Moby-Dick or, the Whale

So Melville wrote of his masterpiece, one of the greatest works of imagination in literary history. In part, is the story of an eerily compelling madman pursuing an unholy war against a creature as vast and da So Melville wrote of his masterpiece, one of the greatest works of imagination in literary history. In part, is the story of an eerily compelling madman pursuing an unholy war against a creature as vast and dangerous and unknowable as the sea itself.

But more than just a novel of adventure, more than an encyclopaedia of whaling lore and legend, the book can be seen as part of its author's lifelong meditation on America. Written with wonderfully redemptive humour, is also a profound inquiry into character, faith, and the nature of perception. This edition of , which reproduces the definitive text of the novel, includes invaluable explanatory notes, along with maps, illustrations, and a glossary of nautical terms.