Books

Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1981. Hardcover. Fine. Hardcover. One of 750 copies. This handsome edition of Moby Dick is described in a preface to this California Press offering as a refashioning of " distinguished contribution to the heritage of fine printing in the San Francisco Bay area. The original edition created by...the Arion Press, was the most majestic presentation of America's most monumental novel. ...The present printing is the result of consultation between [the Arion Press]....In cooperation, the two presses have devised a page with handsome dimensions, a page that, though smaller than the original, is still generous and suitable to the scope of the text." Through a photographic reproduction of the original pages, It replicates the type, initial letters, and all of the illustrations of famed artist Barry Moser. The text for this edition is the first "to use the careful editorial work of three leading scholars of Melville's writings -…

"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.