02-20-2007, 05:59 PM
I just finished rereading this, and it's still great. Some of the language is a bit difficult (rather like some of Hawthorne's) but Melville spins some great metaphors. And it has a lot of interesting information about sailing and whaling. Plus there are some funny bits. Admittedly it is dark, but since a main theme is existential tragedy (i.e., you will someday die) that is to be expected.
the hands that guide me are invisible