Books

2009 First Thus. Fine Hardback. No inscriptions or bookplates. Fine slipcase. Limited Edition of 1,750 numbered copies of which this is number 41. Each copy numbered by hand on a special limitation page. Bound in leather, blocked in white and silver with a design based on one of Rockwell Kent's illustrations. Set in Fournier. 768 pages with approximately 280 black & white illustrations. Size: 9.25" x 6.75" Commentary volume is bound in buckram, 312 pages, 9.25" x 6.75". Both presented in a buckram-bound solander box. Herman Melville's tale of the hunt for the white whale, Moby Dick, is one of the greatest novels of all time. It is at once an adventure story of the high seas, and an exploration of the uncharted regions of the soul. Neglected in Melville's day, Moby-Dick is now acknowledged as a sublime work of the imagination, an American Odyssey. In Ahab, Melville creates a tragic hero on the scale of King Lear or Don Quixote. His single-minded pursuit of the whale is both terrifying and awe-inspiring, as he perverts his commercial venture into one of vengeance on a seemingly invincible foe. The crew of the Pequod, drawn from all corners of the globe, are the human casualties of Ahab's quest: battling the elements and driven onwards by a madman. UK Postage �3.40; Airmail to USA and Canada �44.40; Airmail to most of the Rest of the World (including the EU), �44.40.

"Moby-Dick; or, The Whale," penned by Herman Melville in 1851, stands as a monumental work in American literature, melding adventure, philosophical inquiry, and deep symbolism. At its core, the novel narrates the obsessive quest of Captain Ahab, the monomaniacal commander of the whaling ship Pequod, to exact vengeance on Moby Dick, a gargantuan white sperm whale. Ahab's pursuit of the elusive leviathan, which had previously maimed him, becomes a profound exploration of ambition, madness, and humanity's struggle against the unfathomable forces of nature. The story is recounted by Ishmael, a sailor aboard the Pequod, who serves not only as a narrator but also as a philosophical observer, pondering the mysteries of existence and the interconnectedness of mankind and the natural world. The narrative weaves together Ishmael's reflections, the diverse tales of the ship's crew, and detailed expositions on whaling, creating a rich tapestry that transcends the conventions of its adventure story framework. "Moby-Dick" is celebrated for its ambitious scope, intricate symbolism, and the complexity of its themes. Melville's use of language is both grandiose and penetrating, capable of shifting from technical descriptions of whaling to eloquent meditations on the human condition. The novel's famous opening line, "Call me Ishmael," signals the beginning of a journey not just across the seas but into the depths of the soul and the paradoxes of existence. The fame of "Moby-Dick" lies not only in its narrative audacity but in its capacity to provoke endless interpretation. Ahab's quest against Moby Dick has been read as an allegory for the hubris of man, the inscrutability of fate, and the eternal battle against nature's indomitable will. Over time, the novel has transcended its initial lukewarm reception to become a cornerstone of American literature, revered for its profound insights into the human psyche and the darkness and light that reside within the human heart.