The Moby-Dick Big Read

167

‘I have written a blasphemous book’, said Melville when his novel was first published in 1851, ‘and I feel as spotless as the lamb’. Deeply subversive, in almost every way imaginable, Moby-Dick is a virtual, alternative bible – and as such, ripe for reinterpretation in this new world of new media. Out of Dominion was born its bastard child – or perhaps its immaculate conception – the Moby-Dick Big Read: an online version of Melville’s magisterial tome: each of its 135 chapters read out aloud, by a mixture of the celebrated and the unknown, to be broadcast online, one new chapter each day, in a sequence of 135 downloads, publicly and freely accessible. For more info please go to: www.mobydickbigread.com

Recent Episodes
  • Epilogue - Read by Mary Oliver - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 29, 2013 – 00:02:03
  • Chapter 135: The Chase – Third Day - Read by James Naughtie - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 28, 2013 – 00:32:49
  • Chapter 134: The Chase – Second Day - Read by Roger Allam - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 27, 2013 – 00:25:29
  • Chapter 133: The Chase – First Day - Read by Kerry Shale - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 26, 2013 – 00:24:33
  • Chapter 132: The Symphony - Read by Cerys Matthews - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 25, 2013 – 00:12:33
  • Chapter 131: The Pequod Meets the Delight - Read by Daniel Allen - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 24, 2013 – 00:03:01
  • Chapter 130: The Hat - Read by Diana Speed - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 23, 2013 – 00:10:59
  • Chapter 129: The Cabin - Read by Rev. Nick McKinnel - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 22, 2013 – 00:04:09
  • Chapter 128: The Pequod Meets the Rachel - Read by Alice Herrick - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 21, 2013 – 00:10:35
  • Chapter 127: The Deck - Read by Tom Thoroughgood & Cyrus Larcombe-Moore - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 20, 2013 – 00:05:03
  • Chapter 126: The Life-Buoy - Read by Paul Minot - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 19, 2013 – 00:07:03
  • Chapter 125: The Log and Line - Read by Sheila Snelgrove - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 18, 2013 – 00:08:59
  • Chapter 124: The Needle - Read by Stephanie Boxall - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 17, 2013 – 00:09:39
  • Chapter 123: The Musket - Read by Nick Ryan - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 16, 2013 – 00:08:10
  • Chapter 122: Midnight Aloft - Thunder and Lightning - Read by Max Goonetillake
    Jan 15, 2013 – 00:00:33
  • Chapter 121: Midnight - The Forecastle Bulwarks - Read by Robert Fearns - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 14, 2013 – 00:04:37
  • Chapter 120: The Deck Toward the End of the First Night Watch - Read by Novar Cane
    Jan 13, 2013 – 00:01:16
  • Chapter 119: The Candles - Read by Mary Martin - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 12, 2013 – 00:18:31
  • Chapter 118: The Quadrant - Read by Horatio Morpurgo - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 11, 2013 – 00:06:21
  • Chapter 117: The Whale Watch - Read by Dr Routledge - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 10, 2013 – 00:03:13
  • Chapter 116: The Dying Whale - Read by Jenny Cuffe - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 9, 2013 – 00:03:46
  • Chapter 115: The Pequod Meets the Bachelor - Read by Read by Stormy, Josiah and Nathaniel Mayo
    Jan 8, 2013 – 00:07:16
  • Chapter 114: The Gilder - Read by Tom Maryniak - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 7, 2013 – 00:04:48
  • Chapter 113: The Forge - Read by Eva Stalker - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 6, 2013 – 00:08:56
  • Chapter 112: The Blacksmith - Read by Emma Ayres - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 5, 2013 – 00:07:24
  • Chapter 111: The Pacific - Read by Mark Carwardine - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 4, 2013 – 00:03:04
  • Chapter 110: Queequeg in His Coffin - Read by Dugald Ferguson - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 3, 2013 – 00:13:12
  • Chapter 109: Ahab and Starbuck in the Cabin - Read by Richard Wood - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 2, 2013 – 00:04:55
  • Chapter 108: Ahab and the Carpenter - Read by R. F. 'Griff' Griffith - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Jan 1, 2013 – 00:11:44
  • Chapter 107: The Carpenter - Read by Lydia Richards - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 31, 2012 – 00:06:19
  • Chapter 106: Ahab’s Leg - Read by Joyelle McSweeney - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 30, 2012 – 00:07:01
  • Chapter 105: Does the Whale’s Magnitude Diminish? - Read by Sir David Attenborough - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 29, 2012 – 00:10:19
