Reviews
"Gracefully written [with an] infectious enthusiasm…"- New York Times Book Review "Exuberant."-- Boston Globe "Brilliant and provocative…"- The New Yorker "[A] slim, passionate manifesto…"- Chicago Tribune "A slim, easy-to-read argument on why you should definitely put [ Moby-Dick ] on your bucket list."- History Wire " WHY READ MOBY-DICK ? reels in a compelling case… short, lucid, intelligent… Philbrick's more like a literary color analyst, helping readers see the novel better while also creating a sense of excitement about it."- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "This slender volume is packed with reasons why you might want to read the whaling classic." -Minneapolis Star-Tribune "This slender, pleasant, sincere book by the maritime historian and naval enthusiast is more than a respectable tribute unencumbered by academic prose. Approaching Moby-Dick from outside the academy is refreshing, and Philbrick's enthusiasm is contagious….So put me down for a reading of Moby-Dick in 2012, and count Philbrick's book a success."- The New Republic "Philbrick does the literary world great service by bringing Moby-Dick back into popular attention and also by his skill in keeping American history fresh and alive."- Aspen Daily News "Sure to swell the readership of Melville's masterpiece."- Booklist (Starred review) " In this cogent and passionate polemic for Melville's masterpiece, Philbrick… combines a critical eye and a reader's adoration to make a case for Moby-Dick … Less lit-crit and more readers' guide, this tome will remind fans why they loved the book in the first place, and whet the appetites of trepid potential readers."- Publishers Weekly " A slim celebration of the elements of a literary masterpiece…Philbrick is an enthusiastic salesman for a sometimes daunting novel."- Kirkus " So you liked Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea , which re-created the wreck of the whaleship Essex, inspiration for Herman Melville's Moby-Dick ? Then you'll love Philbrick's new book… From a wonderful and knowing writer."- Library Journal , pre-pub alert