Warning! Spoiler alert for all these chapter discussion topics. Enter here knowing that the plot and characters will be discussed in detail.
I can’t believe I missed this. I just finished this book yesterday! I’m reading it for a class, though. 
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YOU FINISHED? No spoilers lol. Congratulations!
I did!!! Just a couple of days ago!
The long digressions were a bit dull at times, but the main story (especially the ending!) was really exciting! I’m a grad student in 19th Century American literature, so I can’t believe this was the first time I’ve read it!
I just finished chapter 3. I’ve never read it before and it’s amazing.
I’m wondering as I’m listening to chapter 3 why he is making such a big who-ha over this guy Queequeg - he’s going to share a bed, not share a bed, sleep on the now-planed-but-still-has-a-knot-in-it bench/table - and where is this guy anyway - it’s midnight already and frankly who is buying shrunken heads at midnight (before the Sabbath too!) - so I’m guessing this character is going to be important because of all the build up.
I know the basic story (and recently saw the Ron Howard movie so know a bit more from that) but am trying to read this without cliff notes. I’m wanting to hear it all the way through as I would have in 1851 - (wikipedia-free!) and then go back and read all about the themes etc. I’m sure there is a free class on Moby Dick somewhere on youtube.
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I love the idea of going 1851 on this–I’ve been reading footnotes in a print edition as I’ve been listening so far, and maybe it would be good to go without them for a while.
Queequeg! The best!
I figure I have the rest of my life to read the notes on everything Moby Dick related - but only one shot to got through it 1851 style. (Although in fairness I had to google Queequeg for the spelling so I didn’t look like a dumbass while posting this!).
I think it’s making me listen harder because I really don’t know what is coming next or what it means.
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I did like the phrase “bridegrooms grasp” (I think that is correct) to describe how Queequeg and the narrator woke up together!
Also - the guy who reads the title refers to it as “Moby Dick or The Whale” - so I’m guessing it had two titles.
I think it was one of those books that wasn’t popular when released but became popular later (I refer to this as “It’s-a-wonderful-life-syndrome”.
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I have made it through chapter two, But keep falling to sleep in chapter three. I blame cold medication. Plugging away though.
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I downloaded this to my iPod last week but just got around to plugging into it today. I was yawning through Chapter 1 when Tilda started talking about going to the sea and suddenly I was right there with her/Ishmael with a rag of an empty purse and the need to feel a deck beneath my feet. Twice we sailed on a 125 foot long 4-masted schooner in the Caribbean on vacation, pulling sails and standing a watch at the wheel (with a real sailor beside me to make sure I didn’t run into any islands) and those words made such an ache grow in me I thought about digging out my sea bag, packing my watch cap and bellbottoms, and heading for the docks. Instead I’ll get out my knitting and listen to Chapter 2. sigh
Thanks for the link, Ann.
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You are by far the most qualified reader of this book so far!!! 
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I should say, you and the marine sciences scholar!!!
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On my list to go sailing on a big ship. Have sailed on smaller sailboats, but after reading so many Patrick O’Brian novels, I’d love to see how it all works, in real time.
Last night as I listened to Chapter 3 I had to pause and go find my book so I could highlight bits that grabbed me, such as “poured them out brimmers all round.”
(My iPhone just tried to change brimmers to grommets … )
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I have read along with the audio in the online annotation that was suggested here. It adds a whole new dimension.
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Just wanted to announce I’m in on the book; listened to the first two chapters tonight.
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Holy crap, thank you! This will make all the difference.
Ahoy, avast, welcome! You are gonna love this thing. Spoiler: it’s about a whale.
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Just listened to chapter 3. I know having different readers is part of the charm, but I would now personally pay Nigel Williams to read this entire book to me. I can hardly stand to move on to Chapter 4 and have to listen to someone else. What a wonderful voice and interpretation!
Can I just say that it grieves me that the Brits had to do this? Such a shame no American enterprise thought to do a Big Read of this great American novel.
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Maybe we should cook one up!
There’s no copyright … just sayin …
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