Sunday, 26 May 2019

Moby Dick Readalong

Call me Brona!

Yes, I know, I've been promising this post for quite some time now. 

I really want to tackle Moby Dick with a group of friends as I feel that this particular book could be a challenge to get through on my own. But my life is still in a very hectic stage and I keep pushing it back. 

However, I know from other recent readalongs, is that if I just commit to it, I will somehow make the time to fit it into my life.

So, this is it!

Thank you all for sticking by me and for encouraging me quietly from the sidelines to get my act together.

My plan is to read a chapter of the book then listen to the matching podcast episode from the Moby Dick Big Read.

Initially I had thought to do a chapter a week, but quickly realised that with 136 chapters it would take way too long. Trying to fit Moby Dick into just one month felt too ambitious as well. A chapter a day is too much (for me right now) so I will simply set a start date and end date with the idea of reading and listening to 3-4 chapters a week.

The 1st August 2019 is Melville's 200th birthday, so that feels like an auspicious start date.

He started writing Moby Dick in February 1850, so I thought that would make a good finish line for us, 170 years later.

So, the 1st August 2019 - 29th February 2020 - that's 30 weeks of Moby Dick with 4 and half chapters a week to read and listen to. I should be able to do that (& still read other stuff as well). What about you?

I will put up a monthly post to see how everyone is going and provide encouragement. I will attempt to tweet quotes from each chapter and share images of my copy of Moby Dick in the wild.




For further inspiration, I plan to read Nathaniel Philbrick's Why Read Moby-Dick? before the 1st August and will share any insights with you.

If you're keen to join in, let me know below and please share my button on all the social media platforms you like to use.

I played around with a few hashtag possibilities, but my ideas became rude, crude and undesirable very quickly!! So I have decided to keep it simple #MobyDickReadalong.
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35 comments:

  1. Fanda Classiclit26/5/19

    I'm definitely in! 😄

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  2. reese26/5/19

    Me, too! I'd never seen about the podcast version. That looks fun.

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    Replies
    1. Brona27/5/19

      Wahoo! Glad you can join us Reese.

      Delete
  3. BookTapestry26/5/19

    I read Moby-Dick last year and loved it! I found a very helpful website called Power Moby-Dick, the Online Annotation. http://www.powermobydick.com/ I read my paper book, then checked to see what definitions and explanation the site had. Have fun and I hope you enjoy the book, too!

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    Replies
    1. Brona27/5/19

      Thanks I’ll check out the link & will no doubt use it as I read. Love annotations 😊

      Delete
  4. NancyElin26/5/19

    Good luck to all who join the read-a-long!
    I read it last year and learned...do not hesitate to
    skim when needed. There's a lot of scrimshaw and blubber!

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    Replies
    1. Brona27/5/19

      Thanks for the tip Nancy. Happy to skim when needed.

      Delete
  5. Katherine Nabity27/5/19

    I might be in. I want to do a reread in the near future, but August is alternately very far away and too close (if that makes any sense). I might jump in late. I really enjoyed reading along with the Big Read episodes.

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    Replies
    1. Brona27/5/19

      Would be delighted to have you join us Katherine in whatever capacity you can. Your recent experience can only help & I’d be very curious to hear how a reread informs your views of the book.

      Delete
  6. Louise27/5/19

    Oh good on you. I listened to the Moby Dick Big Read in the last 18 months. I finished it about a year ago. I wrote one post, but never got around to finishing the second post. Maybe this will prod me along to do that. I think I bought Why Read Moby-Dick, but definitely added it to my TBR. Maybe I can read that with you? I won't reread Moby-Dick.

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    1. Louise27/5/19

      I just got Why Read Moby-Dick on Audible. Only 2.5 hours! I'll try and find my copy in the meanwhile (although I have books in two houses just now... half boxed up, it's complicated as they say). Let me know when you start. I can knock over 2.5 hours in a couple of long dog walks.

