Books

The Majestic Arion Press Moby-Dick Inscribed by Moser with an Original Pencil Drawing Beneath the Inscription. ARION PRESS. MELVILLE, Herman. MOSER, Barry, [illustrator]. PENNYROYAL PRESS. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. San Francisco: The Arion Press, 1979. Full Description: [ARION PRESS]. [MOSER, Barry, illustrator]. MELVILLE, Herman. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. San Francisco: The Arion Press, 1979. Limited to 265 copies signed by Moser. Presentation copy, inscribed on title-page "For Vance Barry Moser" with an original pencil drawing of a harpoon beneath the inscription. Folio (15 x 10 inches; 380 x 250 mm). 577 pp. Typeset by Andrew Hoyem in 18 pt. Goudy Modern with Leviathan titling, designed especially for this book. Printed in black and blue on handmade Barcham Green paper bearing a whale watermark. With 100 wood-engravings by Barry Moser. Edited from the edition published by Northwestern University and the Newberry Library by Harrison Hayford, Hershel Parker, and G. Thomas Tanselle. Publisher's full blue morocco. Spine lettered in silver. Fore-edge and bottom edge uncut. Spine with some very slight rubbing and sunning. In the original publisher's cloth slipcase. Slipcase a bit summed. Overall an about fine copy of this exquisite production of Melville's classic tale. One of the most important and majestic private press books produced in America. Moser has said, "Moby-Dick was the project which broke more new ground for me than any other." ".a feat of craftsmanship unexcelled in modern printing." -William Everson, Fine Print Pennyroyal, A Miscellany, 8. HBS 69222. $25,000.

"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.