Why Read Moby-Dick? - by Nathaniel Philbrick (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

One of the greatest American novels finds its perfect contemporary champion in Why Read Moby-Dick?, Nathaniel Philbrick's enlightening and entertaining tour through Melville's classic. As he did in his National Book Award-winning bestseller In the Heart of the Sea, Philbrick brings a sailor's eye and an adventurer's passion to unfolding the story behind an epic American journey. He skillfully navigates Melville's world and illuminates the book's humor and unforgettable characters--finding the thread that binds Ishmael and Ahab to our own time and, indeed, to all times. An ideal match between author and subject, Why Read Moby-Dick? will start conversations, inspire arguments, and make a powerful case that this classic tale waits to be discovered anew.

"Gracefully written [with an] infectious enthusiasm..."--New York Times Book Review

Review Quotes

"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

About the Author