INTRODUCTIONS for Moby Dick

[PaulK]

Ziki, I have agree with much of what you have been posting. I do have high hopes for MbD. I have read the first 13 chapters and expect to have finished at least through the first section that Bob has divided for conversation by next week. I think there are a lot of conversation points, and I believe that we are accumulating a solid group who want to join the discussion but most are holding back until next week and probably trying to get more reading done.
I am almost finished Seven Gables and perhaps I will go back and read more of the posts. I also found the connection between H. and M. Interesting and will look for any similarities to THOSG and MbD.
Since I also purchased Utopia I will try to read it this week but I don't think there has been much discussion thus far.

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ziki wrote:

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PaulK wrote:
I think I have already lost all credibility. The start date is December 26, 2006 not any of the various dates I have mentioned.

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ROFL, who knows Paul. You didn't loose any credibility at all, on contrary. I can actually relate to what you said in your original post and the confusion was pervasive all over. I myself ended up with many ordered books but no possible sharing.

But Hawthorne that you mentioned is taxing (also due to the fact that Melville was friend with him.I like these connections). Maybe I get to the 'gable house'first when the main peloton had already left...elsewhere...

Now MbD is not a book I would ever tackle on my own so perhaps such a reading project will work much better with a few mates who are on the same mission simultaneously. I got more interested due to the pre-discussion here seeing how many artists found interesting cues in the book, musicians, dramatist, painter (Laurel's original sound link)...

I think that if I do not take the book too seriously I might have the best starting point to actually discover its qualities.

ziki
presently on the B&N edge
falling off or not... :-)

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[Katelyn]

Hi,

I'm Kate. I work in the high-tech industry (in engineering to be more specific), and although I plan to stay there, I sometimes look around and wonder how I ended up there and why I stay (I always thought I'de eventually pursue literature or philosophy). I am trying to teach myself philosophy and literature on my own however in the little time I have given I rarely leave the office before 8:30 PM (currently finished reading
Albert Schutz and Edmond Husserl books and about to start on Susan Langer on the philosophy front and reading Larry Levis's and Robin Behn's poetry and the novel The Dissident on the literary side of things). I really liked B&N University and now the forums that have replaced it. They make me read something other than what I normally read.

I probably won't be a very active participant (but I am ordering the book--- hopefully it won't just sit on my nightstand) since I have been side-tracked lately by an interest in (amateur) physics which is really wild stuff. It's great lurking in the
backgound, and I've enjoyed everyone's comments on Melvile; thanks for providing this
useful information.

I want to learn to write and am working on poetry and am hoping the stimulation from some of these forums (combined with great discussion with local friends) will inject some newness into my thinking. Since I tend to gravitate toward contemporary fiction rather than classics, I think this is perfect for injecting the kind of newness I am looking for... I think it would have been decades before I got around to Meville if ever but as I read everyone's writing about it I am getting drawn in.

I also liked learning that Melvile in the beginning had trouble spelling despite his
brillance; he persevered in his scribling so maybe there is hope for the rest of us. I'de like to learn to be as tenacious as he was; even if I never learn to express myself to the degree I want, the tenaciousness itself would be something...

Kate

Message Edited by Katelyn on 12-17-200610:17 PM

[fanuzzir]

Kate, you sound like you've got as many interests and sources of aesthetic inspiration as can be found in Moby Dick. I like a novel that is so hetereogeneous that it says out loud, the author doesn't have it all figured out just yet.
I, by the way, am the moderator, and really enjoying this preliminary discussion.

[fanuzzir]

Paul, you might find some interesting material in the Melville biography thread on Hawthorne. And I'll look back on the House of the Seven Gables thread to see if you have any last words there.

[fanuzzir]

Hi Lou,
I'm glad to have you in our discussion. You'll see that we're discussing Melville's biography and some trivia in the Foonotes thread; please see also the preliminary discussion unfolding in the On Dry Land, early section of the novel thread. I think you'll find it surprising deft and comic. Bob

[fanuzzir]

Chad, do you stay in character all day? Just checking.
Bob

[Dawn]

Hey all...

My name is Dawn. I'm going to be in a class next semester in college, and we will be discussing Moby Dick. I thought this discussion would be helpful in my understanding of Moby Dick. However, I don't know quite how this book club thing works, so if anyone would just give me a quick intro to how it works, I would really appreciate it!

[leakybucket]

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Dawn wrote:
Hey all...

My name is Dawn. I'm going to be in a class next semester in college, and we will be discussing Moby Dick. I thought this discussion would be helpful in my understanding of Moby Dick. However, I don't know quite how this book club thing works, so if anyone would just give me a quick intro to how it works, I would really appreciate it!

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Hi Dawn, welcome aboard. Everyone is busy with Christmas stuff today so there isn't much going on. We actually are just getting started. View the messages in "threaded" and it will be easier for you to follow the conversations. You can start by reading the first 27 chapters of Moby Dick and the messages that we have already posted. If you see a topic that interests you, add your own comments. Or, if you prefer, you can ask a new question or make a new comment. It may take awhile for a response as some people don't check in frequently.

