A Haunting in the Arctic

A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke, 340 pages

A shipwreck on the northern coast of Iceland since a horrific incident in the 1970s, the Ormen is scheduled to be demolished soon. Travel Tiktoker Dominique has decided to make a midwinter trek to document the former whaling ship-turned-research vessel's history and last days. Not long after she arrives, three more influencers do too with the same idea, though none of them seem to be seeing or hearing any of the supernatural things Dominique does. Interspersed with Dominique's story is the tale of Nicky, the daughter of a whaling tycoon who wakes up aboard the Ormen in 1901, trapped on a boat full of men that only want one thing from her...

This book swings between horrific and eerie, depending on whose story is being told. It's chilling (literally — it's the Arctic, it's right there in the title — though there are definitely a few questionable elements as the twists at the end are revealed. Not a bad book to read, though I much prefer Cooke's The Lighthouse Witches.

Moby Dick

Moby Dick / Herman Melville, 654 pgs.

I hate to publish spoilers in my posts there but I don't mind telling you all that Moby Dick is a whale!  Probably not a huge surprise to most of you.  What I did find surprising was the tale of obsession, loyalty and doubt.  Our summer reading selection was one of my favorites.  The detailed descriptions of ship life and whaling were fascinating but most of all I love the idea that when something that is hunted fights back, it can be seen as evil. 

Moby Dick

Moby Dick: Or, The Whale by Herman Melville  654 pp.

Is a description of the obsessive Captain Ahab's relentless search for the malevolent white whale that took his leg? I originally read this book for high school English class. I wasn't impressed then. I can't say I'm much more impressed with it now. However, I do enjoy attending the Big Book discussions every summer. Participating in the discussions somewhat increased my opinion of Melville's famous tale. And there were many parts of the book that I just didn't remember from reading it as a 16 year old. I can't help thinking Mrs. Maupin would be proud of me for reading it again.

Moby Dick, or The Whale

Moby Dick, or The Whale by Herman Melville, 507 pages.
Melville's classic novel, written in 1851 stands up well to the test of time. Sure it has the racism and sexism of its time, but less so than many works written much later. The broad strokes of the book reflect the prejudices of its time more than the more detailed portraits of the principle characters. Queequeg, Tashtego, and Daggoo are judged by the author (to paraphrase the great MLK) more for their character as whalers than for their color of their skin.
Among these characters, Ishmael, the narrator, and Ahab, the obsessed captain have entered the shared consciousness, as have Starbuck, and Queequeg to a lesser degree. In the book itself we find the other wonderful characters that are also deserving of our attention and acclaim, Pip, Stubb and Flask, are there, as are Tashtego and Daggoo.
Melville's language is as strong as the characters he has drawn. Attributing the formality and cadence of his characters' speech to the Quaker roots of the Nantucketers among them, we encounter  many resounding, colorful, and hyperbolic speeches that jump off the page. Likewise, in his lengthy discourses on "cetology," and other nautical topics, Melville keeps the lengthy narrative flowing.
Not the slog I was expecting at all; a joy to read and / or listen to. The audio, narrated by Anthony Heald, is a lengthy, but enjoyable listen.

Herman Melville's Moby Dick

Herman Melville's Moby Dick by Chaboute, 256 pages.

Chaboute's black ink drawings are really spectacular. His drawings and the edited text of Melville's classic novel really bring this abbreviated version to life. Or so I assume, because I have never read the original. I'm waiting until we do Moby Dick for our big-book summer read for that. This graphic novel comes to life, anyway. Ishmael and Queequeg meet when they share a room at the Spouter Inn. After a misunderstanding when they meet, Queequeg adopts Ishmael and helps him get a berth on Captain Ahab's ship, the Pequod. The rest of the story moves along, as I am told the original novel does not. So good for Chaboute. He makes it seem like this classic novel should move well up on the must-read list.