  • Chapter 104: The Fossil Whale - Read by Elizabeth Bradfield - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 28, 2012 – 00:09:07
  • Chapter 103: Measurement of the Whale’s Skeleton - Read by Will Eaves - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 27, 2012 – 00:06:39
  • Chapter 102: A Bower in the Arsacides - Read by Marina Warner - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 26, 2012 – 00:12:41
  • Chapter 101: The Decanter - Read by Zeb Soanes - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 25, 2012 – 00:11:48
  • Chapter 100: Leg and Arm - Read by Erica Wagner - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 24, 2012 – 00:16:19
  • Chapter 99: The Doubloon - Read by Cyrus and Liam Patell - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 23, 2012 – 00:16:23
  • Chapter 98: Stowing Down and Clearing Up - Read by Gail Cullen - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 22, 2012 – 00:08:12
  • Chapter 97: The Lamp - Read by James Balla - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 21, 2012 – 00:01:48
  • Chapter 96: The Try-Works - Read by Mark Ashurst - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 20, 2012 – 00:12:05
  • Chapter 95: The Cassock - Read by John Waters - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 19, 2012 – 00:03:06
  • Chapter 94: A Squeeze of the Hand - Read by Tony Kushner - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 18, 2012 – 00:09:15
  • Chapter 93: The Castaway - Read by Carolyn Brown - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 17, 2012 – 00:10:31
  • Chapter 92: Ambergris - Read by Michael Bracewell - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 16, 2012 – 00:07:47
  • Chapter 91: The Pequod Meets the Rose-Bud - Read by Meri Ratzel & Ben Haas - mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 15, 2012 – 00:15:05
  • Chapter 90: Heads or Tails - Read by Oliver Colville - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 14, 2012 – 00:07:09
  • Chapter 89: Fast-Fish and Loose-Fish - Read by Jane Sharp - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 13, 2012 – 00:10:05
  • Chapter 88: Schools and Schoolmasters - Read by Tania Kovats - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 12, 2012 – 00:09:27
  • Chapter 87: The Grand Armada - Read by Gordon Weiss - http://mobydickbigread.com
    Dec 11, 2012 – 00:31:31
Recent Reviews
  • mccambjd
    It’s pee’-kwod you dolts
    Very uneven recording quality and reader quality. Also a puzzle why a story so important to the development of American novels has so many English, Irish, and Scottish readers who can’t pronounce “Pequod”…
  • poiuytrewq1740
    Came to hear Benedict Cumberbatch...
    ...and stayed for all the rest! Thanks for all of this. It was a treat for the ears and imagination.
  • kbayline
    My favorite
    Excellent audio, great voices, thank you for pursuing one of the greatest stories I have had the privilege to know.
  • Jim Morton
    Mixed bag, but mostly excellent
    As one might expect from an audiobook where a different person reads every chapter, some readers do a better than others. A few stumble over some of the words, and I am surprised how many mispronounce forecastle (it's always dangerous to assume an English word is pronounced how it looks). So far there has only been one truly horrendous chapter by some guy who seemed to think that we'd rather listen to his experimental music than Melville's prose (we wouldn't). Most are quite well done and some of the readers are both well-known and surprising. I certainly didn't expect Benedict Cumberbatch, and John Waters even less. If you've always wanted to read "Moby Dick," but couldn't get into this, this might be the answer.
  • BrettyB8
    Excellent!
    The amount of labor and love put into this is unfathomable, and so far I have greatly enjoyed the reading. The only things that have been bugging me so far are how some readers sound as engaged as a kid getting a rock for his birthday, and that some slosh and smack saliva around very very loudly, but the latter can't be helped and is understandable. All in all, this is a FANTASTIC listen!
  • DoctorSubmarine
    The perfect way to experience the novel for the first time
    By breaking it up into individual chapters, this infamously gigantic book is made a lot more digestible. You can glean a lot more entertainment value from it as well. Most of the readers are full of personality, and actually add to the story in their interpretations.
  • Haelox
    Issues with download
    Anyone else getting errors on their subscription? Mine keeps warning to me check my network and access privileges, but other podcasts are working fine. I'd love to make sure I am keeping up with this amazing project. I'd rate it higher if it worked more consistently.
