Moby Dick

Herman Melville

Recommended By

Book Reviews

One of Steve Jobs' favorite books.

Book Synopsis

"Moby Dick" by Herman Melville is a remarkable tale about the obsessed Captain Ahab and his relentless pursuit of the great white whale known as Moby Dick. Set in the 19th century, the novel takes readers on a perilous journey on the whaling ship Pequod, where Ahab's quest for vengeance overrides all sane judgment.

As the crew members embark on their dangerous voyage, Melville masterfully delves into their unique personalities and backgrounds, offering a captivating exploration of human nature. Ishmael, the narrator, provides a window into this fascinating world, introducing readers to the diverse crew and sharing his own thoughts and experiences.

Ahab, a charismatic yet deeply tormented character, becomes fixated on hunting down Moby Dick, whom he believes to be responsible for his lost leg. He drives the crew to the brink of madness, while the formidable whale remains an elusive adversary haunting their every move.

Amidst this relentless pursuit, Melville incorporates rich and intricate descriptions of whaling practices, revealing the arduous labor and dangers faced by the sailors. From the harsh realities of the hunt to the unpredictable forces of nature, the author immerses readers in an unparalleled maritime setting.

"Moby Dick" is not merely a story of a man's obsession; it explores themes of fate, humanity's struggle against nature, the search for meaning in a turbulent world, and the unyielding power of revenge. It is a sprawling epic that combines adventure, philosophy, and poetic language to create a literary masterpiece that continues to captivate readers today.

Explore More Books

See All
Pride and Prejudice
The Origin of Wealth
101 Things I Learned in Engineering School
Syntax & Sage
Building the Intentional University
From Bacteria to Bach and Back
Hit Men
The Splendid and the Vile
Prof. Arnold Ehret's Mucusless Diet Healing System
Deep Work
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
The Black Swan
Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got
The Anatomy of the State
Andrew Carnegie
Good Economics For Hard Times
The Overview Effect
Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field
Built from Scratch
Daemon
Should We Eat Meat?
The Price of Peace
The Big Score
The Black Jacobins
It's About Damn Time
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
Seeing Serena
Be the Person You Want to Find
Every Shot Counts
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Our Mathematical Universe
Troublemakers
The Culture of Narcissism
The Better Angels of our Nature
The Global Macro Edge
Boyd
Layered Money
Swimming Across
The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo
Death Rattle
Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy
Vagabonding
Dune
The Upright Thinkers
The Writing Life
The God Proof
Return to the Little Kingdom
Stealing Fire
More Than You Know
Thirst
James Turrell
Who Moved My Cheese?
The Power of Full Engagement
The Sheltering Sky
The 10,000 Year Explosion
Tales of the Unexpected
How Buildings Learn
The Wisdom of Crowds
Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter
The Value Investors
The Only Game In Town
Continental Reckoning
The Autobiography of Charles Darwin
Norwegian Wood
Six Not-So-Easy Pieces
Nudge
Energy
Greenlights
Money Changes Everything
Stuff Matters
In The Plex
Ficciones
Autobiography of a Yogi
Race and Culture
The Great Illusion
Interventions
The Checklist Manifesto
Orwell's Revenge
Uncaring
Decoded
One Up on Wall Street
The Art of Computer Programming
The Cult of LEGO
Breath From Salt
The Jack Vance Treasury
In-N-Out Burger
Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
Slugfest
Lonesome Dove
Take On The Street
What If?
Zoning Rules!
The Heart of Yoga
Dreamland
The Trump Century
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Plan B 3.0
The Opium of the Intellectuals
Tent Life in Siberia
UFO Hunters