimistic about the ability of whales to survive despite whaling. Moby Dick, of course, wins in the end, but as for non-fictional whales it is a different story. Many species were in serious trouble before the IWC (International Whaling Commission) finally announced a moratorium on whaling in 1982, which is still in effect. Japan left the IWC and resumed whaling in 2019. Norway engages in limited whaling. Native Alaskans continue to hunt, though obviously the numbers are small. But with those exceptions, whaling is no more, and so whales, though still at risk from human activity, are no longer being ruthlessly hunted to extinction, and will hopefully survive the climate change now underway.