Book 3/52
Moby Dick - Herman Melville
My Rating: 2.5/5
Every year, I challenge myself with some real hard books (meaning tough nut classics) to check if I am still up for some of them who make it to an all-time 100 books that one must read before dying. This was a part of that adventure that took its toll on me for almost 15 days I fought hard with myself not to abandon it and somehow finally finished. 550+ pages and a straightforward revenge drama of a seafarer who loses a limb on one occasion and vows to find the culprit white whale named Moby Dick. How He Does It Taking Three Years, Adventure is the book with so much commentary thrown for good measure by Mr Melville with no respite for the reader but to plough along as the action takes place only in the last 50 pages, you get the hint. If you are attempting this and about to abandon after the first 100 pages, as a lot of people do - jump right ahead to the last 50 pages, and you can thank me later. It has its Indian connection, too, as the captain himself is an (American) Indian who talks a lot about Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh and his favourite Shiva with his theory of Shastra’s found underwater that are protected by whales. I must say it was a very tough read as I simply couldn’t digest his prose and later found out that I wasn’t the only one feeling the same. Now that I am done with it, taking a break with my favourite fiction writer before preparing myself again for the next challenge (War & Peace).
Do let me know if you have read Moby Dick, did it work for you? Also, let me know which one was the toughest book that you read that you were about to abandon but still went on to finish it (or didn’t). I would love to add them for next year’s challenge, this year I am covered with those two for sure.
No comments:
Post a Comment