Bucky

[Choisya]

Hi Dawn, Merry Xmas and Welcome! You have made a great start by posting in the Introductions section so just carry on but post to the chapter headings Bob Fanuzzir, our Moderator, has given. There has also been a 'starter' discussion in the Community Room which you might like to join. Just click on 'reply' to whichever post you wish to comment upon. You might also find going to your Profile and setting your Preferences as follows might help because each board will then show the thread/topic with the latest post at the top, and within a thread the latest post at the top. I think this is the order in which most regular readers want to see the posts and it saves a lot of scrolling:-

1) Sign in (nothing works until you do!)
2) Go to Profile
3) Go to Preferences
4) Go to Display Settings
5) Tick Linear format
6) Go to Linear Format Settings
7) Tick Newest to Oldest/Date descending
8) Do NOT tick 'Automatically jump to first unread message in a thread'.
9) Save changes

It also helps if click Quote Post when you respond and type your own message above it


And it helps other people if you click on 'Quote Post' in your reply box and type your answer above the Quote, so that we know what you are replying to.

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Dawn wrote:
Hey all...

My name is Dawn. I'm going to be in a class next semester in college, and we will be discussing Moby Dick. I thought this discussion would be helpful in my understanding of Moby Dick. However, I don't know quite how this book club thing works, so if anyone would just give me a quick intro to how it works, I would really appreciate it!

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[chad]

My brother plays a pirate at Walt Disney World and I was supposed to be an eccentric literature professor of some kind, but I think I want to do my own writing and art.

Seriously,

the question, "Why do whales jump?", does not have one certain answer, but we do train dolphins and whales to jump in shows. Their leaps can be thrilling- they help us to feel.

Chad

Message Edited by chad on 12-26-200610:48 AM

[fanuzzir]

Dawn, I'm the moderator and actually a professor, so you're in good hands. As you can see, I've structured the discussion so that we get a chance to read chronologically as well as by character and the all important whale theme. I've started each thread with an observation, then everyone replies and it goes on from there.
As someone who has been on both sides, I'm sure you will find this discussion helpful. I'm glad you found us, and I look forward to hearing your own observations.
Bob

[tpm]

I guess I'm jumping in here late, but I just found these boards while messing around on the B&N website. Fortunately, I had already started MbD, so hopefully I'm not too far behind the rest of you.

Looking forward to the discussion!

Todd

[fanuzzir]

Todd, I'm so glad you found us. Please find the chapter breaks for our discussion, as we're trying to go through the novel chronologically. There are also topical sites for your to visit on character, whaling lore, obscure footnotes, etc. I hope you find any or all of these engaging as you read the novel.
Bob

[ziki]

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tpm wrote:
I guess I'm jumping in here late, but I just found these boards while messing around on the B&N website. Fortunately, I had already started MbD, so hopefully I'm not too far behind the rest of you.

Looking forward to the discussion!

Todd

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no it's not too late, welcome

ziki
on the whaling welcome commitee

[Richard007]

Ahoy,

I just happened to be reading Moby Dick when I stumbled into the Book Club section of B&N. So I'll be pulling up a chair if nobody minds. I'm warming up the clam chowder too.

[Choisya]

Welcome aboard Richard - we need more hands on deck for this chase and I am sure Ziki will make a fresh pot of chowder for you

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Richard007 wrote:
Ahoy,

I just happened to be reading Moby Dick when I stumbled into the Book Club section of B&N. So I'll be pulling up a chair if nobody minds. I'm warming up the clam chowder too.

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[fanuzzir]

Welcome Richard. See where your post would make the most sense, and start us all over again. None of us seem to have forgotten the first section of the novel, on dry land, though some of us have actually read beyond that. So you're actually right on schedule with us. Bob

[ziki]

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Richard007 wrote:
Ahoy,

I just happened to be reading Moby Dick when I stumbled into the Book Club section of B&N. So I'll be pulling up a chair if nobody minds. I'm warming up the clam chowder too.

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great, great, Jung caled this synchronicity. Brother of Bond be welcome here. I am curious to hear what you make of this monstrous book. Post away, I certainly do not mind...there are many unclear points so far that need some additional light.
Burn that whale oil.

ziki

[ziki]

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Choisya wrote: I am sure Ziki will make a fresh pot of chowder for you

Aw shucks, I need to burry my nose in the Joy of Cooking then.....very pleasant&entertaining reading! NO recipes for whale meat,though, only shark...

ziki

[Choisya]

Welcome Aboard 007 - we could do with some rescuing from this Caspian Sea because this World has been too much, not Enough!

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ziki wrote:

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Richard007 wrote:
Ahoy,

I just happened to be reading Moby Dick when I stumbled into the Book Club section of B&N. So I'll be pulling up a chair if nobody minds. I'm warming up the clam chowder too.

---

great, great, Jung caled this synchronicity. Brother of Bond be welcome here. I am curious to hear what you make of this monstrous book. Post away, I certainly do not mind...there are many unclear points so far that need some additional light.
Burn that whale oil.

ziki

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