It's great that your first of the 12 classics TBR was so enjoyable for you! I think what you're describing, with fiction written with non-fiction bits woven within it, is what author Lidia Yuknavitch calls "Narrative Helix". It's actually how my next book will be written! I think Choke by Chuck Palahniuk is written this way if I'm remembering correctly. I think he has medical terminology woven within the story. I love that.
Moby Dick is one of my favorite classics. I've read it several times - the first time was way back when I had just graduated High School. I gave myself the challenge to read Moby Dick the summer after I graduated High School. It took me two months, but I read it and really enjoyed it.
Victor Hugo does something similar in Les Miserables, where he’ll have whole chapters inserted into the narrative about Napoleon or Parisian slang or the sewer system. Technically you can skip them, only one of those chapters includes an important plot point. But you would definitely miss out on part of the experience of the book. I’m reading Moby Dick right now, it’s been on my TBR for a long time!
I read Moby Dick years ago and found the nonfiction parts tedious, so I will plan to reread it with your perspective in mind. As you were discussing the two parts, I was thinking about a speculative nonfiction book I’ve read more than once because I loved it for the same reason you like MD. That book is The Perfect Storm, which I highly recommend if you haven’t read it already. You may also be interested in reading Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea.
I've not read The Perfect Storm but do fancy it. In the Heart of the Sea I have read and really liked. Hope your reread of Moby Dick goes well when you do it!
I haven't read this but I love the idea of interleaving fiction with non-fiction... I think it would be a great way to learn about anything because we learn better when the new information is directly relevant to something we interact with often... so using our new knowledge to understand the fictional story would be ideal! I also want more recommendation of this type of book!
I have not read it, though it is on my large TBR shelf...I fear I am the sort of person who loves the idea of reading the classics, but often doesn't get around to the reality of it...Booktube has been good for me to push me more in the right direction. I don't know if your review has made me any more likely to pick it up, but it does allow me to be more well informed should I choose to do so. Without your input, I would have been likely to skip over the whaling history sections of the book. Thanks!
Thank you - I think I'm probably quite like you in that I've always liked the idea of reading classics more than the reality. Moby Dick was a nice surprise though, I really did enjoy it a lot
It’s been years I read Moby Dick and I completely agree that’s a fantastic book that would be worse off without it two parts. I wonder if a there isn’t a thesis somewhere comparing Ishmael’s obsession with the details of whaling and Ahab’s obsession to get back to Moby Dick.
That's a really interesting thought! I had always thought of those chapters as just filler, but you and Olly are making me think deeper about those chapters now. Time for a reread!
Parts of Moby Dick are incredibly boring, but I think that's part of its charm because it makes you feel that you are part of that long cruise and when something occasionally happens it feels all the more exciting. If Melville had made it shorter, and those rather tedious bits had been cut out, I think the overall effect would be diminished. Another 'good but boring' book like that would be 'The Magic Mountain' by Thomas Mann. Also anything by John Le Carre.
I loved Moby Dick too! I also got the same messaging about the whale hunters and their contribution to polite society. I am astounded that Melville wrote the book without the use of a computer to help organize scenes and chapters and characters and the timeline. He was obviously a genius.
Boy how the hell do you read books so fast my adhd having ass could never. Fun fact this book was used as a metaphor in 2 separate Star Trek movies (Wrath of Kahn and First Contact)
I have never read it though I have a really old copy of it I bought a loong time ago, but have always been intimidated by it, your the only person to actually make it sound interesting lol.
From how it is described ot kind of makes me think of Jules Verne 20 thousand leagues under the sea were you get a lot of info about sea life along with the story.
Fun fact..."Migaloo is an adult male albino humpback, estimated to have been born in 1986 (now in his 30s). He was first spotted in 1991 when he was passing through Byron Bay, and is one of an estimated 35,000 humpback whales that migrate yearly". If you google Migaloo there are some extraordinary pictures of an actual white humpback whale, so you could imagine just what a sight a white whale would have been. So It's now a yearly tradition of sorts in Australia to look out for Migaloo to kick off the migration of these beautiful animals. Moby Dick is a great read. "In the Heart of the Sea" by Nathan Philbrick is another book worth your time if you want to read more about the whaling era of that time.