  • SOEUR
    Moby Dick
    I can not believe that I actually sat and enjoyed 2whole chapters of this Moby Dick. I have tried reading it before, Way in the pass, when I thought it Was a duty of some sort. But my duty only lasted till somewhere Before page60. Now here I am truly and amazingly Enjoying this read!!?? Please keep the Chapters coming, Sea Mattie Ps all "I did spell check". Peggy knows that she is still enjoying This Big Moby Dick Read! From Chapter 1 till now I have not missed one reading. What a writer! He had it all, especially when it came to the great art of painting with words How sorry i would have been to miss This read. Now Old Peg knows what all the fuss Has been about. To die and not to have heard this beautiful book would be the same As not to know Charles Dickings And all his wonderful people.
  • CroftonRedhead
    Astounding masterpiece
    I read this in college, but I appreciate it so much more now. I believe that by hearing one or two chapters at a time it is easier to appreciate Melville's genius. His knowledge was broad and deep, and his thoughts on race, religion and some other issues sound modern to me. I can see now why someone called him an American Shakespeare. Before hearing this, my favorite of his works was Bartleby the Scrivener-- which I still love. But Moby is majestic.
  • justjohn2
    Different voices keeps Moby Dick fresh
    I read Nina Martyris's blog about this Moby-Dick Big Read and think it's a brilliant way to approach this big long book. By hearing different voices reading each chapter I find that I'm more focused and therefore get a lot more out of this. Also there is a fantastic documentary available on PBS describing how whale oil was once as important to the world as petroleum/gas/oil are now. One aspect Melville's book shows us is the monetary greed, and the resulting inhumanity.
  • N._L.
    Bravo
    A masterpiece made easy to digest. This book should be read by all, but its sheer volume makes it more likely to be a doorstop or step stool for most households. The Big Read brings you along with daily chapters just long enough to whet your appetite. As for the different narrators, I love the variety that each brings. If you plan to sample this recording, be sure to give it a few chapters to hear the different readers.
  • Redshino
    Listening to the great American novel
    I just finished listening to Chapter 9, The Sermon, a Shakespearean rant. Melville was protean, a wide ranging genius. Listening to the first nine chapters, you can hear the range of his genius for comedy, stinging political satire, irreverance and a kind of crazy reverence. His characters, even the minor ones, live and breathe. You can see their warm breath smoking the cold air of the mid 19th century. I'm heading for China tomorrow and my fondest hope is that I'll be able to continue listening while I'm there.
  • Ehpstein
    Is it just me?
    Why so many British chapter readers? It's an American story, by an American author, isn't it? I would much rather hear American accents reading this novel.
  • Kids Guild
    Amazing adventure
    A lovely way to explore this wonderful book.
  • morganfitzp
    Moby's Best Album!
    Man that guy's got talent!
  • Idiot Nephew
    My new favorite podcast
    Just listened to the third chapter. It was wonderfully read and laugh out funny. Can't wait to hear the next chapter.
  • JES51
    Moby
    I' m not much of a classical novel reader but I'm enjoying this greatly. Who knows maybe this will inspire me to broaden my reading. Thanks so very much.
  • Kurouji
    Thank You!
    I really enjoy hearing the personality of each of the readers. They bring a unique element to each chapter.
  • Pheidias
    Wonderful!
    Such a great idea. I love the different interpretations of the text by each reader. Four chapters is further than I've ever gotten in Moby Dick (apologies to my tenth grade English teacher) -- here's hoping I can keep it up. PS: I do wish we could see the daily art here on the podcast too. Maybe it can be put in place of the album art?
  • Sennelier76
    MDBR
    Brilliant!
  • Ubootreviewer
    Absolutely splendid
    Wonderful realization of a brilliant idea.
  • youdontsmellbad
    Excited about future episodes
    There's only been one episode, but it'll be a fun way to listen to Moby Dick, probably. It consists of: -A very brief intro to the effect of "This is the Moby-Dick Big Read" -The chapter being read -Nothing else If I can handle 15 minutes a day of Moby Dick being read by a celebrity, I think I can handle a minute of introduction or commentary. I understand Stephen Fry will be a reader, and it seems like he could take a minute and tell me what he thinks of the chapter. I wouldn't start fast forwarding or yelling at my iPod to get to the point. Still, you get a little bit of the actor's personality in each one, so there's that. Keep it up though. Brilliant idea.
  • Wheelie G
    Superb reading of an all time classic
    Tilda Swinton's reading of Moby Dick is fantastic. I can't wait for the next chapter!
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