I'm a non native english speaker trying to read this book, sort of gave it up around (i think) half to read other books in the waiting list. Most of the interludes are not that engaging to me (whale classification chapter comes to mind), which is a pity since I enjoyed the actual narrative.
wolverine876|4 years ago
FWIW, that is the experience of many English speakers; it's a feature, not a bug, so to speak.
yariik|4 years ago
Thanks, looks like a book I would enjoy, I'll read it now.
ZeroGravitas|4 years ago
Reminds me of some of the stuff I enjoy in Umberto Eco's historical novels where he dives deep into some historical worldview, often one we now know is wrong, though I think in this case Melville was relating the current state of the art of his age, but both do so quite poetically.
Some of the cod-Shakespearean bits were a bit more of a drag for me. Something for everyone maybe.