Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Moby-Dick (1851) is Herman Melville's masterpiece about obsession, vengeance, and humanity's relationship with nature.

Ishmael, the novel's narrator, joins the whaling ship Pequod under Captain Ahab. Unknown to the crew initially, Ahab has one consuming purpose: hunting the white whale Moby Dick who took his leg in a previous encounter. As they sail, Ishmael describes whaling life and befriends Queequeg, a skilled harpooner from the South Pacific.

Beyond its adventure storyline, the novel explores themes of fate, free will, the limits of human knowledge, and mankind's relationship with nature. Its famous opening line—"Call me Ishmael"—sets the stage for a narrative that's both intimate confession and epic adventure.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​