Debating/dicussing the "Greatest" literature concieved - Fiction Novella

glasshouseglasshouse Posts: 1,762
edited September 2007 in A Moving Train
Herman Melville's 1851 novella ~ Moby Dick / The Whale

I’ve never read anything that comes close to this astonishing work of art.
Athens, Greece: 2006/09/30

"Call me Ishmael. Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world." Herman Melville : Moby Dick
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  • CollinCollin Posts: 4,931
    I saw it in the store the other day, but I bought something else instead. I do intend to read it some day.
    THANK YOU, LOSTDAWG!


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  • That's far too long to be a novella. It's a novel.

    Anywho, I haven't read it. I tried when I was much younger but it was too much for me at that age.
    My personal favourite piece of literature is Dune by Frank Herbert. It takes in so many themes and treats them all with equal importance. Every character featured is amazingly written with very rich back stories. The universe it's based in has a huge colourful history that you can get lost in without being given to much details (like in Lord of the Rings). No matter how many times I read it I always find something new to enjoy about it. Absolutely Brilliant.
    I'll Ride The Wave Where It Takes Me
  • glasshouseglasshouse Posts: 1,762

    Anywho, I haven't read it. I tried when I was much younger but it was too much for me at that age.

    i suggest you give it a second chance round about now. it's not an easy read, but you'll get use to his style of writing after a bit.
    absolutely stunning
    Athens, Greece: 2006/09/30

    "Call me Ishmael. Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world." Herman Melville : Moby Dick
  • glasshouse wrote:
    i suggest you give it a second chance round about now. it's not an easy read, but you'll get use to his style of writing after a bit.
    absolutely stunning
    Oh I plan to. It's sitting around my house somewhere. Has been since I was a kid. It's just a matter of digging it up.
    I'll Ride The Wave Where It Takes Me
  • glasshouseglasshouse Posts: 1,762
    Oh I plan to. It's sitting around my house somewhere. Has been since I was a kid. It's just a matter of digging it up.

    I’d be quite interested in your opinion afterwards.

    dig it up my brother and digest Melville's heart ;)
    Athens, Greece: 2006/09/30

    "Call me Ishmael. Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world." Herman Melville : Moby Dick
  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    Knut Hamsun - Mysteries
    Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Seattle, WA Posts: 12,223
    If we're talking about novellas, then Heart of Darkness is the one.

    If we're talking novels, then read Middlemarch by George Eliot.

    If we're talking poetry, read Richmond Lattimore's translation of Homer's Iliad, and then read John Milton's Paradise Lost.

    If we're talking drama, read King Lear.
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    If we're talking about novellas, then Heart of Darkness is the one.


    amen amigo!! :)

    i've never read you're other suggestions.. i am/was too busy shagging
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Seattle, WA Posts: 12,223
    dunkman wrote:
    amen amigo!! :)

    i've never read you're other suggestions.. i am/was too busy shagging


    The whole point of doing more than one degree in Literature is finding brainy women to read with in bed, between shagging sessions. ;)
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    The whole point of doing more than one degree in Literature is finding brainy women to read with in bed, between shagging sessions. ;)


    :D :cool:
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • glasshouseglasshouse Posts: 1,762
    Byrnzie wrote:
    Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov

    i bought Dostoyevsky's ~ The Idiot couple of weeks ago.
    Finishing Moby Dick, and then i'll give ^^^ a read.
    Athens, Greece: 2006/09/30

    "Call me Ishmael. Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world." Herman Melville : Moby Dick
  • glasshouseglasshouse Posts: 1,762
    If we're talking about novellas, then Heart of Darkness is the one.

    If we're talking novels, then read Middlemarch by George Eliot.

    If we're talking poetry, read Richmond Lattimore's translation of Homer's Iliad, and then read John Milton's Paradise Lost.

    If we're talking drama, read King Lear.

    i'll definately look into those. thanks
    Athens, Greece: 2006/09/30

    "Call me Ishmael. Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world." Herman Melville : Moby Dick
  • dunkman wrote:
    amen amigo!! :)

    i've never read you're other suggestions.. i am/was too busy shagging


    You know what they say about if you have a make a point of saying it...lol :p
    Progress is not made by everyone joining some new fad,
    and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
    over specific principles, goals, and policies.

    http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg

    (\__/)
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  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    If we're talking about novellas, then Heart of Darkness is the one..

    Didn't impress me I'm afraid. All I got from it was trees, trees, and more trees.
    If we're talking poetry, read Richmond Lattimore's translation of Homer's Iliad, .

    I bought a copy of this on a previous recommendation of yours. I haven't got round to starting it yet.
    If we're talking drama, read King Lear.

    This is the one book of his I still want to read. It's one of a ton in my pile of 'must read' books.
  • Byrnzie wrote:
    Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov


    having never read melville's moby dick i cannot weigh in with an opinion...nor compare/contrast. just had to offer a *tumbs up* for dostoyevsky! absolutely!


    there really are soooo many great works of literature out there!
    one of my most fave....won't say it is *epic*...but none the less:
    madame bovary ~ gustav flaubert
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • elmerelmer Posts: 1,683
    Byrnzie wrote:
    Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov

    one of my favourites, also loved crime&punishment.
  • CollinCollin Posts: 4,931
    If we're talking about novellas, then Heart of Darkness is the one.

    If we're talking novels, then read Middlemarch by George Eliot.

    I'll put them down on my list (so many books on it already, it's ridiculous :D). Heart of Darkness was on the reading list of my English class, two years ago, I didn't read it, I read The Great Gatsby and ... I can't quite remember the other four.
    If we're talking poetry, read Richmond Lattimore's translation of Homer's Iliad, and then read John Milton's Paradise Lost.

    I tried to read that translation of Homer's Iliad when I was fifteen, perhaps I should give it a try.
    If we're talking drama, read King Lear.

    Meh, I'll guess I'll get to read that one this year.
    THANK YOU, LOSTDAWG!


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