Moby-Dick

by Herman Melville

About this Book

Moby-Dick; or, The Whale is an 1851 novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is the sailor Ishmael's narrative of the maniacal quest of Ahab, captain of the whaling ship Pequod, for vengeance against Moby Dick, the giant white sperm whale that on the ship's previous voyage bit off Ahab's leg at the knee. A contribution to the American Renaissance, Moby-Dick explores themes of obsession, nature, religion, and social status, standing as one of the undisputed monumental achievements of world literature.