Books

America�s greatest novel signed by one of our greatest Presidents. This book President Franklin D. Roosevelt has inscribed it on the front blank as follows: "Junior Debating Society Prize, Groton School, 1942 / David Seall Biddts / from Franklin D. Roosevelt." This copy of Moby Dick, is bound in half brown morocco binding, with the Groton School seal stamped in gold on the front cover. The book is the prize Roosevelt gave and awarded to the winner of that year's debate competition. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was home schooled until the age of 14, after which he attended exclusive preparatory Groton School for grades 8 to 12, on his way to the mandatory 4 years at Harvard University. Roosevelt probably read Melville's great novel at Groton or Harvard, and that it impacted his intellectual life thereafter. FDR had a lifelong interest in the nautical world with collecting of Naval prints and autographs, as well as serving as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson. His Delano relations consisted of whalemen, China Traders, opium dealers, and deepwater mariners, including Amasa Delano (protagonist in Melville's Benito Cereno). Obviously, Moby Dick was a book he held in high esteem. According to Heilicher's monograph The Education of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Roosevelt was an active member of the Groton debate team. As president, he continued to support the school and its activities, sponsoring the prize for the annual Junior Debating Society competition. Interestingly, this edition is a scarce 20th century reprint of Moby Dick, not appearing in Tanselle or BAL. The copyright page reads, "The Library Edition of Herman Melville's Works. First published 1925. Printed in USA." Leather binding shows rubbing at joints and corners. Text and inscription clean and fresh. 8vo, 20 cm. xii, 545 pp. b/w plates. Enclosed in a custom clamshell box.

"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.