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Moby Dick (Abridged) Audiobook

Moby Dick (Abridged) Audiobook, by Herman Melville Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Bob Sessions Publisher: Copyright Group Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 1.50 hours at 1.5x Speed 1.13 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: February 2014 Format: Abridged Audiobook ISBN: 9781780001128

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

8

Longest Chapter Length:

22:32 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

10:33 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

16:15 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

49

Publisher Description

Moby Dick is an epic work of the nineteenth century, not just in its length or geographical vastness, but also in the way the main characters, Ahab and Ishmael, are presented to the reader. Ahab is, in true classical tradition, a larger-than-life, almost mythical individual, beyond the reach of the reader’s experience. In contrast, Ishmael is a more ordinary character, one to whom the reader can relate. As such, he narrates the story and also interprets the thoughts and actions of the more grandiose and less accessible Ahab as they pursue the monstrous white whale, Moby Dick.

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"Some classics are classics because they are well remembered by academics but some are classics because they are just darned good. This book is of the latter's number. I loved this book all the way through. It has a tough reputation as being thinly veiled pop-science but I was thoroughly enchanted by the characters. Similarly I was surprised at the humor in the book which based on its reputation I thought was a humorless slog. I am very glad that I took the time to read this one. The one thing that keeps this book from being a "five star" for me (though I think it deserves that appellation as a piece of literature) is the grisly violence. I am afraid it marred my enjoyment of the novel."

— Adam (4 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • “The greatest American novel.”

    — William Faulkner
  • “The infinite novel. Page after page the text grows in immensity, until it encompasses the whole cosmos.”

    — Jorge Luis Borges
  • “An epic, rewarding, sea-worthy journey awaits you in one of literature’s classic tales.”

    — Amazon.com

Moby Dick Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.6264367816091956 out of 53.6264367816091956 out of 53.6264367816091956 out of 53.6264367816091956 out of 53.6264367816091956 out of 5 (3.63)
5 Stars: 64
4 Stars: 41
3 Stars: 27
2 Stars: 24
1 Stars: 18
Narration: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 (5.00)
5 Stars: 1
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 (5.00)
5 Stars: 1
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Story Rating: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    — Mimi, 8/6/2022
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " A damnable perfect journey. Not a book, an elegy of drive and desire. A map of fate. We get sucked down with its sinking. "

    — Joe, 2/19/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Kept on with this but wasn't a labour of love. Now I understand why my sister found the edited down version long winded! "

    — Nikki, 2/17/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Not for the light reader nor those who own lessor dictionaries. The tale of the white whale meanders and circles for well over 500 pages stalking the lesson we have all heard. A book that must be read in latter years and more than once. "

    — Jennifer, 2/16/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I didn't really think I'd like this when I started it, but I wanted to read it because it is a classic. I was really surprised how good it was (I guess that's why it is a classic). lol:-) "

    — Chri, 2/14/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I read this during my last semester of undergrad and it could not have been a more perfect time to read this novel. Moby-Dick contains everything you need to know about life and is exquisitely written. Most have heard about the crazy Ahab but the gem of the story is Ishmael. Melville uses the whale to allegorize every facet of human experience from racism to spirituality. It's just a lovely lovely book. "

    — Dilem, 2/11/2014
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " First few chapters were good. But as soon as the ship sailed every chaper was about whales, whaling, and life on a whaling ship. The story seemed to get lost in the the whaling descriptions and doesn't show up again until the last few chapters. Even then it didn't come back very strongly. "

    — Catherine, 2/9/2014
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " First few chapters were good. But as soon as the ship sailed every chaper was about whales, whaling, and life on a whaling ship. The story seemed to get lost in the the whaling descriptions and doesn't show up again until the last few chapters. Even then it didn't come back very strongly. "

    — Catherine, 2/9/2014
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Some people may not give this book an honest review because of the fact that it is a classic. The bluntly honest truth is that this book is DULL. If you talk to anyone who has read moby dick, they might give you an impression that the book is largely about Ishmael, a captain and a conflict with a whale. While the book IS about Ishmael, IT IS NOT MUCH ABOUT A WHALE OR CAPTAIN , not in the sense that everyone makes it out to be at least. In fact, neither the whale NOR the captain is even introduced for a very large portion of the book. Sure, as an english literary courses compulsory read, the book contains many elements that a good book should. The book has a very large amount of discription and you can imagine yourself in his position easily; however, the book moves at a snails pace and is virtually void of excitement for the first half or so at least. (besides the fact that Ishmaels friend is... interesting). All in all, this is not a book you want to read just to say you have read it. Honestly, some books you never want to put down... this book you never want to pick up. "

    — Conrad, 1/27/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " "the wild watery loneliness of his life" "

    — Audrey, 1/24/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I really liked it. It was written a long time ago, so it can be hard to read at times. It also reads like a non-fiction book. I learned a lot about life on a whale boat though, and became good friends with a couple of characters. I also grew dislike a couple of them. "

    — Joseph, 1/22/2014

About Herman Melville

Herman Melville (1819–1891) was born in New York City. Family hardships forced him to leave school for various occupations, including shipping as a cabin boy to Liverpool in 1839—a voyage that sparked his love for the sea. A shrewd social critic and philosopher in his fiction, he is considered an outstanding writer of the sea and a great stylist who mastered both realistic narrative and a rich, rhythmical prose. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick and the posthumously published novella Billy Budd.

About Bob Sessions

Bob Sessions is an actor who has appeared on several television shows, including The Tomorrow People, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, Ruth Rendell Mysteries, and Rumpole of the Bailey. He has also worked extensively as a voice actor and audiobook narrator.