Just looked up Migaloo and some of those pictures are amazing, thanks Nathan! I read In the Heart of the Sea a while ago and really liked it. Sorry it's taken me a while to reply to this!
If you can find a copy of In the Heart of the Sea (The movie, or the book by Nathaniel Philbrick) The connection between the nonfiction and fiction in Moby Dick has even less of a line between it.
I havent read it but do own a copy. I like that is has non-fictional elements, so I will read it at some point in the not too distant future. Good luck with The Snooziad. One of the few books I've DNF'd (twice!). Poetry 😴🛌 Great review btw.
Moby Dick is my favorite novel. It's the only what is your favorite song/movie/band/artist etc. that I can answer without hesitation. I'd recommend reading the prose-verse translation "The Anger of Achilles: Homer's Iliad" by Robert Graves even if you do like reading poetry. It's more fun and no further away from the original Homer than the verse translations which try to origami the English language into Homeric Greek.
Moby Dick is one of my favorite books of all time. Changes with Don Quixote and The Brothers Karamazov and The Master and Margarita. I’m currently reading Middlemarch by Eliot and I am so bored and uninterested in it. Hoping all the wonderful things people talk about hit me soon.
Would you believe that I have _not_ read _Moby Dick,_ yet?!!? I _know!_ I shall, someday, soon ... wanna read _War and Peace,_ however, first, next year ... I _have,_ however read & loved Simmons' _The Terror,_ what a horror story! WTG, Olly . . . 😁👍😎
I'm not sure I would enjoy this one. I feel that although I would try the non-fiction aspects would struggle to hold my interest. I did however enjoy listening to your thoughts immensely. It's interesting how synonymous Moby Dick is with obsession. "x is my moby dick" is something I've heard plenty of times over the years. Sometimes I wonder what it is about a certain story that leads to it being so entrenched in the public consciousnesss and as an aspiring author I find it a very interesting thought. Not that I think I'll ever write anything that sparks public interest and influences society to that extent but it doesn't mean I don't wish I could haha.
I’m going against everyone on here and I’ve tried twice to read it and never managed to get out of the pub at the beginning of the book. I found the writing to be too long winded for me.
I love Moby dick for the reasons you mentioned, but also because it was really funny. I think there is a perception of Moby dick that it is only harrowing, serious, full of whale facts, but some parts are absolutely hilarious.
Agreed, I'm halfway through a second reading of moby dick right now, and have had a few laugh-out-loud moments already.... The beautiful language, the vivid imagery, the multiple layers and textures of this book cannot be adequately described - one just has to read it!
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
It's great that your first of the 12 classics TBR was so enjoyable for you! I think what you're describing, with fiction written with non-fiction bits woven within it, is what author Lidia Yuknavitch calls "Narrative Helix". It's actually how my next book will be written! I think Choke by Chuck Palahniuk is written this way if I'm remembering correctly. I think he has medical terminology woven within the story. I love that.
Oh fascinating! Thank you!.
Great to hear that you're working on something new!
Moby Dick is one of my favorite classics. I've read it several times - the first time was way back when I had just graduated High School. I gave myself the challenge to read Moby Dick the summer after I graduated High School. It took me two months, but I read it and really enjoyed it.
I can definitely see myself rereading it at some point, there is just so much there.
Victor Hugo does something similar in Les Miserables, where he’ll have whole chapters inserted into the narrative about Napoleon or Parisian slang or the sewer system. Technically you can skip them, only one of those chapters includes an important plot point. But you would definitely miss out on part of the experience of the book. I’m reading Moby Dick right now, it’s been on my TBR for a long time!
I'm so glad you liked it! I completely agree that it may be kind of two books in one, but both the adventure and the whaling blend perfectly!
I thought it was really great
I read Moby Dick years ago and found the nonfiction parts tedious, so I will plan to reread it with your perspective in mind. As you were discussing the two parts, I was thinking about a speculative nonfiction book I’ve read more than once because I loved it for the same reason you like MD. That book is The Perfect Storm, which I highly recommend if you haven’t read it already. You may also be interested in reading Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea.
