Moby Dick is David Simon's favorite novel. But it also looks big and scary so I've never had the nerve to attempt it. Even though I thought Infinite Jest would get me laid once. It did not. And I still don't know what's on the fucking videotape, either. DFW was pretty harsh about fandom, too, but then I'm alive and he's not. Ever since, I've been suspicious of extra-big books.

But it also looks big and scary

Like a giant white whale bearing down on you!

It's actually more readable than a lot of bigass classic must-read novels. People just get bogged down in the chapters which aren't moving the narrative forward. If you like randomly reading the Encyclopedia, however, this will be less of an issue as you'll nod your head as Melville goes off on yet another tangent. (Yet, the tangents are essential in my mind. And kind of why it's not just a Ripping Yarn.)

I finally read "Hunger Game" last night at the bookstore in Spokane because I saw the sequel came in (before it did!) off the hold list at the library. And then went to the library tonight when I got in from the airport, and both of them were waiting for me! So I'm probably going to re-read it after I read "Catching Fire". Much looking forward to that. Loved it. SO awesome.

Also picked up (on a rec from...DW?) The Disreputable History of Frankie Laundau-Banks, and just read it very quickly. Fun, but not quite what I thought when it was recc'd. I liked the plotting, but found the sense of disconnection too realistic and depressing! Now I'm not sure I can read a dystopic revolution book right after...may need something fun and fluffy.

And the tangets are skimmable, erika. Think of reading it 15 chapters a week (the chapters are super short) and you'll finish quickly enough (like in two months).

The thing that most surprised me was how funny parts of it are. But, it's true, I'm a bit bogged down in whale trivia.

It's much easier to read, even unassisted, then I found Don Quixote or The Divine Comedy were with assistance.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Laundau-Banks

meara, I loved this book, even though it was extremely depressing. And because of it, my students read Panopticon before they read Handmaid's Tale.

The thing that most surprised me was how funny parts of it are.

Yup. That was quite a shock to me, to be amused by this Big Important Book.

The flip side to that is I had expected Don Quixote to be funny and it simply wasn't. It was the equivalent of watch from the hall. That book just made me so angry and so sad.

I'll just stake my claim here on, The Point of the Tangents: What Melville wants to do is immerse you as deeply into the world and culture of whaling as he experienced it. So that the metaphors of whaling have a deeper resonance. What it all means to you is roughly what it would mean to a whaler of that era. The facts, the industrial grind of it, the lore all factor in.

Why is this important? Melville exploits one of the distinguishing traits of the novel - it's length. And one of the things you can do with that length is convey a great depth of knowledge. And he leverages that to make the story payoff in a way that a shorter story can't.

It's not unlike the Long Con narrative strategy used by Simon. There's much immersion so that the action rings louder. With Simon you know how the drug business works, so you understand what ever gesture and betrayal really means.

Plus, in Moby Dick there's all kinds of slash and Ahab is AWESOME and the action scenes at the end are thrilling. Plus also he throws a random play into the middle of it. With lots of rich, Shakespearean language.

I only made 250 pages until it was due back at the library. It was okay, but I can see how it would get very repetitive. I'll finish it for my quest book.

ETA: Don Quixote. Not Moby Dick. 'Cause Moby Dick is awesomecakes.

So I'm probably going to re-read it after I read "Catching Fire". Much looking forward to that. Loved it. SO awesome.

I liked it, but not as much as The Hunger Games. I felt it was more of a placeholder in the trilogy, setting up the final novel and not a complete story unto itself.