My Reading List for 02/25/10

Alright, I've begun my reading of Herman Melville's 1851 masterwork-- Moby Dick. Of course, pretty much everyone is familiar with the book's opening line: "Call me Ishmael..." and quotes like "Thar she blows!" Well, in between, there's a lot of other stuff going on in here. As I've mentioned before, one of the novel's major themes/plotlines is war, particularly in regards to Britain's military involvement with Afghanistan. Sure enough, there's a reference to this in the very first chapter. In addition to a bunch of other political things, there's plenty of cultural topics and issues dealt with throughout this dense text, including race, religion, and the whaling industry. Lastly, this book is heavy on character development. From narrator Ishmael to Queequeg to the colorful, infamous Captain Ahab, there's plenty to keep readers entertained. As I read and discover more about Melville's literary masterwork, which is definitely about so much more than a quest for a white whale (the book's title means "white whale" in Old English), I'll discuss it here. Thus, stay tuned for the next installment of "My Reading List for..." in which I'll do just that.