I've not read The Perfect Storm but do fancy it. In the Heart of the Sea I have read and really liked.
Hope your reread of Moby Dick goes well when you do it!
I just finished _Moby Dick_ a few days ago. I'll be thinking about it for a while. The book is deep.
I’m really glad you liked Moby Dick so much. I agree with everything you said about it. I have a feeling you will enjoy The Iliad as well.
Thanks again for inspiring me to do this!
I haven't read this but I love the idea of interleaving fiction with non-fiction... I think it would be a great way to learn about anything because we learn better when the new information is directly relevant to something we interact with often... so using our new knowledge to understand the fictional story would be ideal! I also want more recommendation of this type of book!
It does work really well! Another commenter has suggested that Choke by Chuck Palahniuk does something similar.
I have not read it, though it is on my large TBR shelf...I fear I am the sort of person who loves the idea of reading the classics, but often doesn't get around to the reality of it...Booktube has been good for me to push me more in the right direction. I don't know if your review has made me any more likely to pick it up, but it does allow me to be more well informed should I choose to do so. Without your input, I would have been likely to skip over the whaling history sections of the book. Thanks!
Thank you - I think I'm probably quite like you in that I've always liked the idea of reading classics more than the reality. Moby Dick was a nice surprise though, I really did enjoy it a lot
It’s been years I read Moby Dick and I completely agree that’s a fantastic book that would be worse off without it two parts. I wonder if a there isn’t a thesis somewhere comparing Ishmael’s obsession with the details of whaling and Ahab’s obsession to get back to Moby Dick.
Maybe go to your public library and look for one.
That's a really interesting thought! I had always thought of those chapters as just filler, but you and Olly are making me think deeper about those chapters now. Time for a reread!
Hope you enjoy the reread!
That's a great observation!
Great review of a great book. I agree that all the factual stuff contributes to the overall effect.
Cheers, Roy!
Ooh I've been really wanting to read this! I love stories set on the water. 🐋
It's really great
Parts of Moby Dick are incredibly boring, but I think that's part of its charm because it makes you feel that you are part of that long cruise and when something occasionally happens it feels all the more exciting. If Melville had made it shorter, and those rather tedious bits had been cut out, I think the overall effect would be diminished. Another 'good but boring' book like that would be 'The Magic Mountain' by Thomas Mann. Also anything by John Le Carre.
That's a fascinating observation, and yes I completely agree.
I loved Moby Dick too! I also got the same messaging about the whale hunters and their contribution to polite society. I am astounded that Melville wrote the book without the use of a computer to help organize scenes and chapters and characters and the timeline. He was obviously a genius.
Gosh yes, the meticulous nature of it all must have made it very hard to put together. It really was an incredible achievement.
Boy how the hell do you read books so fast my adhd having ass could never. Fun fact this book was used as a metaphor in 2 separate Star Trek movies (Wrath of Kahn and First Contact)
I’m a bit of a freak, I think. And that is a fun fact!
Oh I love the thought of those in Moby Dick getting the whales for the characters in Jane Austen 😀
It might be interesting to take a scene from one of those books and detail the origin of all the items the characters use.
I have never read it though I have a really old copy of it I bought a loong time ago, but have always been intimidated by it, your the only person to actually make it sound interesting lol.
It's a far more entertaining book than I expected!
From how it is described ot kind of makes me think of Jules Verne 20 thousand leagues under the sea were you get a lot of info about sea life along with the story.
I really need to read that one!
I haven’t read Moby Dick but it’s on my lifetime TBR list. Maybe in 2023!
It’s definitely worth the effort
@@CriminOllyBlog I will consider it. I tackled War & Peace this year. I can do anything.
Glad you enjoyed it …..still not sure I want to read it though. 😆
Ha, that is entirely fair!
