(05) He Called Me Ishmael: A Short Story of Moby Dick and the Lone Survivor of the Pequod

Herman Melville created a legend, a life philosophy, an epic tale in Moby Dick. Unfortunately, the language of the original story is so digressive and complex, that it is difficult to finish, or even start.He Called Me Ishmael is the story of Moby Dick, using original ideas, themes and focus. It is a fully developed short story with complex characters and themes. The story begins as a young man, Ishmael (the lone survivor of Moby Dick and the ship Pequod) chases his dream of being a whale-man on a whaling ship. He soon finds himself at sea with a curious crew of misfits, a best friend cannibal and a maniacal captain (Ahab), who is hell bent and obsessed with revenge on Moby Dick, the great white whale. He soon understands that if he doesn't maintain an "outside perspective" on the chase, he may end up at the bottom of the sea along with the rest of the crew. Ishmael's beautiful bond with an unlikely friend, Queequeg, the cannibal, builds to a crescendo from their first encounter to their last. Listen as Ishmael negotiates his fears and anxieties and leans on his friend for support. This short story stays true to Herman Melville's original story. It is not a substitute for reading Moby Dick, but the average recreational reader is likely to understand more of the story by listening this book, then by attempting to pick up the weighty original.