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    2. Brona27/5/19

      I’m reading The Overstory at the moment, but hope to start WRMB? in early June. It’s one of my 20 books of winter choices, but shush, don’t tell anyone yet, as that post doesn’t go up for a few more days 😉

      Delete
    3. Brona27/5/19

      Can you pop the link for your Moby Dick post in here when you get a chance so I can check it out (again).

      Delete
  7. Laurie @ RelevantObscurity27/5/19

    I am breathing a sigh of relief. When I recently took down my copy and realized just how thick it is I wasn't sure if I could do it in a month with all the other personal and bookish things going on. I would have done it anyway, but....

    So hooray! I am very, very in! The dates you have chosen are very interesting and auspicious, so I think the readalong will be a great success :)

    And thanks again for hosting!

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    Replies
    1. Brona27/5/19

      Glad the time frame works for you too Laurie. Like you I was a little daunted by the size of the book once it was in my hand too.

      Delete
  8. Cleo @ Classical Carousel27/5/19

    Yay, Brona! You know how long I've been awaiting this announcement! ;-) I will definitely join and I like the slow and leisurely pace. Can't wait for August! :-)

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    Replies
    1. Brona27/5/19

      I appreciate your patience & quiet support from the sidelines to get this thing going finally!

      Delete
  9. Ruth @ with freedom and books27/5/19

    I'm in! Looking forward to it.

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    Replies
    1. Brona27/5/19

      Excellent!

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    2. Bellezza 28/5/19

      This is a book I've long been meaning to read. Why not now, with you? Good idea!

      Delete
  10. Marianne 29/5/19

    What a shame! I just read "Moby Dick" last month and am just about to write my review. Well, I hope I can take part in the next read-along.

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    Replies
    1. Brona1/6/19

      I look forward to reading your review Marianne :-)

      Delete
    2. Marianne 2/7/19

      Well, once you're done, here is my link.
      I'm looking forward to hearing your opinion.

      Delete
  11. Deb Nance at Readerbuzz29/5/19

    I'd love to join in!

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    Replies
    1. Brona1/6/19

      Fantastic Deb - it will be so much more fun with this many readers :-)

      Delete
  12. Lisbeth4/6/19

    Always wanted to read, but have a feeling I will find it overwhelmingly ... boring? Anyway, sounds like a good idea to spread it out over a few months. I am in. I might also take you up on reading Philbrick's Why Read Moby-Dick? Will check out if they have it in the library. Might be a good inspiration for further reading. Once we get closer I will put up a post about it.

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    Replies
    1. Brona4/6/19

      Thanks Lisbeth. I'm really hoping the wonderful company gathering here will help us all to get through this behemoth of a classic. A trouble shared is a troubled halved :-)

      Delete
  13. Marian H4/6/19

    Count me in! :) I can't believe it's only 2 months till August... feels like the year just began :P

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  14. Bellezza 4/6/19

    Hmmm, I thought I’d left a comment, but apparently not. Of course I’m joining you, and I have left a link to your idea on Dolce Bellezza. Xox

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    Replies
    1. Brona5/6/19

      You had left a comment earlier, it's higher up as a reply to Ruth's comment :-)

      And a BIG thank you for spreading the love about my #MobyDickReadalong

      Delete
  15. Alicia3/8/19

    I would like to join, even I'm a little late. I'll try to catch up this week.

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    1. Brona3/8/19

      We'd love to have you along Alicia. The readalong is guided but very relaxed. See my post from the 1st August for more up-to-date details. I've only read the extracts and first chapter myself so far, so not much catching up to do!

      Delete
  16. *ೃ༄ Jillian8/8/19

    Hey Brona. I'm going to tentatively try this, although we know my track record for readalongs! https://readingbackwards.home.blog/2019/08/07/a-november-of-my-soul-joining-in-for-moby-dick/

    (I hope you're well. Thanks for hosting.) :)

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  17. Joseph8/8/19

    I'm very tempted...I am not ready for a reread yet. I like the introductory post though...very nice.

    ReplyDelete

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