Fun fact..."Migaloo is an adult male albino humpback, estimated to have been born in 1986 (now in his 30s). He was first spotted in 1991 when he was passing through Byron Bay, and is one of an estimated 35,000 humpback whales that migrate yearly". If you google Migaloo there are some extraordinary pictures of an actual white humpback whale, so you could imagine just what a sight a white whale would have been. So It's now a yearly tradition of sorts in Australia to look out for Migaloo to kick off the migration of these beautiful animals. Moby Dick is a great read. "In the Heart of the Sea" by Nathan Philbrick is another book worth your time if you want to read more about the whaling era of that time.
Just looked up Migaloo and some of those pictures are amazing, thanks Nathan!
I read In the Heart of the Sea a while ago and really liked it.
Sorry it's taken me a while to reply to this!
If you can find a copy of In the Heart of the Sea (The movie, or the book by Nathaniel Philbrick) The connection between the nonfiction and fiction in Moby Dick has even less of a line between it.
I have actually read that, fascinating book!
I havent read it but do own a copy. I like that is has non-fictional elements, so I will read it at some point in the not too distant future. Good luck with The Snooziad. One of the few books I've DNF'd (twice!). Poetry 😴🛌 Great review btw.
It’s kind of a sports book too, if fishing is a sport.
@@CriminOllyBlog 🤔
Moby Dick is my favorite novel. It's the only what is your favorite song/movie/band/artist etc. that I can answer without hesitation.
I'd recommend reading the prose-verse translation "The Anger of Achilles: Homer's Iliad" by Robert Graves even if you do like reading poetry. It's more fun and no further away from the original Homer than the verse translations which try to origami the English language into Homeric Greek.
I really did like MD a lot - an impressive achievement as well as an enjoyable read.
Thanks for the tips re Homer!
Moby Dick is one of my favorite books of all time. Changes with Don Quixote and The Brothers Karamazov and The Master and Margarita. I’m currently reading Middlemarch by Eliot and I am so bored and uninterested in it. Hoping all the wonderful things people talk about hit me soon.
Try 'The Mill on the Floss' instead.
I was thinking about trying Middlemarch next month, but I think I'll leave it until I've got through the other classics on my list!
Would you believe that I have _not_ read _Moby Dick,_ yet?!!? I _know!_ I shall, someday, soon ... wanna read _War and Peace,_ however, first, next year ... I _have,_ however read & loved Simmons' _The Terror,_ what a horror story! WTG, Olly . . . 😁👍😎
That does surprise me! It really is worth the effort. Yeah, The Terror was amazingly good
@@CriminOllyBlog _Moby Dick,_ you mean? I hear ya. In grad school I had a mate who was into Melville, a lot: I was/am a JOYCEAN lmfao! 🤔☘️😉
I'm not sure I would enjoy this one. I feel that although I would try the non-fiction aspects would struggle to hold my interest. I did however enjoy listening to your thoughts immensely. It's interesting how synonymous Moby Dick is with obsession. "x is my moby dick" is something I've heard plenty of times over the years. Sometimes I wonder what it is about a certain story that leads to it being so entrenched in the public consciousnesss and as an aspiring author I find it a very interesting thought. Not that I think I'll ever write anything that sparks public interest and influences society to that extent but it doesn't mean I don't wish I could haha.
Yes! X is my Moby Dick; Y is my Lolita... Oh, to write a book that has that kind of power generations later!
Yes, it really is amazing when a book becomes that entrenched in the public mind
I’m going against everyone on here and I’ve tried twice to read it and never managed to get out of the pub at the beginning of the book. I found the writing to be too long winded for me.
It does take some getting used to, but once it clicked with me I really liked it.
I love Moby dick for the reasons you mentioned, but also because it was really funny. I think there is a perception of Moby dick that it is only harrowing, serious, full of whale facts, but some parts are absolutely hilarious.
That's very true! It has the mix of so many different aspects of life that makes a great book.
Agreed, I'm halfway through a second reading of moby dick right now, and have had a few laugh-out-loud moments already.... The beautiful language, the vivid imagery, the multiple layers and textures of this book cannot be adequately described - one just has to read it!
Great review. You *almost* influenced to me read it. Nice try. 🐳 - 📚MJ
I influenced you to read Richard Laymon but not one of the classics of literature. Truly, my work is done.
@@CriminOllyBlog 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣☠️☠️☠️
I haven't read this. Only watch the movie...