# Y'all, can we talk about Moby Dick? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 31, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yall-can-we-talk-about-moby-dick/741840 "2015-12-31T18:26:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yall-can-we-talk-about-moby-dick/741840/61 "2016-01-03T01:40:36Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > The thing is, it wasn’t “some whales are white”, it was “what does whiteness mean? Why is whiteness perfect and also abominable?” > > I mean I get why you’d give up on this book, don’t mistake me. It’s a mess. But my god, I was so struck by the whiteness. Yeah, I know that chapter really does it for a lot of people, and like I said, seriously, more power to everyone who loves it. It was the chapter where I decided I had officially died from plot starvation. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yall-can-we-talk-about-moby-dick/741840/62 "2016-01-03T22:24:34Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Do English speakers outside the US read Moby Dick? I’ve read it. (Down here in Aus). Among my literary mates, there is the usual spread - it’s either loved or loathed - probably one of the most polarising books in literature. I think it’s f&#\*ing awesome. ---
**Author:** ![dataguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eada6e/32.png) [@dataguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dataguy)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yall-can-we-talk-about-moby-dick/741840/63 "2016-01-08T01:21:17Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > That was, I think, the chapter where I said, “Of, fer the love a Christ,” and gave up. All respect to Melville for his mad chops and all, and there were great bits of the book up to that point, but god help me, I need a plot… I just wanted to note that this post is the highlight of this entire thread for me. Truly inspired. It made me think of a book I just read called “The Bone Clocks”. The only reason I read it was because it won a whole batch of awards. After reading it, I felt much the same as you do about Moby Dick. But, as you conceded, to each his own. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yall-can-we-talk-about-moby-dick/741840/64 "2016-01-08T14:05:34Z")
Just for the record, this weekend is the annual 24 hour reading of Moby Dick at the New bedford Whaling Museum. [http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20160107/ENTERTAINMENTLIFE/160109601/13828/ENTERTAINMENT](http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20160107/ENTERTAINMENTLIFE/160109601/13828/ENTERTAINMENT) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yall-can-we-talk-about-moby-dick/741840/65 "2016-01-08T14:49:55Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Do English speakers outside the US read Moby Dick? Penguin publishes a heavily annotated edition of it. I assume they’re not _all_ holding up the short legs of tables. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yall-can-we-talk-about-moby-dick/741840/66 "2016-01-08T15:08:04Z")
Reading _Moby Dick_ is one of those amazing experiences I have no desire to repeat. It would be true to say I enjoy having read it. It would not be true to say I enjoyed reading it. _Moby Dick_ is a book I can admire, but not enjoy. It isn’t a bad book - at the end I didn’t feel I had wasted my time reading it - but Lord have mercy, what a slog. And as mentioned above, you can’t even get used to the style and allow for it - the darn thing jumps all over the place. I suppose that is the idea, but it’s like drinking from a fire hose. And I wasn’t even required to read it - I did it on my own. If you liked it, God bless you. Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yall-can-we-talk-about-moby-dick/741840.md?page=3)