Moby Dick
Why it lasts
- A central classic of American literature, often named the great American novel.
- Turns Captain Ahab's obsessive hunt for the white whale that took his leg into a story about obsession, fate and the limits of human knowledge.
- Mixes adventure, whaling science, sermon and philosophy, stretching what a novel could be.
- Ahab became a lasting symbol of obsession, and "white whale" now means a goal someone chases endlessly.
Behind the book
Inspired by a real sinking
In 1820 a sperm whale rammed and sank the whaleship Essex, and the crew's ordeal helped inspire Melville.
Written from experience
Melville sailed on a whaling ship as a young man, then deserted it in the South Pacific islands.
A flop in its time
It sold poorly and puzzled many critics, and in Melville's lifetime it sold only about 3,200 copies.
Rediscovered decades later
Largely forgotten when Melville died in 1891, it was rediscovered by critics in the 1920s and soon widely praised.